How much horsepower is simply ridiculous?

[750hp]

My last Cobra had an 870hp supercharged motor. Traction was non existent at any speed on 285/40/17 street tires. Like Bizz said, it could be dangerous if I was careless, but it could also cruise around as a docile, pump gas street car without incident.

My next Cobra will be a small block variant, with a well built high rpm small block that might only make 600hp. I think the sound and sensation of running a car through the gears with 7000+rpm shift points will be more fun than feeding in the excess power to the point of losing traction and just feathering the throttle pedal until you decide enough is enough...

[Igofastr]

My Kirkham had 500 BHP at the flywheel. Definitely NOT enough.

Briefly drove a friends car with about 670 flywheel HP...I'd say that was about right. I'd have to get it on the track to be sure, but on the street, I think it may have been enough.

My current ride has about 600 BHP at the flywheel, but I haven't really driven it yet and hope I'm not disappointed.

[Moto Mel]

To each his own.
For me, too much is almost enough.

[CHANMADD]

On another thrread not too long ago , we were asked how fast we had driven in our Cobras........
Most guys have not even had their cars over 100mph............How much do you need for that??????

[JBCOBRA]

:lol:

Originally Posted by chanmadd

on another thrread not too long ago , we were asked how fast we had driven in our cobras........
Most guys have not even had their cars over 100mph............how much do you need for that??????

[crASH]

Originally Posted by CHANMADD

On another thrread not too long ago , we were asked how fast we had driven in our Cobras........
Most guys have not even had their cars over 100mph............How much do you need for that??????

Just under 100HP should get you there in this weight vehicle.
Really.

[TButtrick]

Originally Posted by CHANMADD

On another thrread not too long ago , we were asked how fast we had driven in our Cobras........
Most guys have not even had their cars over 100mph............How much do you need for that??????

It's not how fast you can go, it's how fast you can get there.

[thndrrd]

Kind of funny, if you're a pro driver you'll say between 400 and 500 is more than enough. If you're a rookie driver with no sense, you'll say between 650 and 800 is OK. If you're a rookie driver in the hospital recovering from injuries with the people you crashed into, you'll probably by a Prius next time.

[Igofastr]

Originally Posted by thndrrd

Kind of funny, if you're a pro driver you'll say between 400 and 500 is more than enough. If you're a rookie driver with no sense, you'll say between 650 and 800 is OK. If you're a rookie driver in the hospital recovering from injuries with the people you crashed into, you'll probably by a Prius next time.

You say that as a pro driver, I assume?

[mdross1]

Been building and racing cars and motorcycles all my adult life.A lot of people I know love telling the world how much horsepower is lurking under their hoods and really never wring them out because they do not have the ability.Nothing wrong with that, I for one could care less what the numbers say as long as the motor is talking to me the drivetrain is tuned and up to the task at hand,then pull along side and we will see what happens.Most of the time all I ever need for a fix is out by myself early am no one around and let it all hang out.Never been stopped or caught,life is good.

[D111]

Originally Posted by mdross1

.Most of the time all I ever need for a fix is out by myself early am no one around and let it all hang out.Never been stopped or caught,life is good.

like that

[D111]

ridiculous

[Buzz]

Good Point!

[flipper35]

I have no problem letting my wife drive mine even though she has little experience in high performance cars. But she has enough sense to keep her foot out of it. I also have friends that will never drive the car because their foot is bigger than their brain.

[Dangerous Doug]

Originally Posted by flipper35

i also have friends that will never drive the car because their foot is bigger than their brain.

lol!

Dd

[Igofastr]

In all seriousness....the best answer has already been given...essentially, "no more than you can handle."

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by Igofastr

In all seriousness....the best answer has already been given...essentially, "no more than you can handle."

The problem here that its because of statements like this that ones ego doesn't let them admit that less is sometimes more, particularly on the street, and to be honest most street tracks

An example to this typical American (& in many cases Australian) psyche is the "UPGRADE" to the the "BIG", "JUMBO" or "MAN" size meal deal at the local fast food joint. When the truth is for a lot of us a DOWNSIZE would be an UPGRADE

It becomes a bit of a pissing contest of "My d!ck is bigger than yours" or "I'm the man" cos I have more HP than you & I can control it, that's why I have it and that's why I'm better than you... scenario.

Again, it's a little bit like the BB vs SB argument. Even if your right, fighting about still makes you sound like a retard!

--
So, I'm compelled to write this for those who in future will do the search & who are seeking advise on what power to build in their ultimate chariot, please subscribe to the theory that "less is more".

Horsepower is NOT king!! but IMHO traction IS!!!

You'll still be able to blow the doors off any production car including Vetts, Lambos or Ferraris. You don't need, and in many cases may regret 550-650hp engine. So in summary anything more than 400-500hp at the flywheel on street tyres is ridiculous and some might even say that is ridiculous.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by Dimis

....It becomes a bit of a pissing contest ..... I have more HP than you & I can control it....

Thanks Dimis. You said what I wasn't game to say.
Cheers,
Glen

[Igofastr]

"If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough horsepower."

-Mark Donohue

[Dangerous Doug]

Not all of us Yankees "Supersize" it. Narcissistic Ego Syndrome knows no borders.

I think the "how much you can handle" also needs to be qualified with "under what conditions". Being on a track changes everything. Yeah, handling 800 bhp on the street is one thing, making it work on a track is something else. The measure of a racer is not the horsepower---and I say this as a non-racer---but his abilities in handling the machine.

DD