1991Formula350

I read so much on all these modern new cars and the big HP numbers that are being juiced out. This makes us third gen's way outdated and out muscled by most new cars. I want to know what are some of the numbers that us third gen members are producing on your modified or rebuilt engines. My plan is to get a '91 or '92 white Formula again and get her beefed up to the Z06 505 HP range. Andrew

1991Formula350

Sorry, posted in wrong forum. Anyway, guess most on here are 240 and under. I have the 205 in my car, sad but it still is fun to drive. Andrew

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Are you asking what was originally in the car (like, how many 205, 215, 220, 230 horse engines were installed), or what the engine makes with what we've done to ours?

AlkyIROC

When people who think they want 400+ hp in their street cars, I first ask, Have you ever driven a street car with 400+ HP on the street? I'm not talking about NOS HP that's only on briefly or turbo HP that only gets to full HP at max boost.

Many people are quite happy with 300-350 streetable HP and around 400 pounds of torque. Pumping up the HP makes an engine more and more unstreetable. Having a 300 hp engine with a 300 shot of NOS doesn't mean much if it's still a street car and can't get the power to the ground.

It doesn't matter that the "new" cars can out muscle a third gen. Third gens out muscle the muscle cars of the late 60's and early 70's. Those cars were real muscle cars when they were only able to dip into the 13's from the factory.

1991Formula350

Yes, I wanted to know the current numbers. No, I have never driven a 400 HP car, I have rode in a 2006 Z06 and that is a blast as well as a 95 Porsche 911 turbo with 550 HP, that thing was unbelievably fast as a rocket from 0-100. Andrew

SteelTownMadDog

iTrader: (2)

Numbers are in my signature, and I'm quite happy with that. I'm fish tailing through 1st & 2nd gear, yet still get a respectable 22-23 MPG highway, and very mild mannered city driving.

I do plan on putting in a bigger motor, but my focus is always going to be on streetability over excessive HP. If I go with a 383, my cam choice will be the XE276HR with AFR 195 heads. That should get me in the 425-440HP range yet still very street friendly. If I go with a 406, then it'll be the XE282HR with the same AFR heads. Hopefully I'll be in the 450-475HP range while still being able to cruise at 1500-1600 RPMs without the car wanting to "buck".

89IrocZ350TPI

250rwh and 345 rwt so around 300 ish at the flywheel and 400 torque would be my guess.

Can I ask why are you comparing third gens to a Z06 and a porsche?. Different classes. The fact is that by todays standards a performance car should run 0-60 in under 6 seconds and cover the quarter mile in 14.0 or less. L98 cars really dont need much to get there.

camshaftxe

Ive gtechd my 0-60mph many times, I pull fairly consistant 5.8-6flat, and with my old lady, half tank, and 210 engine temp I pulled a 1/4 of 14.5. Nothing serious about the biuld at all, engine itself only costed about 2500$ and can get 22mpg. In town from redlight to redlight my baby is very competitive, 232rwhp @ 4900rpm is all I need, I WANT more, but you dont really NEED 505hp to pull 13s, or even 12s. Ive lined up quite a broad range of vehicles and imho on average daily drivers arnt half as strong as a mild l98, Im not even tpi...yet.

1991Formula350

I just want to know if there are some third gens out there with 400 or more HP engines after reading the last few issues of motor trend with all the new cars coming out I do not want to be left in the dust. I want some pride in these cars. Andrew

ezysk

My 1985 Trans-Am has a 410 HP, 383 Stroker in it.
So its rare that I am completely left in the dust.
More importantly I also have the torque to get me moving as well, ruffly 435.

But don’t worry about what motor trend says, with the price of gas jumping up and the new restrictions that the government is placing on automakers for improved gas mileage, before long our 20 year old stock 3rd gens will be back up competing with production cars.

89IrocZ350TPI

Haha you have to remember that the average car in 2008 runs around 15.7ish. Not everyone is driving 400 horsepower machines. Anything in the 13 second range is a quick street car.

AlkyIROC

It's not just HP but power to weight. Yank out the 500 pounds of stereo equipment and a third gen will be faster without doing anything to the engine. Strip down all the excess weight and it will be even faster. There's a lot more steel in third gens than newer cars which are made of plastic. The lighter the car, the less HP it needs to go faster and the better the fuel mileage.

If you want to compare to a newer car then just buy a new car. Don't forget the old muscle cars of the 60's had no luxuries like modern cars. Bias tires, 4 wheel drum brakes, manual steering and brakes, no AC, AM radio. Take a fourth gen or a new Corvette and run 12's with a few bolt ons sitting in leather seats with the AC cranked up listening to tunes on a CD player and still get 20+ MPG. Which one is the muscle car?

There are also people quite happy to drive around in their 69 Camaro or Mustang with an inline 6 under the hood knowing the majority of the newer cars can easily out perform them.

Air_Adam

Best educated guess... 370-400 crank HP, and probably TQ in the same range. I've driven cars with quite a bit more documented power, so I do have something to base it on.

camshaftxe

There are many thirdgens with 400hp, thats not the least bit uncommon. Exactly what new cars are you trying to compare a thirdgen to, and are you comparing to a stock thirdgen?

85irocz355tpi

I'm pulling right around 300HP even right now on motor. I will have it on a chassis dyno in about a month after I put my adjustable fuel pressure regulator. I'll set the base pressure at stock and run a base line since I havn't had it on the dyno with this motor and adjust up until I see a drop off in power and back it back down to peak power again run one more test. I'll post these figures for you here when I get them.

1989GTATransAm

iTrader: (3)

We have a number of cars here in SoCal that are 400hp or over at the crank. Like was said above not uncommon at all. With heads like the new AFR Eliminators it makes things easier.

EvilCartman

iTrader: (1)

A guess on mine is about 470 hp at the crank. It's definitely fun driving around town but totally manageable, for me. Kid I know bought himself an older Mustang Cobra (non supercharged version) and he crashed it within a couple months.

1991Formula350

Thanks all, no I was no comparing to stock. The weight is a good issue, hope to get mine swapped in the next year. Andrew

Viprklr

iTrader: (5)

As I sit, undocumented, I should have 534hp and 541lb/ft of torque. 383 stroker street car.
Putting MT streets on the car made it much easier to drive on the street.

Documentation should be coming sometime this spring.

Dale

iTrader: (12)

I'm guessing a little over 200hp at the fly.

GTP should be pushing around 260-275 fly.

Skweezn87

last dyno run netted me:

511rwhp / 501rwtq

Not worried about gas mileage too much... as I didnt build the car for that..