I am just curious. A few of my friends call out high horsepoer numbers to brag and still loose to lower powered vehicles. I know there are many variables to getting a HP rating, but I am just wondering if people really care about the number or the fact that they know what their car is capable of, more or less who they can beat.

 

HP is important, but so is traction and power/weight ratio.

 

OMG are you for real with this.

If you can drive you can beat anybody on the track. It all comes down to time slips. A win is a win.

 

Most people only care about HP, but there is a small contingent of us who knows it's what you put down at the track. Granted, a car is only going to go so fast without enough power on the dyno, but with so many dyno types and so many correction factors, I'm most interested in what the timing lights show at the drag strip, or my lap times on the road course.

As an example, I put down 300whp/337wtq uncorrected on a Dynojet, but I have a dynograph in my hand that shows 378whp/425wtq SAE corrected. I _could_ go around claiming 380whp, but instead I just say 300whp. Most people are not impressed...until they get beat.

 

I don't look at #s either. There's this guy who used to live in VA putting down "whatever" at the dyno, and shooting alky and crap. Well, we raced and we were neck and neck, which if looking at dyno #s, shouldn't have happened. Dyno #'s are, however, a good reference point. I'm putting down like more HP than a Prius and less than an Enzo...

 

I consider torque to be more important than BHP. In short, torque is a measure of force per revolution, BHP is a measure of the energy produced over a period of time, right?

So for example, if you had an engine with very low torque, say 100 ftlbs, but can spin at something like 20,000 rpms. Then you'll end up having a high BHP figure. But because of the low torque, the car won't accelerate for ****.

Can anyone point out a flaw in this reasoning?

 

^ F1...........

BHP is a measure of TQ vs RPM.

Scorke

 

Yes it matters to me, that is why I am going to a larger turbo setup asap! I think that the larger turbos bennefits out way the smaller turbos for the drag racer, but not for the road course. For the street guys and gals if you worry about lag, just down shift. The top end pull will be worth it.

 

to answer your question, No I don't care "mainly" about hp numbers because like war said there are many different correction factors and the dyno will not tell the future. What matters most are track #'s and driver.

 

My bad, I forgot to mention that a flat torque curve is equally important. The reason an F1 car makes so much BHP with so little torque is because it maintains a near flat torque curve for almost the entire rev range.

BHP = TQ x RPM x constant

I don't think he wanted us to hammer this topic so hard

 

I hate to quote Vin Deisel.....so I wont. To me winning is winning, It is all about the time. HP Power is an important factor but IT is NOT the only factor. I have beaten more powerful vehicles and I am completely stock. It is all about driver and knowing what you and your car's limits are. There will always be a vehicle with more horsepower, just like there is always a faster vehicle.

 

Power to weight as long as increasing power is not a result of increased weight. I would rather shave off a few pounds vs compensating with hp.

 

Well, 30whp goes a lot further than 30lbs, so I'd rather add power than shave weight, since the ratio heavily favors power, although weight reduction can help greatly with everything to include less stress on the motor/drivetrain/tires/suspension and improved handling.

 

Not as much as torque. and not as much as area under the curve. but yes, it matters.

 

Usuble power under the curve is much more important than peak HP/TQ to most people.