Quarter mile times vs. engine type and power output?

[xb-60]

Sometime ago, I started a thread asking "how much power is enough?". My thinking was ....in a small, light car with like a Cobra, at what power level "threshold" does even more power not matter to acceleration figures?
It is possible that some of the replies were....um, somewhat subjective, so maybe I could ask for replies in a different format....
What are your standing quarter mile times and speeds, and what motor (SBF, BBF etc, and what "accurately" estimated or documented FW/RW HP figures) do you run? Extra info could also included 15" or 17" wheels used for the figures, and also what rear end ratio as well.
Could make good holiday reading.
Cheers,
Glen

[mdross1]

Near impossible question to answer,unless your building a specific purpose car,drag racer,road racer,or cruiser.Then there are the personal preferences,BB,SB,FE,385,new style old style.Then the drive train IRS,solid axle,narrowed or otherwise.Transmission,wheel sizes,tire compounds the list goes on and on.As long as whatever your preference all the parts and pieces are designed to work together and dailed in to do so you will have what you want.
When building my kit knew out of the gate it was to be big block,stick shift,narrowed 9" coilover etc etc.The car is dailed in and the level of satisfaction could not be higher.My car will go around most and those that can go around me are far and few between,best thing is no other car on this blue ball is exactly like mine,and it was hand built by me.
Good Luck in your choices of parts.

[DanEC]

I think this may be interesting. Some of the light FFR cars seem to turn very quick times with small blocks - about as quick or as quick as some of the big block cars.

[RET_COP]

The "how much HP is enough" I believe has a thread somewhere. It's always a tough question. For the street or strip? There is hardly a power limit for the strip, NHRA Pro stock is a light car and they have big HP numbers. So you must be talking about the street. There are too many variables.
For me, I like 500, 600, 700 + HP on the street. Can you use it? NO and well, yes.
Yes meaning I like the feel, the shake, the sound and where and when I can,... the acceleration with an experienced right foot. [ I know it's probably illegal but I'm talking where there is no one around. I can manage it and therefore want and desire it.
I know it doesn't answer your question "how much is enough" see what I mean!!!
I am tired of hearing the phrase "street manners" My 500HP Cobra is no problem on the street. My 780 HP camaro could have easily been street driven by me, someone else- maybe no, maybe yes. Does it really matter. There is a HP # for everyone, and no limit for those that don't want one

[Jerry Clayton]

I'm about to head off to the dyno shop where my son is getting ready to run a new Camaro whose owner wants 1000 rear wheel hp------------been having belt slippage in the upper 800 area and I have just done some mods to the drive system with some extra idlers to get more belt wrap around the crank--------will post back later--hopefully today!!!!!!!!!!

[Roush #1]

xb-60.....
I always enjoy seeing posts from folks with 600+ horsepower but no quarter mile times. I guess there are a lot of engine builders selling horsepower but not many selling actual performance on the track.

The question posed was what are your actual times and what are you running to achieve those times. It seems no one wants to post that information.

The following are the numbers you requested for the Gobra with all the details:

My engine is a 427 cubic inch small block (Roush 427 SR #444) with 525 dyno horsepower and 525 foot pounds of torque on a Roush dyno. The transmission is a Tremec T-56 and my rear end is a 9 inch Ford with 3.89 gears. The drag tires are 17 inch Hoosier Drag radials. The car weighs 2720 pounds with me in it.
Here is my best 1/4 ET of the day recorded at the Shelby Nationals in Tulsa in 2011 with an ambient temperature of 104 degrees F and thousands of witnesses.

60 ft. 1.5 sec.
1/8 mi. 6.86 sec.
1/8 mi. 101.8 mph
1/4 mi. 10.56 sec.
1/4 mi. 129.73 mph

Jody

[saturnkk]

Originally Posted by Roush #1

xb-60.....
I always enjoy seeing posts from folks with 600+ horsepower but no quarter mile times. I guess there are a lot of engine builders selling horsepower but not many selling actual performance on the track.

The question posed was what are your actual times and what are you running to achieve those times. It seems no one wants to post that information.

The following are the numbers you requested for the Gobra with all the details:

My engine is a 427 cubic inch small block (Roush 427 SR #444) with 525 dyno horsepower and 525 foot pounds of torque on a Roush dyno. The transmission is a Tremec T-56 and my rear end is a 9 inch Ford with 3.89 gears. The drag tires are 17 inch Hoosier Drag radials. The car weighs 2720 pounds with me in it.
Here is my best 1/4 ET of the day recorded at the Shelby Nationals in Tulsa in 2011 with an ambient temperature of 104 degrees F and thousands of witnesses.

60 ft. 1.5 sec.
1/8 mi. 6.86 sec.
1/8 mi. 101.8 mph
1/4 mi. 10.56 sec.
1/4 mi. 129.73 mph

Jody

Very nice!

[RET_COP]

Nice run Jody!! what style clutch and what was the flywheel weight? What 1st gear ratio is in the t56?

Jerry can't wait for those dyno numbers!

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by Roush #1

xb-60.....
I always enjoy seeing posts from folks with 600+ horsepower but no quarter mile times. I guess there are a lot of engine builders selling horsepower but not many selling actual performance on the track.

The question posed was what are your actual times and what are you running to achieve those times. It seems no one wants to post that information.

The following are the numbers you requested for the Gobra with all the details:

My engine is a 427 cubic inch small block (Roush 427 SR #444) with 525 dyno horsepower and 525 foot pounds of torque on a Roush dyno. The transmission is a Tremec T-56 and my rear end is a 9 inch Ford with 3.89 gears. The drag tires are 17 inch Hoosier Drag radials. The car weighs 2720 pounds with me in it.
Here is my best 1/4 ET of the day recorded at the Shelby Nationals in Tulsa in 2011 with an ambient temperature of 104 degrees F and thousands of witnesses.

60 ft. 1.5 sec.
1/8 mi. 6.86 sec.
1/8 mi. 101.8 mph
1/4 mi. 10.56 sec.
1/4 mi. 129.73 mph

Jody

Thanks Jody. This is the sort of information that actually means something. It takes some of the subjectivity out of the 'argument'.
If we can elicit enough information from enough owners, maybe we can see if there is a point of diminishing returns in the power/size vs. times.
Incidentally, I'm talking more about regularly driven (or regularly driveable) cars, not cars purpose built for dragging.
Cheers,
Glen

[Hotfingrs]

Originally Posted by xb-60

Incidentally, I'm talking more about regularly driven (or regularly driveable) cars, not cars purpose built for dragging.
Cheers,
Glen

If you're talking about my car, it was not purpose built for dragging. It gets about 2000 street miles a year and goes to the track once a year. Take out the engine and you have a car like everyone else's here, I just happened to find the right combination that works well. This can be attested to by the many people that see it at the LCS and Woodward Dream Cruise every year.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by Hotfingrs

....It gets about 2000 street miles a year...

That qualifies as "regularly driven"

[RET_COP]

Jack, the drag strip allows you to run almost 140mph with no cage!?

[Roush #1]

The clutch is a McLeod Street Pro and the flywheel is a 30# steel flywheel from McLeod. First gear ratio is 2.97

[Hotfingrs]

I've posted these before, so I'll do it again. Engine is a 450 inch SBC, outputting around 800 horse and torque. Cars weighs in the 2850 range with me in it. Tranny is a TH350 and rear is a Dana44 with 3.55 gears. M/T 15 inch ET Streets.

60 ft. 1.3xx sec.
1/8 mi. 6.0xx sec.
1/8 mi. 115-118 mph depending on tire spin off the line
1/4 mi. 9.1xxx sec with 9.14 being best ET so far
1/4 mi. 136-138 mph

[olddog]

Hotfingrs has an automatic transmission, which makes a difference. It is quite street-able, but I would say the engine is radical.

You may want to ask what type of tires are used at the track. How much power you can hook to the ground has to do with tires, and weight transfer (suspension setup is a huge factor). The average IRS is not going to hook up as much power as a ladder bar straight axle, for instance.

[Hotfingrs]

Originally Posted by olddog

Hotfingrs has an automatic transmission, which makes a difference. It is quite street-able, but I would say the engine is radical.

You may want to ask what type of tires are used at the track. How much power you can hook to the ground has to do with tires, and weight transfer (suspension setup is a huge factor). The average IRS is not going to hook up as much power as a ladder bar straight axle, for instance.

Right you are. TH350 auto with a 4000 stall speed and tranny brake.

The average IRS is not going to hook up as much power as a ladder bar straight axle, for instance.......

That's the reason I feel I could be in the 8's with a solid rear end. I run a C4 Corvette set up now and am limited by half shaft breakage.

[olddog]

Originally Posted by Hotfingrs

That's the reason I feel I could be in the 8's with a solid rear end. I run a C4 Corvette set up now and am limited by half shaft breakage.

At London I expect you have street tires on. The front tires stay on the ground.

Getting to 9's at the track, I expect you have some type of a drag slick. Are you lifting the front wheels at the track? I expect a straight axle would allow much better weight transfer to the back wheels, in addition to not breaking. I agree you could go faster.

[Hotfingrs]

Originally Posted by olddog

At London I expect you have street tires on. The front tires stay on the ground.

Getting to 9's at the track, I expect you have some type of a drag slick. Are you lifting the front wheels at the track? I expect a straight axle would allow much better weight transfer to the back wheels, in addition to not breaking. I agree you could go faster.

I run the same tires at LCS as I do at the track. M/T Street ET's Radial. 275/50/15

[olddog]

Originally Posted by Hotfingrs

I run the same tires at LCS as I do at the track. M/T Street ET's Radial. 275/50/15

Impressive. They hook good enough to break parts. Are they stickier than the Avon that get very high marks around here? How many miles can you get out of them?

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by olddog

...You may want to ask what type of tires are used at the track. How much power you can hook to the ground has to do with tires...

Yes, tyres are a significant factor. I suggested specifying whether 15" or 17" wheels
Cheers,
Glen