I am planing on converting my L98 GTA to a 383 with afr heads. My question is should I biuld it for horsepower, or torque wich do you think would be faster. My freinds 2nd gen with a stock 455, automatic 255 gears beats my brothers 2nd gen 400 horsepower 350 4 speed with 373's, Mainly because it has traction problems and doesn't take off until 3,000rpm and your constantly shifting. I just don't want to have that same problem if I go stealth ram and have to rev real high.
Thanx
Kurt

 

Torque on the street is where it is at. I have a 406 long runner TPI and love it!!! I can stab the throttle an anything under 35mph and burn the tires impressively. Passing a long line of traffic is also very exciting as 55mph to 100mph comes on real quick! Horsepower requiring high rpm cost more and eats up parts. In a race car you gear and use real tires to get the most out of it---On the street a car that has snap and still gets respectable gas milage is fun and useable. Once had, as a daily driver, a '72 Chevelle with a 427 retangle port monster--made horse power and was quick (4.88 gears) but my IROC is more practical and the air still works.

Good luck with your choice and think combination, Jack

 

Build it for usable torque over a wide rpm range, unlike a TPI which is 'peaky'. Too much lowend torque results in more wheelspin, which loses races. Torque is useless if you can't apply it to the ground. But it really depends on what YOU intend to do with the car.

 

That depends on which 455 that is. If it is the old Poncho 455SD...Hang it up, he'll eat SBC's all day long. Pontiac made a few minor mods to a "stock" SD and got somewhere around 535 HP, even a Hemi 'Cuda would have a real hard time with that monster.

 

Planning on a Buick 455 as a replacement motor for my 305.

510 @ 2800 STOCK!!!
TORQUE!!!!!!:hail:

 

Torque is where its at.

 

Torque.

However HP is a derived number from torque and is a function of RPM.