How much power is just right?

[crzyone]

I have been thinking about this lately. How much power does a fiero need to feel just right?

I personally think that my 3.4dohc was the perfect amount of power for a fiero. It was very snappy, liked to rev and made the car fun to drive.

The 2.8 was ok but when you get into the mountain passes its always nice to have a rev happy motor for those long curvy climbs.

I think the perfect motor would be about 250hp at the crank and about 200lb/ft. Plenty of torque to get around and enough hp to make the car fun to drive and lots of RPMs.

Thoughts?

[The Dark Side of Will]

I think everyone here is going to chime in and say that whatever they have or had is almost enough. It's just a matter of what you're used to. The Northstar car had 255 at the wheels. This was enough to raise all kinds of ruckus, but I still found myself wanting more sometimes.

[Kohburn]

the wonderfull thing about boost.. I can build the car up to 400hp and dial it back to 200 if i wanted to. i have a feeling that 300 will be just about right.

[dratts]

The old hotrodders saying. "Too much horsepower is just about right"

[TurboGT]

My car is starting to feel pretty damn good. I still haven't wound it all of the way up but it is still enough to get me into trouble. I am hoping to get it to the dyno and the track some time this summer, and see what it's really capable of.

[whipped]

I think the perfect motor would be about 250hp at the crank and about 200lb/ft. Plenty of torque to get around and enough hp to make the car fun to drive and lots of RPMs.

Oh noes! We lost another one to V8Archie!

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I would say 400-500hp would be pretty good.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I'll generally agree with the race driver's who have said things like "If I'm wide open by the time I get to the next corner, I don't have enough power" and "If I can leave black marks from the exit of any corner to the brake point for the next corner, I have enough power."

With sufficient controllability, one can use a LOT of power regularly. With the right setup, I don't think 4 digit power would be unmanageable.

[Series8217]

I think the perfect motor would be about 250hp at the crank and about 200lb/ft. Plenty of torque to get around and enough hp to make the car fun to drive and lots of RPMs.

Thoughts?

Mine is about that but with more torque, and it's just not enough

[befarrer]

Depends on what tranny. With an automatic with a stock rated stall converter, you could probably handle more in day to day stop and go traffic. But with a standard, especially one with a race clutch, would be too much. Like Crzyones northstar 5 speed may be alittle annoying if you do allot of city driving, because of the grabby clutch and touchy throttle, whereas with an auto, it would be nicer, but on the highway, the 5 speed and auto would be nice.

[Indy]

700-800HP, 500 ft-lbs with a 11-12K redline.

[stimpy]

If you want a nicely balanced Fiero that is otherwise pretty much as God an Hulki intended, I think there is some merit in a 250/200 balance. I found my L67 to be a bit of a beef hammer when it came to being a street car. The hp was a little shy of that number, but the torque was more then adequate for the job.

My wishlist Fiero loves the specs of the HF 3.6 with the balance closer to 250/250 unboosted. With a less restrictive intake and exhaust and tuning I think it could be very well suited for Fiero duty.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I've been eyeing that engine...

The direct injection version in the next gen CTS is supposed to be rated at 300/280 or so. That would be sweet. It's available with a stick, too, so PCM programming won't be an issue with a G6 6 speed (I can't believe I just suggested using that transmission...).

[crzyone]

I'll generally agree with the race driver's who have said things like "If I'm wide open by the time I get to the next corner, I don't have enough power" and "If I can leave black marks from the exit of any corner to the brake point for the next corner, I have enough power."

With sufficient controllability, one can use a LOT of power regularly. With the right setup, I don't think 4 digit power would be unmanageable.

This makes sense for a race car, but how about for a street car. I know a 500hp car would be great but the way fiero transmissions are I would be reluctant.

Race car hp, sky is the limit... well atleast the parts that break are. For a fun street car, occasional auto x car I still think 250whp would be about perfect.

Oh noes! We lost another one to V8Archie!

Nooo, 250hp with 200lb/ft means a car with good power without the transmission snapping torque. SBC cars make 250hp with 325+tq. You get the hp, but you also get the drivetrain snapping torque.

[crzyone]

I have to say, 400whp would probabaly be perfect for my Skyline. The car seems a bit more controlable on the edge with the awd system. The car is also heavier, speed wise it would closer to a 325whp fiero.

[The Dark Side of Will]

This makes sense for a race car, but how about for a street car. I know a 500hp car would be great but the way fiero transmissions are I would be reluctant.

Race car hp, sky is the limit... well atleast the parts that break are. For a fun street car, occasional auto x car I still think 250whp would be about perfect.

It depends on how controllable the power is. The Mercedes AMG V12's make 600 HP and Supra singles make 600 HP... which one's easier to modulate?

Somewhere here there's a video of a turbo Elise on a road course. It's supposedly pushing 400+ HP out of an already high strung 1.8. The driver's fighting a spin every time he nails the gas because the small engine/big turbo combo has the smoothness of a light switch.

[crzyone]

I don't have much experience with 400hp fieros but I imagine they would be a handful, especially if its a 400hp sbc with 450-500lb/ft.

[The Dark Side of Will]

I would think a 400 HP Chevy would be easier to deal with than a 400 HP Ecotec because power delivery would be more linear.