AL SS590 M6

What is it that causes people to post up questions on making a certain amount of RWHP?
There have been dozens of threads asking how do I make xxx hp. How are you determining how much power you think you want to attain.
Like the latest one asking how to achieve 410 rwhp. Why 410? Why not 400 or 407 or maybe 414?

Just curious.

WheelmanZ28

Good question, I often wonder the same thing.

I guess the main thing is people are trying to set "goals", however I think by targeting a certain horsepower number, people are going about it all wrong.

Horsepower is a relative and a general way of assessing a cars capabilities. There are 450 horsepower cars running 10s, and they are also cars with the same power running 12s.

Too many things affect horsepower for me to really dedicate myself to that number. Different dynos, the AFR,.... even the temperature of the air.

To get accurate horsepower numbers you need a dyno (and even that can be relative), and a dyno is nothing more than a tuning device. When I went in to get my dyno tune, I wasn't thinking "OH GOD, I BETTER HIT MY NUMBERS". I went there with an open mind and no expectations. I was surprised and content with the results, and even happier when I got the car on the road and let it rip.

For me, its how my car "feels" in terms of street performance, and I don't really gauge success with a setup until I hit the track.

Marc 85Z28

Half-assed bragging rights. It's seems to be MUCH more common with the people who have cars that don't work. You know the type: manual trans, useless powerband, stock gears, axle and suspension, 450rwhp running low 12s. Same thing goes for the turbo import crowd.

I also thought the 410rwhp goal seemed an odd number to pick. Why not just 400rwhp? Maybe because he knows someone with 405rwhp and wants to one-up him?

teke184

or he really wants 400...but wants to build in a little room for error so he's not disappointed.

saying 410 and making 401 is better than saying 400 and getting 391...

i guess.


some of the issues with high power cars turning slow times is the way the car is built.
like myself....i've been building my car on an extreme budget. and i've been doing it for 5yrs...and some of those parts came off my 96 Z28 that i had 3 yrs before this one.

about the time i can afford something....something new has come out. many times for more money...but the differenece is worth waiting for.

sometimes what i could afford (or was available) 5yrs ago...doesn't work well with what is available now.

and in some ways i don't care what the car runs in the track...5yrs with this car and its never seen a track...and only been in 2 street races (kindda).
sometimes its just about working on your car

NukeFPE

He wants to say he has more horsepower than a '95 ZR-1?

94zgreenmachine

If you smoke a lot of pot, you would probably want 420 HP!

Shon Herron

I want the least amount of HP to run the lowest ET :-)

danhr

I have 400 rwhp