So its time to assemble the motor and unfortunatley i already have all the parts , I have been talking to some people , most have said 550hp is going to ba a handfull on the street some have said it will be ok . any opinions ?
Is 550hp to much ?
Started by
_My74LH_
, Jan 20 2012 03:14 PM
45 replies to this topic
#2
mitchg
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 03:20 PM
Never driven a 550hp car but I would think it would come down a lot to how the power is put to the ground. Motor specs, Gearbox (manual or auto), Stall size (if auto), diff specs etc. Just to give an idea to someone who could actually help.
#3
MRLXSS
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 03:22 PM
Need more info...
550hp is a SHITLOAD of power... But it all depends how you make that power...
a 550hp Big Block will be much easier to drive that a 550hp 308 that needs to spin to 8000rpm to make the power!
A 550hp LS1 will be perfectly streetable, with the right gearbox and diff ratio.
Also, one persons idea of a 'handful' can be completely different to anothers... My 450hp 355 is a wild engine, but to me, with a T700 behind it, a good quality 3500 stall, I think that it is great to drive on the street, it cruises well and to me isnt too much of a pig on the street. My girlfriend on the other hand thinks its too loud, lumpy, dangerous to drive and shakes too much! HAHA!
Chuck up the Cam specs, that will give us any idea of how the engine will rumble and drive!
550hp is a SHITLOAD of power... But it all depends how you make that power...
a 550hp Big Block will be much easier to drive that a 550hp 308 that needs to spin to 8000rpm to make the power!
A 550hp LS1 will be perfectly streetable, with the right gearbox and diff ratio.
Also, one persons idea of a 'handful' can be completely different to anothers... My 450hp 355 is a wild engine, but to me, with a T700 behind it, a good quality 3500 stall, I think that it is great to drive on the street, it cruises well and to me isnt too much of a pig on the street. My girlfriend on the other hand thinks its too loud, lumpy, dangerous to drive and shakes too much! HAHA!
Chuck up the Cam specs, that will give us any idea of how the engine will rumble and drive!
#4
_My74LH_
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 03:39 PM
Ok so its a 06 VZ block and heads stroke to a 365 with the usual yellaterra head and internals work hydraulic lifters, Harrop billet crank , forges pistons MSD ign , holly 750 DBL pumper yada yada yada .
The trany is a T400 fully manulized auto with B&M ratchet stall was told will be between 3800 and 4000 ,diff is standard length 9" with 3.5 ratio eaton trutrack limo .
no cam spec yet just waiting to see what happens with its twin brother engine , it will be on the dyno next week.
The trany is a T400 fully manulized auto with B&M ratchet stall was told will be between 3800 and 4000 ,diff is standard length 9" with 3.5 ratio eaton trutrack limo .
no cam spec yet just waiting to see what happens with its twin brother engine , it will be on the dyno next week.
Edited by My74LH, 20 January 2012 - 03:51 PM.
#5
wot179
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 04:14 PM
5500 hp isnt too much......
#6
_LS1 Hatch_
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 04:17 PM
I built a blown LS1 powered Camaro that made about that power (mid 500's) and it was usuable and felt you could drive it under control pretty well.
Eventually I plan to do some mods to the LS1 in the hatch and figure 475 - 500 horsepower should be pretty easy to get to and still be mild enough to use all the time and yet enough to pull along pretty well if the need comes up.
Here is the Camaro I built...
http://www.cardomain...hevrolet-camaro
When I had brought the Camaro down to the local dyno place to get the computer tuned in to suit the blower, was talking to a guy there who had a 700 rwhp late model Corvette with a blown/built/stroked LS2 in it, and it was his daily driver. I think the late model stuff is easier to use on a regular basis with the higher horsepower levels, especially with the fuel injection. (plus better brakes, anti lock, modern suspension, etc)
But that said, have driven some higher horsepower muscle car era stuff too and it was a blast too...and would think that "around" the 500 horsepower level is a good level for a well used street car without loosing nice street manners...(give or take of course)
Eventually I plan to do some mods to the LS1 in the hatch and figure 475 - 500 horsepower should be pretty easy to get to and still be mild enough to use all the time and yet enough to pull along pretty well if the need comes up.
Here is the Camaro I built...
http://www.cardomain...hevrolet-camaro
When I had brought the Camaro down to the local dyno place to get the computer tuned in to suit the blower, was talking to a guy there who had a 700 rwhp late model Corvette with a blown/built/stroked LS2 in it, and it was his daily driver. I think the late model stuff is easier to use on a regular basis with the higher horsepower levels, especially with the fuel injection. (plus better brakes, anti lock, modern suspension, etc)
But that said, have driven some higher horsepower muscle car era stuff too and it was a blast too...and would think that "around" the 500 horsepower level is a good level for a well used street car without loosing nice street manners...(give or take of course)
#7
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 04:22 PM
Oh, and I know a guy who had a 700 horsepower twin turbo big block Plymouth...very streetable...just a mild engine really with the boost added in. He drove it a fair bit and only pulled it apart to build something else with the twin turbo (and fuel injected setup)
Know another guy who had a 1100 horsepower twin turbo big block full on sort of '71 Dodge...full caged thing that was street registered. Took it out to get lunch in ,etc. It was pretty rediculous to actually drive around and use I thought, but still kinda funny what you can drive around here, lol..
(when horsepower levels get up there, so do cost of quality parts and life span of some of those parts when used on the street might not be the longest...)
Know another guy who had a 1100 horsepower twin turbo big block full on sort of '71 Dodge...full caged thing that was street registered. Took it out to get lunch in ,etc. It was pretty rediculous to actually drive around and use I thought, but still kinda funny what you can drive around here, lol..
(when horsepower levels get up there, so do cost of quality parts and life span of some of those parts when used on the street might not be the longest...)
#8
dattoman
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 04:29 PM
holly 750 DBL pumper yada yada yada .
Yes its going to be a pig
#10
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 04:58 PM
my brother had 442rwhp in his vz maloo 6sp man and it was easy as to drive, if you chomped it, the ass was all over the place but it was stiff hsv suspension. all comes down to what you'll be doing on the street and what your set up for.
#11
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Posted 20 January 2012 - 05:19 PM
You have a few things to think about really, like how you are going to register an LS1 or later block with a carb setup. Not sure about your state but in mine its illegal and wont pass emissions, most guys up here if they are doing that type of conversion have to use injection to get it approved legally. Just going off of some holden 355 builds ive been looking into lately anything with near to and over a true 500HP is quite a serious engine really so i'd expect it to be a little bit grumpy..this is where injection has its advantages i think in terms of drivability. One of my mates had what i think was a Red VZ ute fitted with a 6 speed and whipple supercharged 6LTR that was said to make approx 620HP come into his workshop for bottom end work which was quite a beast but still very drivable.
#12
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 12:55 AM
Know another guy who had a 1100 horsepower twin turbo big block full on sort of '71 Dodge...full caged thing that was street registered. Took it out to get lunch in ,etc. It was pretty rediculous to actually drive around and use I thought, but still kinda funny what you can drive around here,
USA seem to have the best rego rules............ Kinda like none???? Luv it
#13
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 01:48 AM
I've driven a few pretty ridiculous sorta things around here, ha ha...and seen even more on the streets. Really is something sometimes what you can drive around here (noise gets to be the only issue really on some of them...one I drove around was a 9 second tube chassis '68 Camaro with a 4" exhaust on it...you could hear it like 3 blocks away...lol)
#14
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 07:04 AM
There is no such thing as TOO MUCH horsepower.
#15
mr5000
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 07:06 AM
ive never heard the term to much power this confuses me
all should really depend on your cam to how it behaves
all should really depend on your cam to how it behaves
#16
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 02:20 PM
comes down to 3 things
1 your cam
2 gear ratio
3 your big right foot
1 your cam
2 gear ratio
3 your big right foot
#17
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 02:33 PM
Can you drive? If you can you will be fine.
The parts getter (ute) has nearly the same power and my grandma could drive the big dodgem without drama (BBC/T400/3000stall/3.25 9inch/drag radials)
The parts getter (ute) has nearly the same power and my grandma could drive the big dodgem without drama (BBC/T400/3000stall/3.25 9inch/drag radials)
#18
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 02:40 PM
Yes its going to be a pig
Saw that too. Perhaps a vac secondary might be a little easier for the street?
#19
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 03:45 PM
I would say a carby engine will be a pig and and injetced set up LS series engine can be very streetable. Depends on what you want really.
#20
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 05:49 PM
I drove a highly modified streeter for a mate once he was drunk, this thing had every mod known to man plus a few, it supposedly made mega horse power and was an absolute pig to drive, when he finally got it on the dyno he was somewhat upset to find out it had 120HP yeah he knew shit about building cars
My own little beast made a tad under 400 and was as easy to drive as a stocker, not bad for a stock stroke 308 20 years ago I think if set up right big HP these days is still possible in an easy to drive package auto manual will have as much bearing on how easy as big HP usually equals heavy clutch hear to drive
My own little beast made a tad under 400 and was as easy to drive as a stocker, not bad for a stock stroke 308 20 years ago I think if set up right big HP these days is still possible in an easy to drive package auto manual will have as much bearing on how easy as big HP usually equals heavy clutch hear to drive
#21
_My74LH_
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 06:26 PM
Yes its going to be a pig
In what way ls it going to be a pig , as this is the first big HP engine i have built ,I dont know what you mean by "a pig" and for what reason .
Can you drive? If you can you will be fine.
The parts getter (ute) has nearly the same power and my grandma could drive the big dodgem without drama (BBC/T400/3000stall/3.25 9inch/drag radials)
I concider myself a not bad driver , I did a track day at Eastern Creek once in a mates car and pulled a 1:41 , I thinks thats not bad , though on a bike Im much quicker .
#22
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 07:45 PM
550hp; whether that be fw or rw its a misnomer because whilst it is a great number to have a yarn about with the boys at the pub but the reality is few dyno's are anything other than 'happy' dyno's; tweaked to meet cutomer's expectations and ego's and the same for dyno operator with perhaps a smidge of greed thrown in. Time after time there are stories of blokes who get 'X' on their tuner's/engine builder's dyno, take it someplace else for a dyno comp or whatever reason and fail to get anything near that, or coversely a ridiculously higher figure.
The truth is in the pudding as they say when it comes to hp, and this is down the strip but hey - we all have a number in mind when shooting for the stars don't we - God knows I do as well.
The reality is however, build yourself a car that drives, behaves and goes like you want - the number is a whismical thing and not something to chase unless;
a. that is your thing - you aspire to a big number on a dyno chart (no issue from me if that is the case), and
b. you have a reliable (honest) dyno/operator to chase it with.
As MRLXSS said; 550hp is a big number (I assume you are talking fwhp here too) - that is about 410kwkw and I've not seen numbers in this field from N/A LS series motors including L98/LS2/LS3. I'd be suspicious of a 550fwhp N/A number from a VZ L76 - even fancy/expensive Nathan Higgins heads don't seem to flow as well/produce as much hp as OEM L98 heads. Heck I'd doubt that number from a LS3... Not saying it cannot be done, but if you go through the hp threads in the LS1 forum sponsor's section, I reckon you'd be hard pressed to find anything N/A on pump fuel near 550fwhp/500rwhp (roughly 40kw change in badged fwkw to dyno'd rwkw hp in LS engines it seems). - http://www.ls1.com.a...formance-Centre
Mind you, I welcome your attempt and hope ever so much that you reach your goal - it will be a wild car what with only 1200-1300kg to cart around.
Cheers, TB
The truth is in the pudding as they say when it comes to hp, and this is down the strip but hey - we all have a number in mind when shooting for the stars don't we - God knows I do as well.
The reality is however, build yourself a car that drives, behaves and goes like you want - the number is a whismical thing and not something to chase unless;
a. that is your thing - you aspire to a big number on a dyno chart (no issue from me if that is the case), and
b. you have a reliable (honest) dyno/operator to chase it with.
As MRLXSS said; 550hp is a big number (I assume you are talking fwhp here too) - that is about 410kwkw and I've not seen numbers in this field from N/A LS series motors including L98/LS2/LS3. I'd be suspicious of a 550fwhp N/A number from a VZ L76 - even fancy/expensive Nathan Higgins heads don't seem to flow as well/produce as much hp as OEM L98 heads. Heck I'd doubt that number from a LS3... Not saying it cannot be done, but if you go through the hp threads in the LS1 forum sponsor's section, I reckon you'd be hard pressed to find anything N/A on pump fuel near 550fwhp/500rwhp (roughly 40kw change in badged fwkw to dyno'd rwkw hp in LS engines it seems). - http://www.ls1.com.a...formance-Centre
Mind you, I welcome your attempt and hope ever so much that you reach your goal - it will be a wild car what with only 1200-1300kg to cart around.
Cheers, TB
Edited by Tyre biter, 21 January 2012 - 07:46 PM.
#23
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 08:13 PM
I concider myself a not bad driver , I did a track day at Eastern Creek once in a mates car and pulled a 1:41 , I thinks thats not bad , though on a bike Im much quicker .
Hey man got some pics of your bike? This is mine.
Taking it to Lakeside in March. Gonna be a blast.
#24
_My74LH_
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Posted 21 January 2012 - 08:41 PM
As I said this is all new to me, I only mentioned 550, and yes at the fw as there is another engine ready for the dyno which will be then duplicated for me that has already come very close to this number, it has since had a new cam fitted and some other mods of which I don’t know the specs,.
The builder which is a very recognized one assures me that that number, is in his words "a piece of piss" as for the dyno it is a SAE corrected so no ego numbers ,Im just guided by him , a 1200 kg car with 550hp doesn’t scare me a bit infact it seems gutless to me on paper . I ride a bike that has 205hp SAE corrected on 98 pump fuel at 156kg that’s over 1280hp/t more the 2006 F1 at 1250 hp/t , I can lap Eastern Creek with it in 1.38 sec and Phillip island in 1:40 sec on a bad day and has a top speed of over 300kph so I can brag about that all day .
I am just interested to know how she will behave on the street and why if she behaves badly, I have intentions to do lots of track days with it so probably won’t see much street. At the end of the day I will be guided by my engine builder a as I assemble the motor, I’m just looking for opinions that can give me an idea on its street behavior
The builder which is a very recognized one assures me that that number, is in his words "a piece of piss" as for the dyno it is a SAE corrected so no ego numbers ,Im just guided by him , a 1200 kg car with 550hp doesn’t scare me a bit infact it seems gutless to me on paper . I ride a bike that has 205hp SAE corrected on 98 pump fuel at 156kg that’s over 1280hp/t more the 2006 F1 at 1250 hp/t , I can lap Eastern Creek with it in 1.38 sec and Phillip island in 1:40 sec on a bad day and has a top speed of over 300kph so I can brag about that all day .
I am just interested to know how she will behave on the street and why if she behaves badly, I have intentions to do lots of track days with it so probably won’t see much street. At the end of the day I will be guided by my engine builder a as I assemble the motor, I’m just looking for opinions that can give me an idea on its street behavior
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