How much horsepower is simply ridiculous?

[Dangerous Doug]

I think the horsepower question ("How much...") always gets asked the wrong way. Rather than asking how much is enough, I'd counter and ask how much is simply ridiculous.

Case in point: I saw a YouTube video of a German builder who has built a Cobra with 1300 HP---let's assume that's at the flywheel. The video was truly impressive and the car was an absolute beast (in a cool, gnarly way). However, he had so much torque that with sticky rears his wheels developed stress cracks.

As impressive as the Cobra was, that is simply ridiculous.

Okay, so let's work our way down from there. Below 1300 fwhp, want's the most ridiculous horsepower you've heard of?

DD

[rodneym]

Working on it.

[REAL 1]

Original stock hp figures for Cobras were ridiculous. Beyond stock figures it's beyond ridiculous and unnecessary IMHO. It's just for bragging rights.

Most people don't even realize how much power 350 hp is in a 289 car moreless 425hp is in a 2400 lb 427 street car.

My Cobra gets my respect every time I drive it and it's got only 502hp. Thats more than enough for me.

[B.M.B.C]

Originally Posted by REAL 1

Original stock hp figures for Cobras were ridiculous. Beyond stock figures it's beyond ridiculous and unnecessary IMHO. It's just for bragging rights.

Most people don't even realize how much power 350 hp is in a 289 car moreless 425hp is in a 2400 lb 427 street car.

My Cobra gets my respect every time I drive it and it's got only 502hp. Thats more than enough for me.

That exactly the point I was trying to get across in a similar thread. Everybody likes big numbers when talking horse power .There has got to be a point were too much is just too much, regardless of if you or your car can handle it.

[sho928]

How much horsepower is simply ridiculous?

Answer is: 3,600 HP that would give the Cobra the same power to weight as an F-1 car (850 HP in a car that weighs 640-kg with driver)

Actually an F-1 Driver could easily loose control of a Cobra on GP circuit even if it only had 800-hp since he would have no 5,000 lbs of aerodynamic down-force to aid stability at speed.

I admire the Guys on this site that can safely control 500-hp in 2,400-lb car at full throttle or high speed with no modern aerodynamics or stability control

[Buzz]

I say anything UNDER 500hp is simply ridiculous in a Cobra.

[twin turbo]

A fellow Cobra replica driver I know drives his on the street with "over" 800 rwhp. He told me he has traction problems under 120 mph using drag radials. Still manages to accelerate from 0-125 mph in 5 1/2 seconds (per 1/8 mile time slip). Cheers.

[*13*]

A GoKart with a V8 is simply ridiculous.

[twin turbo]

Originally Posted by Buzz

I say anything UNDER 500hp is simply ridiculous in a Cobra.

Buzz, that's a good one, lol. Cheers.

[Dimis]

My thoughts are between 400/400 to 500/500 at the flywheel is plenty enough to have the damned meanest, scariest, & fastest car going around!

Anymore, and you could only tell in 100ths of a second over a 1/4mile or on salt-lake flats!
The rest is just to appease ones ego, ...but to be honest, I'm not immune to wanting 600/600 just for that purpose.

Horsepower can be overrated when it comes to building the ultimate ride, and too many people get caught up in it.

The ultimate answer to the question "How much horsepower is enough?" ultimately comes down to "What do you need?" Are you road racing, draging, street driving, autocrossing, or what have you...?

For me a balanced package & not peak Hp is more important for my ultimate chariot.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

On the street, torque is king. Unless you are racing, or want bragging rights, a high torque engine with somewhat less HP is more streetworthy/better driveability than a high HP, high rpm engine. Just my opinion of course. My idea is to replicate what the original Cobra was in the day, including its driveability.

[Dwight]

HotFingers has 800 hp and I did not see any problems with his runs on Main Street at the London Cobra Show.

I would say more than 800 and a lot less if your Cobra is not set up correctly and / or has the wrong tires!

Dwight

[Dangerous Doug]

I'd have add driving skill or experience to the list of things that should limit the choice of engine build and horsepower. In "Bitten By the Snake" Bob Olthoff, Sr (spelling?) he points out that most people approached him wanting 400 HP in their Cobra build, wherein they had never driven a car with that much horsepower, they had just heard about it. I think his advice was 350 HP with a 351W.

On the "How much is too much" thread currently running, I saw some wisdom in one guy's post who wrote that he started in the mid-300's and is working his way up toward 500 (or something like that---too lazy to find the post).

So, it depends on who's driving. For some, 400 HP would be ridiculous, or at the very least unsafe or dangerous. We've all seen the video of the woman that drives a half block and then peels out into a pole.

So, I'm thinking the best answer to the question should be another question: What knd of driving experience do you have?

DD

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by ZOERA-SC7XX

....... My idea is to replicate what the original Cobra was in the day, including its driveability.

My thoughts as well ... 360 to 370 HP is about what the early race cars were running. So for me 360 HP in a street 289 FIA is very drivable and fun.

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

....... So, I'm thinking the best answer to the question should be another question: What kind of driving experience do you have?DD

Agree ... or another way to look at is what kind of 'Cobra driving experience' does one want? There is everything from mild to wild depending on how much power, car setup & tires and of course the all important loose nut behind the wheel

That's really the best part, you can make it any way you like it !

[Hotfingrs]

The package I have now is right for me and my driving. I did find when I had the 400 shot of nitrous on it, to be way to much for the car, and it scared the crap out of me. Only used it twice, once to make sure everything worked, and once when I was taking the wife for a drive and I said... Watch this.... and ended up three lanes over on a four lane highway. So I'd say 1100 plus horse is xssive.

[letsboogie351]

Any horsepower above your ability is ridiculous

[mdross1]

One of my motorcycles presently has a 580hp V8 between the rails have an SB2 all aluminum being assembled shooting for 800hp is that too much? It is all about the driver and how he/she uses the percieved insane horsepower.May not be able to apply insane hp in every driving situation but sure will get the blood flowing at least trying.

[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.

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by sho928

How much horsepower is simply ridiculous?

Answer is: 3,600 HP that would give the Cobra the same power to weight as an F-1 car (850 HP in a car that weighs 640-kg with driver)

Actually an F-1 Driver could easily loose control of a Cobra on GP circuit even if it only had 800-hp since he would have no 5,000 lbs of aerodynamic down-force to aid stability at speed.

I admire the Guys on this site that can safely control 500-hp in 2,400-lb car at full throttle or high speed with no modern aerodynamics or stability control

I think you meant to say 1450 Hp which would equal the lb/hp figure of 1.656 in a 2400 lb Cobra (Kirkham with 200 lb driver). That would be a handful, 3600 would be like a Top Alcohol Funny Car which is way faster than an F1 car in a straight line.

It is all about traction, not enough and you have trouble and better have quick hands. My ford GT has 862 RWHP with 4.0 Whipple and is very easy to drive on a road course with Hoosier A6's, granted it is 1000 lbs heavier than my Cobra and has great down force but it still has a fairly stout weight to power level. The Cobra with the same tires and a slightly better power to weight ratio is an animal because of a lack of traction and short wheel base. Top Fuel cars are long for a reason.

[xb-60]

My view - and as always, each to his own - is that if you're building a replica, then you replicate your selected original as closely as possible within you own constraints. The 289 Cobra won a world championship with around 380hp, and 427 Cobras were endowed with 380 to 420hp, so for a 289, 380hp is enough and a 427?....420hp is enough.
But if your choice is 600 or 700hp, then go for it! You would probably do well to buy shares in Goodyear or Firestone though....and they're probably cheap at the moment.
One question though - if you're cruising along, minding your own business in your 427/700hp Cobra replica, and you feel a sneeze coming, do you slow down?
Cheers!
Glen