Horsepower in 427 cobra, what is too much?

[Streetwize]

Depends mainly onthe driver, the torque/powerband/gearing you have and how tractible you want the power to roll-on.

600hp generates more Heat than 500hp, to me the best way to build a 600hp motor is to have roughly the same high torque easy revving powerband as a typical 427" 500hp motor with the exception of having an additional 700-1000 rpm up at the very top to where that additional 100hp is there when you need it. With the right heads compression and cam this isn't too hard to do.

I'm also a firm believer in having 2 carbs and tires...a double pumper and race tires for the track and street tires and either a vacuum/Air Valve secondary for the street. Double pumpers (when tweaked for max acceleration) are tough to modulate on the street, especially in a lightweight high powered car and depend on optimum bite....going around a tight corner at speed that looked 'dry'. With a DP it can catch even the most expereinced drivers by suprise when they can't reaquire traction due to lack of tire contact.

[427supr]

I think between 350-450hp is plenty for what most of us use our cars for. I am mainly driving my car on the street. You will rarely use that kind of power on the street. Maybe a short burst here and there. It is a ego thing to say I have 500 or 600 Hp. But it will be rarely utilized. I think alot of the Hp claims people make are exaggerated, until you put your car on a dyno, you will not really know for sure.

[Fordzilla]

Originally Posted by 427supr

I think alot of the Hp claims people make are exaggerated, until you put your car on a dyno, you will not really know for sure.

Yup, & Dynos can be made to read whatever you want them to. A little weight on the waterbrake lever & there you have it, big horsepower numbers!

[427supr]

Owning a cobra is about excess. It is fun to build a motor, and see how much possible HP you can get out of it. Of course within a budget.

[CobraEd]

Originally Posted by Fordzilla

Yup, & Dynos can be made to read whatever you want them to. A little weight on the waterbrake lever & there you have it, big horsepower numbers!

We know that a lot of "our" highly reputed engine builders tweek the knobs on their engine dyno for telephone number horsepower readings that are not substantiated on the chassis dyno later.


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