Bigger & Faster Motors: What’s the Point ?

Coz,
that is a great question. I agree, if you track the car or otherwise compete in performance venues, more power to you. I detuned mine for the driving I do. It still has a boatload of power and I actually pass up a gas station or two.

Of course it's not how big it is, it is how you use it.

Can one be too rich or too skinny? Likewise one can never have too much horsepower. Status my man, nothing else just pecking order.

Its like the nuke missle thing...its not always using it but knowing you have it and being able to use it if the need ever arises!

quote:

Originally posted by DeTom:
Can one be too rich or too skinny? Likewise one can never have too much horsepower. Status my man, nothing else just pecking order.

I'm sorry DT, your transcription is garbled...did you say pecking order or pecker order?

You can all say what you like,but if you got the power,you are going to use it.It's just knowing when to use it that matters.

My 2 cents ... You build with Horsepower range and budget in mind. The 351C is not enough power for the street .. I'm not getting passed by a new Vette. On the track .. its hammer time ... and thats when you really see and enjoy a Pantera. But your correct I hear of people building High Horsepower motors and they cant turn a wrench. Anything above stock is going to require either a big wallet or a lot of experience with motors.

I bought my Pantera to enjoy it in all the aspects including enjoying what it was built for ... the ROAD. So drive it like it was made to drive ... it needs more Horsepower then a stock 351C.

Ron

Exactly .. its not how big it is its how you use it

Ever since I was a small boy, style, exhaust note, and how much horsepower a car had, was all I was interested in. My father was one of the first southern california hot rodders way back in the late thirties. He and his brothers all cruise the streets of LA and the beaches when it was easy and fun to do. He chopped the top of a 27 T six inches and installed a overhead valve head on that old engine. That T could hit 60 to 70 mph. Maybe its in the genes. Something gets passed on to our children that is deeply imbedded into our makeup, I don't know. But I do know, getting pressed into a drivers seat by awesome accelleration is something I never tire of.

Cool guys, love the impute.
I'm not sure either really.

I know that when I built my current motor, a 351C to 460 at the flywheel, it was fast enough then. Now, it seems slow to me, but yet not to those that ride in it. They think it's fast enough.

Yet, I'm considering putting in a 351W built to right at 600 hp next summer.

So at what point is fast, fast enough.
Granted, I am tracking my car, I do drive over the speed limit, power out of corners and drive faster than the flow of traffic on many occasions, or at a minimum tuck in behind someone that is moving along.

One of the things I love doing most is hammering it to pass a slower moving vehicle and then settling back down to a flowing pace. Which was at that point not only speeding, but also an exibition of speed.

We're all guilty of driving over the speed limit, exibition of speed or some other violation when driving our Pantera's at some point. Those that say they aren't are liars & only fooling themselves.

I know I have been on many runs with many other Pantera owners from all over the US, all doing the same thing, going fast and zipping through traffic. Been there and done that many times over the last 6 years. Not to mention the piror 30 years of driving Porsches, Ferrari's and Lamborghini's.

We look at video's of others driving Pantera's fast and think it's great. But when we see other cars going just as fast and doing the same things, we think it's stupid and reckless.

What's up with that ?
Do as I say, not as I do ?

There's nothing like the feel of raw power and acceleration. Why else would we drive and pursue what we drive the way we do....

I may be 54 years old, but I ain't driving Miss Daisy in my Pantera.

Ahhhh, boys and their toys. Isn't life grand

Ahhh, so it's all about the money I can spend, rather than how I actually use it that makes ones car & ego bigger & better than someone else's.

What a waste. It's like kissing your sister.

All show and no go.

quote:

Originally posted by DeTom:
Can one be too rich or too skinny? Likewise one can never have too much horsepower. Status my man, nothing else just pecking order.

Its more about how you use it. A high performance, in terms of power and handling, automobile can keep you out of trouble as well. Just because it can go 150 doesn't mean it has to. Sometimes the ability to rapidly accelerate can make a difference between a close call and an accident. Much of which depends on the driver!!

Might seem kind of stupid, but more power IS more challenging... And thus, more fun. My GT40 has 410 HP and in spite of the fact (?!) that I am a superbly talented driver (LOL), it will take a LOT of track practice for me to be able to enjoy all it can offer. If the car had only 200HP, it would be an adequate daily driver (like my RX-8), but wouldn’t allow me to realize just how crappy a driver I really am. So, yes Jim, you NEED that 600HP monster-motor.

Personally, the reason I like more horsepower is the way the vehicle accelerates out of the turns. In Southern California we have a lot of canyon roads with great curves. I have more fun driving a well handling, high horsepower car than I do my SUV. Surprise? I am not one to drive excessively over the speed limit but I do like pushing it through and out of the turns. Anyway, that's my take on it. Wes

Hi Guys
Haven't been on for while but I've had some family problems,my father sick!
Just read about COZ'S delema and I must say get the 600 HORSES.....
Dennis

quote:

Originally posted by Coz:
What’s the point of having more power and the expense it costs to have it if you don’t use it now and then?

Mine's bigger than yours!!! Bragging rights!
HP dyno claims, lumpy idle, expense, etc. One-upmanship. Again, this applies to those that don't need/use the additional power, and then again also to some who possibly do.

Mine's mostly stock with 102,000 miles. When I rebuild it, it will be mildly modified, becuase I think the current performance could be better for the street. I don't like to see Subaru's and turbo Honda's next to me. But I won't sacrifice driveability! I've seen too many Panteras that now have a monster motor, but are hardly driveable on the street. No fun in my opinion!

Cheers!
Garth

Hey Dennis,
Sorry to hear about your father. I hope he's doing and getting better !

George and I have been talking about building my next motor, most likely going to be right around 550 at the flywheel when it's all said and done.

Want to keep it street drivable and not tear up the ZF. As we all know, the ZF costs as much as
a motor to replace, which is totally rediculious.

Isn't the point to accelerate briefly at a stop light next to a Corvette just to see him in your rear view mirror, let off then act lke you never saw him as he catches up.

Yes, gary you are correct. Just yesterday I was about to exit when a Hemi powered 300 practicly stopped next to me. Instead of turning. I kicked it down to 4th and watched him fade back into the past. I just took the next exit.

LOL,,,,just couldn't resist huh...LOL

quote:

Originally posted by lastpushbutton:
Yes, gary you are correct. Just yesterday I was about to exit when a Hemi powered 300 practicly stopped next to me. Instead of turning. I kicked it down to 4th and watched him fade back into the past. I just took the next exit.