What does 500hp feel like?

[Crazykent]

Wondering for future mods, more than likely gonna go a htv1900 next year so hoping to get 500hp anymore than that will just be
too much money and cause too many problems as far as im concerned right now. But thats not to say anymore power isn't
totally out of the question. I just have no 'idea' what 400hp feels like let alone 500 as i dont dont know anyone with something
like that under the hood.

It would be good to get an idea of what it would be like so i can plan my future mods and maybe even plan to add more on top if
i can determine what the higher hp numbers are like to drive with i can work out what else i might do when the time comes.

Your best descriptions would be appreciated :popcorn:

Oh and as per what everyone says, 'it depends on what your wanting to do with it' here's my best description to
help give you fellas what terminology to use in your description.

I want it to pin you in the seat
i want to be able to break traction all the way up to 3rd
i dont do burnouts
i want it to feel special for at least a year before i get too used to the power
i only plan on going up to 140kmph
i dont plan on taking it to the track or the strip

[Stewge]

With ~410rwhp all I can say is it feels like:
"I wish I had tyres that could actually put this down"

Otherwise, it's pretty awesome :lol:

Reading some of my OBD stats (recorded via Torque), 99% of the time I barely even hit 50% throttle. I drive mine daily mind you. Anything over 50% throttle in a low gear turns tyres for me (considering moving to 9" or even 9.5" rear wheel+tyres since my current rims are pretty stuffed).

As far as your checklist:
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Likewise
4. Mine still feels good after 4 years. I'm more in love with the sound than anything though (cammed N/A LS2)
5. I don't take mine over the speed limit.
6. Me neither.

[Crazykent]

With ~410rwhp all I can say is it feels like:
"I wish I had tyres that could actually put this down"

Otherwise, it's pretty awesome :lol:

Reading some of my OBD stats (recorded via Torque), 99% of the time I barely even hit 50% throttle. I drive mine daily mind you. Anything over 50% throttle in a low gear turns tyres for me (considering moving to 9" or even 9.5" rear wheel+tyres since my current rims are pretty stuffed).

Wow thats impressive. That helps a lot stew. I was already planning for 400hp when my car goes in next monday, got 4 brand new tyres.
But im surprised its like that with 400. I suppose with 500 i cant really ask for much more when the last thing i wanna be doing
is making sure my tyres are going to keep me on 4 wheels!

[white lie]

Like this...
http://youtu.be/owHOq44FjMU

Just do it, you won't have any regrets except for saying 500 will be enough. You'll get used to it and want a little more, then a little more...

[Crazykent]

Like this...
http://youtu.be/owHOq44FjMU

Just do it, you won't have any regrets except for saying 500 will be enough. You'll get used to it and want a little more, then a little more...

I plan on doing it, just next year when i've got the doe! but yeh that sounds like a curse always wanting more lol see how i go all part of the fun i spose

[sportwagon]

I have a calais v wagon with over 500, the last time i took it to the motorplex for a drag the rubber floor mat on the passenger floor kept on folding up towards the passenger seat every time i left the line.

[IJ.]

Feels much like 400 or 600hp in a street car on road tyres.... ;)

[offshore]

its like a drug its a sensation that you just want more of and then you just find you can only use so much on the street cause of major traction issues but you get more anyway regardless lol

[ittwgn]

I remember back in 2007 when I first turbo'd my wagon had 460rwhp mechanic took me for a spin and I was like fark me that's insane !!! I now run 900 to 950rwhp on its minimum boost street setting and 1170rwhp when pushed !!! even at 500 you have to respect it because it can bite you in the arse very quickly !!! I also run semi slickish tyres on the street helps big time !!! cheers

[Vulture]

Assuming you mean 400rwhp and 500rwhp?
400rwhp in a well sorted-street car can feel (and is!) very fast.
My old VZSS easily embarrassed much more powerful challengers in the 'traffic light grand prix' with a nicely sorted rear suspension, correct diff ratio and good tyres. The XR6 Turbo brigade with massive power never believed me it only had 400 at the wheels. Something fun about blowing away an 800hp car at the lights (not that I condone such activity of course) with half the power. Roll-ons might be different of course.

As the more grey-haired members of the forum will tell you, 'power is nothing without control'. To me that means the ability to get it from the engine to the ground with maximal forward progress and the ability for it to be safe. Nothing wrong with the odd burnout but I want it to go forwards....fast. This is why a lot of the fast Euros are so good, AMG C63s etc, because they actually put what they have down.

My Gen F GTS is making around 560hp at the wheels but I am astonished as to how well it puts it down on the road and how docile it can be.
No matter how much power you have, though, you'll always want more...
If you want it to break traction all the way into third then just put some shit skinny tyres on it, spinning the wheels to me actually makes a car feel slower.
To pin you into the seat you want traction, decent tyres, a well-chosen cam and torque converter in an auto which will make for a bloody quick street car.

[Tre-Cool]

my ve ran 10.6 on street tyres, 10.009 on slicks down the 1/4 with about 680rwhp in the auto.

I recently put it back to a standardish motor and purchased a 1.6t cruze for a new daily, this car probably gives me just as much thrills, with out attracting any attention. Sure it's a lot slower, but the short gear ratios make it feel a whole lot quicker.

With the amount of money I spent on the ve, I could have 3 cruzes. Was it money well spent on the ve. probably not, but I don't really regret it either.

However as it's been said, it can be a slippery slope to chase hp.

[vyls1wa]

Yeh I got 409rwhp, and feels awesome, to be pinned right down the 1/4, 11.4 Yeh I love it. But yeh, will be going for more power. I got the wife at to drive me around when I'm home.

But yeh traction is key and I find now I have the power I got I can't really enjoy it or use it on the street cause it gets stupid quick in a short time, which ain't cool, but it's why I take it to the strip so I enjoy it there, if I wasn't close to the plea I wouldn't have the car I have.

[feistl]

One thing i am astounded by is how you guys can drive those cars making big numbers....

I got my VX back today and its doing ~600rwhp (459rwkw) at 1571nm of torque and the damn thing scares me. The jump between 400rwhp to 500rwhp then 500rwhp to 600rwhp is massive, i cant begin to imagine what 800rwhp+ is like. How do you even get traction?

Honestly, i think 500rwhp is probably enough for the street. Previously (with less power) I could push the car hard and focus on getting the technique right (Improving my driving skill along the way). Now with 600rwhp, I cant really go full throttle below 120kp/h and I have to constantly be so careful that I lose focus on the actual driving (if any of that makes sense).

Id still focus more on building a reliable, proper handling car with around 400-500rwhp. I think thats more than enough to have a lot of fun, any more power than that is actually detrimental to the driving experience (In my opinion anyway).

Also, the price jump between each 100rwhp gets exponentially more, i think 500rwhp would be the sweet spot.

[Tre-Cool]

the ve/vf chassis feels a lot more stable with more hp too. especially if you running decent rubber.

[wolfeh_]

Ill let you know on Wednesday.. sqp 416 going in the ute :D

[vy2ttr]

I think 500 rwhp is a good amount for a fair dinkum streeter.
Mines make around 730 and it a bit hard to unleash safely in a dirty old vy ss.... full throttle at anything under 150 in 4th and it just lights up tyres. It is fun, but shit can go real wrong real quick, lol...

[seedyrom]

For me, 500hp was a lot faster/scarier when it was going through the auto than the manual.

[JimmyXR6T04]

I have 500hp at the wheels in my GT, and it's awesome. The power is almost intoxicating, addictive, and like a drug! With wider, stickier tyres it does a good job of keeping traction when you drive it accordingly. If dropping the clutch with some revs, it will bag up and smoke show galore. Driving it with some mechanical sympathy, and easing the accelerator (especially early in the rev range) it pulls very hard, very linear, but still has the traction control light flashing me!

My next round of mods i'll be aiming for about 600hp at the wheels. Should be interesting.

My previous XR6T in 2006 with 410hp at the wheels felt more brutal due to the huge mid range. It was no where near as predictable, but it didn't have wider stickier tyres.

[white lie]

The biggest thing between 400 and 500rwhp is that you need cubes or boost to get there. So you can make a lot more peak power, a lot more low down torque and also have a much nicer car to drive.... Have your cake and eat it too.

400 you'll get with a head and cam, then the supporting mods to make it fast and streetable. You can have a very quick car but it can also be a bit of a pig to drive. It will stand out with it's choppy idle sitting at the lights, fuel economy goes out the window etc - Not saying this is a bad thing either ;)

500 you can get by bolting a blower on top and slotting in a smallish cam. It can still behave exactly like it did when it was stock. Idling, low throttle and economy can all be the same (if not better) but when you put your foot down and start pumping boost in, things completely change.

PD blowers are a wonderful thing, I know I won't ever be messing around with head and cam combo's on a streeter again. Sure, it costs nearly twice as much but it's easily twice as fun!

[bozodos]

400rwhp is baby cam territory on a Gen 4 ;)

I find tyres are the limiting factor at this sort of power, high performance street tyres don't have enough grip, ultra high performance tyres don't have the treadwear. It's probably 'enough' for a street driven VT-VZ.

PD blower is best if you can afford it IMO, but I've seen more and more turbo setups start to appear. Not sure on legalities of that though.

I've also seen plenty of huge horsepower XR6Ts that cannot put it down to the ground, totally useless IMO.

[Radikl]

Got/Had LS1 stock, strokers with hi stalls and a side mounted super charger and an XR6T.

For me personally, XR6T anyday of the week for that kick in the pants feeling with traction loss and gain when you want! Running around 300RWKW

Disclaimer, never drop a top mounted charger!

[dyno junkie]

428rwhp here, good enough for 11.08 in 2001 Monaro on 18" drag radials.

Traction the street with 275/30/19 tyres on 19" x 9.5" is limited.

[wolfeh_]

Im gonna need wider wheels hahaha. Anyone know of any nice black 19"x9 or 9.5 seven spoke mags? Love these advanti villens but they only come in 8 inch wide for the 19s :(

[Vulture]

Im gonna need wider wheels hahaha. Anyone know of any nice black 19"x9 or 9.5 seven spoke mags? Love these advanti villens but they only come in 8 inch wide for the 19s :(

Check out the TSW Bardo.
I think TSW make one of the nicest wheel ranges around.
Affordable for us mortals as well.

LINK (http://www.tswalloywheels.com.au)

[wolfeh_]

Cheers for that, champion! They're not too bad at all, and almost the same!

Im pretty sure I can only put 245s max on these advanti villens.. in love with them though and don't wanna step up to a 20"
http://imgur.com/PmiuWWq
http://imgur.com/PmiuWWq

[warlobo]

As some have said approx 500 at flywheel is plenty for the street, not sure you'll be staying under 140kmph though, crikey mine loves 1-200kmph especially and thats where you can use the majority of the grunt (when cammed etc)...

Anything over is getting to be pretty wild imo, you would be watching weather road condition and traction seriously with anything near 600 and above is kind of useless for the street? Sure it's great to use when you can, but how often is that? and how much did it cost to do it? Everyone has their own ideas... thats mine

[LS Kernal]

You will never feel the true power of that car on the street.

[AFM pir4te]

I have a VE Sportwagon, and in my experience the thrill is not 500 HP but over 700 torques, TrueTrac and 3.27 gears that makes the biggest difference to giddyup.

[ATOMIC MALOO R8]

when it scares you to drive it you know you have enough HP :)

[white lie]

Problem is 400hp will scare you, then you'll get used to it. Then 500hp will do the same... Where does it all end??

[lmoengnr]

Problem is 400hp will scare you, then you'll get used to it. Then 500hp will do the same... Where does it all end??

When you have starting problems....... 'Coz a big con rod came outta the block, and knocked the starter off...

[V28VX37]

I ran my CV8 with a touch under 400rwhp (NA) for several years and it still scared me the day I sold it. In practice on the street you'll use <20% of the capability 95% of the time. To be completely honest, it really is kind of pointless (certainly to any non-enthusiast) but I've come to the conclusion that it's less about using the power reserve all the time and more about knowing that it's there whenever you want to :)

My current car ran 200rwkw for quite some time and is now at the 270rwkw mark. It's a very different experience though, RB25DET with a big single that starts spooling at around 3.5k rpm ... It's now matching the Monaro in the scariness stakes, and the power to weight is a tad better.

OP, make sure you invest in great tyres and good brakes first. "With great power comes great responsibility" etc.