how much horse power can our cars handle?
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Car: 92 25th anv camaro rs
Engine: 305 tbi
Axle/Gears: 3.08s non posi
how much horse power can our cars handle?
me and a buddy got into a discussion about how much power our cars can handle bc im talking about a 500+ horsepower build for my 92 camaro. he says the car wont handle it. i say it will (with sub frame connectors ofc) so other then subframe connectors and the suspension to handle 500 horses, is there anything else? body and frame wise.
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Car: 1992 Camaro Z28
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
....um, yeah, they'll handle 500 rwhp no problem. Rigidity has always been more of a minor, easily solved annoyance than a real problem with these cars. They aren't wet cardboard, you know.
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Car: 89 Firebird
Engine: 355 TBI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 10 Bolt.Posi-3.73s
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
It will handle it after replacing almost everything the car came stock with..rearend,tranny,etc. And like the other man said subframes and a cage.
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
For the record,
If you follow his build...Orr89RocZ's car pulled more than 1000RWHP on the dyno.
Now, if you mean in stock trim...350hp in a hardtop car without adding sub frame conectors and doing rear-end work. It just gets more expensive from there.
If you follow his build...Orr89RocZ's car pulled more than 1000RWHP on the dyno.
Now, if you mean in stock trim...350hp in a hardtop car without adding sub frame conectors and doing rear-end work. It just gets more expensive from there.
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
I agree with dmccain, It depends on what you take out and replace, also slicks or street tires. My stroker exploded my carrier in the 10 bolt. Ive also heard that if you dont use sub-frame connectors you can bust the rear glass out. but im talking 500hp plus... So it depends on what your buddy means "cant handle it"
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
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Car: 1988 Camaro
Engine: 355, 10.34:1, 249/252 @.050", IK200
Transmission: TH-400, 3500 stall 9.5" converter
Axle/Gears: Ford 9", detroit locker, 3.89 gears
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
As these cars came stock... NO, no they can not handle 500 HP. I would say 300 HP is pushing it on a dead stock third gen.
Add weld in sub frame connectors and that number goes up to about 375-400 HP, then at that point you start breaking rear ends and stock transmissions if you have any traction.
Replace the rear end with a ford 9", chevy 12 bolt, or dana 60 and have transmission rebuilt and you are good to about 475-500 and then the chassis becomes the prob, the SFC is no longer enough to keep the body from twisting, so weld in atleast a 6 point roll bar,
Add weld in sub frame connectors and that number goes up to about 375-400 HP, then at that point you start breaking rear ends and stock transmissions if you have any traction.
Replace the rear end with a ford 9", chevy 12 bolt, or dana 60 and have transmission rebuilt and you are good to about 475-500 and then the chassis becomes the prob, the SFC is no longer enough to keep the body from twisting, so weld in atleast a 6 point roll bar,
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
Not gonna recommend this but i ran close to 500 hp a whole summer and dozens of 11 sec passes on stock body just fine. No cage or sfc. Sprayed 150 shot into the 10's for few runs before getting roll bar and sfc. Again car twisted but didnt hurt anything from what i could tell
Soon as i did roll bar and sfc the car changed. Felt much stronger/tighter. Had to completely change suspension settings and get used to how the car left the line
Soon as i did roll bar and sfc the car changed. Felt much stronger/tighter. Had to completely change suspension settings and get used to how the car left the line
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
I know it's definitely higher than what the body (and rear) can take if I were to push it, but it gets by for now. Street tires help a bunch, I can put my foot through the floor and spin until I let off, now if it ever actually hooked I'd be riding in a pretzel
All about how you drive it.
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
That's why I definitely want subframe connectors.
I know it's definitely higher than what the body (and rear) can take if I were to push it, but it gets by for now. Street tires help a bunch, I can put my foot through the floor and spin until I let off, now if it ever actually hooked I'd be riding in a pretzel
All about how you drive it.
I know it's definitely higher than what the body (and rear) can take if I were to push it, but it gets by for now. Street tires help a bunch, I can put my foot through the floor and spin until I let off, now if it ever actually hooked I'd be riding in a pretzel
All about how you drive it.
hahaha
That's about it. Hope you can get them in before you have any major issues.
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
thats crazy. never heard that low of number doing that, But thats why I joined, to learn more about our 3gens. Glad I put in sfc and welded them. (on flat ground) That would suck to have that rear window pop or loose a top.
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Car: 92 25th anv camaro rs
Engine: 305 tbi
Axle/Gears: 3.08s non posi
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
ya i know about the rear end and trans lol those are common sense to me anywas. i was worried about the body and frame. and ya i probably wont do more then 500 as its not a drag car, just want something to drive around daily and when need be put the ***** revving his engine next to me in his place. good advice tho guys thx.
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Car: '86 Bird, 96 ImpalaSS, 98 C1500XCab
Engine: LG4, LT1, L31
Transmission: 700R4, 4L60E, 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.73 Tors, 4.88 spool, 3.73 Eaton
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
It's more dependent on TC, gearing, and traction than just power.
With the mighty stock LG4 and a 100 shot, the car in my sig cracked the paint at the sharp corner transitions from the roof to the "C pillars" (at upper rear corner around side windows) with a few 1.6X launches before SFC's were installed.
With the mighty stock LG4 and a 100 shot, the car in my sig cracked the paint at the sharp corner transitions from the roof to the "C pillars" (at upper rear corner around side windows) with a few 1.6X launches before SFC's were installed.
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
Not gonna recommend this but i ran close to 500 hp a whole summer and dozens of 11 sec passes on stock body just fine. No cage or sfc. Sprayed 150 shot into the 10's for few runs before getting roll bar and sfc. Again car twisted but didnt hurt anything from what i could tell
Soon as i did roll bar and sfc the car changed. Felt much stronger/tighter. Had to completely change suspension settings and get used to how the car left the line
Soon as i did roll bar and sfc the car changed. Felt much stronger/tighter. Had to completely change suspension settings and get used to how the car left the line
In saying that, it car felt alot better with aftermarket stuff.
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Car: 89 Formula
Engine: 355
Transmission: TH350
Axle/Gears: 4.11
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
T-tops on my '88 T/A cracked at ~700hp SBC running 6.0's 1/8 mile. Cut the top off and replaced with an '89 Camaro roof, no issues after that. Ended up being a 5.50 car, full cage but no issues. They'll handle whatever you can afford.
#22
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
Will say after last few years being a turbo car, my driver door seems to stick out from fender at the front hindge gap area, more so than i ever remembered. Not sure when ithappened but i gotta think this power is trying to twist car pretty hard.
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
That is not happening........ I've NEVER seen a T-top pop out of one of these cars except for not being locked. I've ran 11.00s on a T-top 350 car as well as quite a few of my friends. The least of our worries were the t-tops.
You could get T-tops from 87-90 on the Camaros and many years on the Firebirds as well.
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Car: 1988 Camaro
Engine: 377
Transmission: TH350; Circle D 4200 converter
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
That is not happening........ I've NEVER seen a T-top pop out of one of these cars except for not being locked. I've ran 11.00s on a T-top 350 car as well as quite a few of my friends. The least of our worries were the t-tops.
You could get T-tops from 87-90 on the Camaros and many years on the Firebirds as well.
You could get T-tops from 87-90 on the Camaros and many years on the Firebirds as well.
#27
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
Im sure every car varies. We would like to think that they were built the same, but humans make errors. missing spot weld here and there or what have you, rust,a prior accident,ect.. T-top car vs hard top. Glass is very hard and pretty darn strong too.. I was told from the guys at TPIS in chaska MN that sfc are a big help with both engine upgrades and helps with handling as well. The main reason i got them was for handling reasons. If you are running street tires and not launching 3000 stall, W/ 600 hp, W/ slicks, Id like to think a guy would be ok. Be sweet to put sensors on the car in various places and see exactly what/where/how much it was flexing. T-top/hard top.
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Car: 1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula WS-6
Engine: 305CI TBI
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Not sure Haven’t looked up vin code
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
so if I put 500-700hp on my 1989 firebird hardtop and put an 8 point cage and inner and outter sfc (welded) I won’t have any problems with it being a mid to high 10 second street car. This will be a street car but I will have a drags setup (drag tires) it will be auto crossed and other tracked events.
thabks for your help
thabks for your help
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Car: 1989 Pontiac Firebird Formula WS-6
Engine: 305CI TBI
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Not sure Haven’t looked up vin code
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
#32
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
me and a buddy got into a discussion about how much power our cars can handle bc im talking about a 500+ horsepower build for my 92 camaro. he says the car wont handle it. i say it will (with sub frame connectors ofc) so other then subframe connectors and the suspension to handle 500 horses, is there anything else? body and frame wise.
HOWEVER. I'm not launching hard at all, its all rolling power. My tires will long give up the ghost before the car can put anything down.
That said, I absou-100%-lutely need SFC's. I have them, however, I need to have them welded in. Those will make the car feel so much better.
#33
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Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
As these cars came stock... NO, no they can not handle 500 HP. I would say 300 HP is pushing it on a dead stock third gen.
Add weld in sub frame connectors and that number goes up to about 375-400 HP, then at that point you start breaking rear ends and stock transmissions if you have any traction.
Replace the rear end with a ford 9", chevy 12 bolt, or dana 60 and have transmission rebuilt and you are good to about 475-500 and then the chassis becomes the prob, the SFC is no longer enough to keep the body from twisting, so weld in atleast a 6 point roll bar,
Add weld in sub frame connectors and that number goes up to about 375-400 HP, then at that point you start breaking rear ends and stock transmissions if you have any traction.
Replace the rear end with a ford 9", chevy 12 bolt, or dana 60 and have transmission rebuilt and you are good to about 475-500 and then the chassis becomes the prob, the SFC is no longer enough to keep the body from twisting, so weld in atleast a 6 point roll bar,
On street tires you will NEVER be able to put enough torque to the ground at launch to bend the car. The tires will give up long before the body does.
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Car: '89 Firebird
Engine: 7.0L
Transmission: T56
Re: how much horse power can our cars handle?
I had welded subframe connectors with an honest 550 hp (427 LS) and all the body panels were out of shape and the roof beginning to crack at the corners of the windows after one summer of driving. Installed inner subframe connectors and a 6-point cage and nothing has moved for years. Those Alston inner subframe connectors are the real deal, I'm not even sure I needed the cage but I wasn't fooling around anymore. Autocross guys that don't want a cage put a brace bar in the tunnel behind the transmission.
I've heard a rumor that it is flexing of the front firewall that puts so much stress on the roof and a three-point strut tower brace helps with that. I have no idea if it's true or not.
A good steering brace has got to help in some ways. The Detroit Speed steering brace is gobs better than the classic "Wander Bar."
I've heard a rumor that it is flexing of the front firewall that puts so much stress on the roof and a three-point strut tower brace helps with that. I have no idea if it's true or not.
A good steering brace has got to help in some ways. The Detroit Speed steering brace is gobs better than the classic "Wander Bar."
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