Hot Rods Horsepower minimum, got a number?

I like the cartoon , 40's ??

 

Some is good, more is better, too much is just about enough.

 

There are a lot of folks out there with 500 hp 327’s. That actually equates out to a real world 250 hp.

 

Ok, no math is allowed in my threads….that is too much like work.

 

On a Spray !!!
Average 327 with
heads, 202
cam, .460-.480
intake single plane
Would be 365 -385 crank
& Knowing how to tune ,

 

160 HP. I don't know what it weighs. I don't care

 

No minimum. The fastest car isn't necessarily the coolest. I can think of some model T gow jobs that I'd have over a supercharged LS powered modern street rod.

 

My Ford is around 425 HP and the car weighs around #3500. Oh it moves pretty well for an old tank. If I go BBC in it, I'll shoot for north of 450 HP. At 500... the pucker factor starts creeping in.

 

Don't think I said anything about "a waste" or "safe & practical"???
Land speed runs and drag racing are what gets my blood pumping. Neither of these pursuits want wheelspin. Once traction is broken, maximum acceleration/velocity is over. For me, a burnout is only to heat the tires to get bite. More power is great, if it can be used for more than turning rubber into smoke. Acceleration is addictive.
You might enjoy wheelspin, burnouts and loss of traction, and that's ok. Whatever tickles your pickle. It's just not for me.

(If you like burnouts, do a search for Summernats burnout comp.)

 

It's all a matter of car weight. Rember the Doug Nash Bronco 300 hp in a 2000 lb car and 600 hp in a 3800 lb car will get you about the same performants. PS and break less parts

 

Spending " money for nothing" pretty much assumes " a waste" & also infers something other than safe & practical , no , you certainly like to argue about words , aye ? Why not explain precisely what you meant , sheesh !

 

My thought is, depends on vehicle. My 300 hp 66 Corvette could have been a bit more, but my 34 pickup I built is tons of fun and drivability @ 275 to 300 horse.

 

It all depends on the intent of the vehicle. A custom that is to look cool going down the road doesn’t need the same power as something that is intended to be a street brawler. So, somewhere between 85 and 800 or so seems about right to cover all that.

 

I would drive that thing, even if I had to pedal!

 

Or show me the MPH on a drag strip time slip.

Sort of....but not quite. HP means you have to downshift to go fast. Torque means you just stomp the pedal, and you're instantly grinning

 

Way to much horsepower , is still not enough.

 

What he said

 

Well , here is where I can't run with the big dogs, for a lot of [$$$] reasons but will not stay on the porch! When I hopped up the straight eight in my 1950 BUICK I wanted a little more grunt. Which I got. The difference makes me grin when the throttle is opened, even a little, while driving. From 128 to MAYBE 200. Not dynode. Maybe this summer.

Ben

 

When GM offered the cheap 190 HP 350 crate engine a lot of people here thought that was enough.

 

It looks to me like the banger guys are having as much, and sometimes more, fun as the high horsepower guys.
We all know that going down the highway requires very little horsepower.

 

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I really don't feel the need for 500hp on my daily drivers. It doesn't get me to work or the store any quicker and sometimes it's not much fun. I'm not racing anyone and we have a lot of traffic to deal with, too. I just can't use all that power and I'm not into dick-measuring contests or dyno-racing, so I'm happy with something tamer.

For me the sweet spot seems to be right about 9-10lbs/hp, so for the little lightweight roadsters and MG's that we build, that's about 200-300 hp. That'll usually get me 0-60 in 6-7 seconds or less and at that power level the engines live long and get good mileage.

BTW, the last autocross event I went to, there were a couple of 125hp Lotus Seven replicas absolutely kicking the ass of all the high power Mustangs and Corvettes. Those guys brought howitzers to a close quarter knife fight and got cut to bits......

 

Assuming we are talking a street driven car, for me it's more that just the number. It's at what RPM you make the number. If it's not in a usable RPM range, it's a bit useless. An engine that pulls it's big numbers between 6200 and 7200 only gives you limited opportunity to use it on the street. I prefer an engine that has a broader power band at a more usable RPM that you can feel in the seat of your pants within reasonable abuse of the speed limit. The guys that mentioned torque are on topic. So something in the honest 375 to 400 HP in a 2800 lb. roadster / coupe.

 

I left my need for speed on the track a few years back. I gave my street legal OT Karmann Ghia to my son at the beginning of 2019. Lbs per HP? 4. Yep , 4 at full boost. 142cu.in. 500hp, 2000 lbs. He's not licensed to run it fast as it will go at that power level, so the boost is turned down, so it runs low 10s. Maybe 350, or 375 thereabouts. On the street, it's a handful. Two handsful!
My Ol Furd? Maybe 100-120 hp. Don't know. Hasn't even seen full throttle or north of 4000rpm since I built the motor. With my sedate driving style and the fact that it easily does legal freeway speeds while getting decent fuel mileage, it's all I need. These days, my measure of performance is how long it can go between fuel stops!

 

Yup...right up until you get to a hill.....

 

That’s why I like my big block Fords, 557 cid with a stock block. Even with oem iron heads 550 hp and 600 lbs. torque is pretty easy and all at 5500 rpm.

 

As much torque and horsepower as I can get! 600 hp and 578 ftlbs in a 3,000 lb daily driver was fun for me. But racing gas was cheap back then at only $5.00 a gallon.
Yea, I’m not right.

 

300-400 depending on the weight of the car And how much torque the engine has.

 

I feel out of place in this discussion. I drive like a little old lady and don't need lots of power. As long as the car looks the part, I'm happy.

 

It was in a late 50's "little book" an advertisement for Champion spark plugs

 

Minimum HP for me depends on what car it's going into. What might be fast in my little Austin gasser is going to be a bit anemic for me in my heavy '39 Chev coupe.
350 hp in a 2000-2500 lb. car is a lot of fun, but in a 3500 lb. car it's just okay, but leaves me wanting more.
My 355 SBC in my Austin is around 375hp and turns low 8 second 1/8th mile times at 100 mph. My 355 full roller motor in my '39 is 435 hp, and slower than the Austin, but still quick enough to be plenty of fun.