how much HP really is necessary.....

[Hal Copple]

i have been thinking a lot for the past few months about just this sort of thing. I know, a project for me to think about anything for that length of time. But about two months ago, i came face to face with an SPF with a stroked NASCAR motor, which really did dyno at about 760 hp.

Got me to thinking about how often i really use my much less hp car, at about 460 hp or so, at full throttle. I was driving a 300+ hp AWD Eclipse when i got my SPF, but was still scared stiff by the SPF's abrupt and brutal acceleration, using just two wheels. But eventually, i started to want even more power, so did a few things to the car, with Bob and Dennis Olthoff's advice and suggestions.

I always thought i wanted to "back up" my car's intimidating appearance with power, sort of "walking the walk", as some say. But i have found that i have to always respect my car's power. I sometimes wonder if, outside of my track time, if i even have over a minute's worth of full throttle. Certainly can't in first or second, and third gear goes so fast i have to shift in a few more seconds. I love coming down an on-ramp, or out of a rest stop (i cruise them all), yet unless i can see the road surface is perfect, with no curves, i just can't risk an accident. When i was running the speed event sat, just beyond the start there was a bit of a curve in the "track", and i walked it to see if it was going to be safe for a full throttle run that early on the track surface.

I absolutely never ever do anything abrupt with my throttle, on or off. I have only made the mistake of one roll-on encounter with a Z-06, and promised myself to never do that again. I can run 12 flat in the quarter, but who would care if i could do it faster, or if my timed mile was better than my 147 mph?

I know it is easy to joke about more power, but i have come to realize that there is no reason i can think of to have more than about 450-500 hp, max, in my car.

I always respect my car, and realized that for me, i so seldom use my present hp (aside from the track, when who cares), that having more hp would be pointless. I am not sure i would want another 100 hp if someone gave it to me.

How can anyone safely use 500-600 or more hp in a street driven replica? Or how often?? I think i know myself and my car about as well as any replica owner does, with about 63-65K miles, and countless hundreds of race track laps. And i just can't use my power very often.

Power-wise, i am at peace with myself.