Is 300 hp sbc in an A coupe too much?

Car is fenderless,'40 brakes, th350, 3.50 gears on bias tires.
Is this going to be too much fun or should I stick with my stock chev 307...
Ps- this is my wifes ride...

What should I expect with 300 hp?

 

It simple math really...A+300hp=fun-th350+4gear=bigger fun.

Just remember what goes fast must slow down, the only thing I would consider would be better brakes. Or definately instill in her the need for lots of stopping space. I know alot of people will say they are just fine, but when there are so many better choices for brakes....

 

i think i might to grab some popcorn for this one.

should be plenty, depending on what her driving style is.

 

excess is never enough..300 HP..nahh add a 1 in front of the 300 ..now were talkin

 

Put a 175 shot on top and it will almost be tolerable.

 

Make some popcorn for me too.

I'm watching this one too

Here's a comparison from my perspective:

89 IROC-Z28 197 HP in a pretty heavy car with smog equipment and a posi cost me eight sets of tires and a few tickets in two years. You do the math for an A.

Either way my wife did not like it because it was "to much power" and I liked to use it.

Go figure

Build it for her the way she wants it and keep the good engine for your next project...

Build it the way you want it and when she does not like it you can take it over...

Mike

www.Customikes.com

 

It means you merge quicker and safer!

 

It's like a motorcycle. You gotta use your accelaration and manuverability.
It'b be like a 289 Cobra cept lighter and more torque.

 

IF it had fenders a modelA can never have too much HP?!?>room inside the weiand for 250hidden w/3barrel carb>1 or 2 carbs on the edelbrock>let your wife decide?

 

horsepower is like sex, there is no such thing as to much.

 

gads! do you know who you are talking to here?

 

photos for above post?

 

Hell no it's not too much. A buddy of mine put 2 tunnelrammed 454s crank to crank in a 27 T. He pulled it down to one 454. THAT was too much

 

Depends on how your wife drives. Just becasue the HPs are there, doesn't mean she has to get on it. Actually when you think abotu it there are so many other 'safety' factors to consider..belts, brakes, St. Christopher medallion. I mean how safe is ANY fenderless Model A? If she's worried about the extra power, stick with the stock 307 and save the rat motor for the next project.

 

I've found that if you don't step on the gas pedal all the way it will not put out 300 h.p.

 

Too much horsepower? I don't understand the question.

Doc.

 

400 HP + Model A = pure sex

 

If she bitches it isnt enough she's a good one
Otherwise i dont know

 

Sorry, but ain't nothin' about that setup even remotely like a Cobra!

 

300 horse in that car is mild.

 

Go for it, but please upgrade your brakes, they were OK back in the day but now they are unsafe. When I learned to drive 50 years ago all we had were drum brakes and the drivers manuel said to allow one car length per 10 mph. Today at 65 MPH there often are several cars within that space.
Disc brakes can save your life, I switched from 39-40 brakes to dics in 1971(38 years ago) and have never been sorry I did so.

 

No.

 

are you kidding? go big!

 

300 isn't to much, the 40 brakes are fine, the same thinking that goes with putting a 300hp engine out of a 4,000lb car into one that ways 2000lb works with the brakes as well. take a set of drums off a 4k 40 ford put then on a model a and it will stop way better than the 40 would, obviously not as good as discs but better than people who have never run them would expect. my 34 is close to 450hp with lincoln front drums and ford rears and it stops great. if you are that overly worried about her driving it sell it and buy her a bigger safer 50's cars or a new volvo.

 

No such thing as too much HP Just make sure she knows how to drive, that you put some better brakes on it and that the steering and suspension are capable/setup to handle the horsepower and the fun that it brings. It is the total package that determines what is too much or too little . . . and the dang driver behind the wheel!

 

Fix the brakes, and let'r eat......

 

Got a boxed frame and sturdy crossmember setup?

No?

Too much HP.

 

To me, anything under 300Hp is basically uninteresting. My HenryJ had 400Hp and my wife was terrified of it.

Here's a thought:

Set up your throttle linkage with lots of travel - better yet progressive - so that it has lots of pedal travel off idle. That way, the throttle won't be "stabby" and the car will be easier to drive. The power is still there, you just have to push further to get it.

 

If you have a Good Brake set up NO Problem
Drum Brakes work just fine!
Don't let anybody tell you Different
when I had my Drag Car it had Drum Brakes 850 hp
Stoped just fine!
I have a freind that runs a Hemi Roadster with a Blower on it ...Drum Brakes!
just my 3 cents