Guest comeandzpa Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Pete, I remember when I met up with you and some other guys in Butler that you commented on how glad you were to have your radar detector, especially coming through Breezewood/Bedford off of 76. If I had the money to blow on something like that, it'd be a good investment. As it is for now, I'll just take my time or take my chances. Hopefully I never get nailed, I'm guessing my bosses and my parents wouldn't be too happy about me getting ticketed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwik240z Posted March 3, 2005 Share Posted March 3, 2005 Summit Point is 1.5hrs away. I think I'm going to have to budget track days to get my speed fix..... Pete, After our day cruise in your Z to Mike Kellys a few months ago, I think you should donate the Z to charity. (Just kidding) Actually I tend to drive like you. WOT as much as possible. Just can't seem to quench the need for speed! I will be happy to join you at Summit Point for the track days. They only charge $180 for the day. I would rather give it to them instead of the State of Maryland. If I get my car on the road soon enough, I would love a day at the Point before we tackle Watkins Glen at the Z convention. I haven't been on a racetrack since March of 2004 (1 year ago. Time flies) and I really need to get used to the LS1 before I go crazy on an unfamiliar track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 This thread is interesting... I used to drive too fast for long periods of time. My last hurrah was about 5 years ago about 2 years after I bought my Z28. I was driving back from picking my wife up from school(collage, you sicko's!). I was doing the plus side of 75 in a 55 zone through a hick town in the middle of freakin nowhere. I had just past a dually on a dotted line passing zone(single lane highway). It was kinda late and and pretty dark in the wooded highway. I got passed by a county cop going the other direction. He immediatly nailed his brakes. I knew that it would take him a moment to turn the car around on the single lane highway, so I dropped a gear and put foot in it. The road was hilly for miles and for a short time I could see his lights cresting hills as I was also. I got into a low area and found a wooded driveway(I love antilock brakes). Slowed from about 90 to dang near stopped in short order. I pulled alittle ways into the wooded drive way and turned out the lights. about a minute later this cop comes hauling *** by us. I wait for a few minutes and Dually I passed goes by, I pulled out behind him and set my cruise control to whatever he was doing. I turned my foglights off so the car would appear differant in the dark and continued home. I little while later, that smee cop passed us going back the other direction. I can't imagine his dissapointment in not catching me. Later one of my wifes sorority sisters was telling her how her cousins fiance who is a cop in the small town we'd passed through told them about a car that "Tried" to elude him. We all got a giggle out of that. It was the first and last time I'd ever done that. The reason I did it was not a good one but was calculated by me. From the time I saw his lights to the moment I downshifted thoughts off me loosing my license went through my head for two reasons. I already had a couple of tickets, and now I'm going to "Attempt" to elude the cops. My decision was made so I did what I did. My wife was as daring I was back then so she wasn't wacking me in the arm or anything while I was doing. I remember running for MILES at a time at over 100 on long hilly country road in my Mustang. When I first bought my mustang, my older brother who already had a highly modified one and I were leaving our shop about 15 miles from our home. We got on the highway(big highway) and were cruising along in out seperate cars. My brother rolls along side of me and drops a gear and gives me a grin, so I did the same. We put foot, and within a minute we were coming up on traffic and we were about 3 miles from were we started. The last time I looked at my speedo I was doing 130 and climbing. My brother was about 5 car lengths in front of me. We would have surely gotten locked up. So this brings me to present day. My Z28 is a HELLUVA lot faster than it was 5 years ago. But I don't drive like that anymore. I've got too much to lose. Yes I do sprint from stop lights, down shift to pass on the highway, occasionally stop light to stop light street race, merge on the highway in a way that a 12 sec car can and leave black marks on the street from spinning tires. But, not all the time. Usually on a Friday afterwork. Or at 4AM when I'm on my way to work and nobody else is awake except the crickets. I do not drive at much over the speed limit for more than just enough to pass slow traffic. My buddy has a rat rod Model A coupe, he rips from every stop light. The other week I was following him to a shop that was installing he in it. He was forcing me to get out of my comfort zone just to keep up with him, and my car is way faster than his. My car runs 12's! His only runs 14's! Normal driving for me is just that... Normal. My 240Z willl have MORE power than it will ever be delivered on a daily basis. down shifting a stomping the gas WILL result in tire spin. And, I will do it occasionally. The car will see time at the dragstrip, on the street and possibly track days. I'm with the guys who say just use some of the pedal. Thsame can be said about the boost controllers that allow you to have low boost and high boost. WTF is that? Just don't stomp it all the freakin' time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil1934 Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Down here the cops shoot someone every month who tries to elude, saying he tried to run them over. Last one had bailed out of his car into the woods. He got shot, too. There'll be an investigation of that one. It's not Hazzard County out there anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrus Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 As far as traction goes "Drag Radial". These tires are amazing. My BFGs 205/70/14 with an open dif ,are holding 330 rhp with ease. I as so amazed it was the best money ever spent on the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted March 9, 2005 Share Posted March 9, 2005 Interesting thread. Like Speeder said, too much is just about right .....for some. It really depends on whether or not the driver understands and respects that power and has the skill and smarts (2 different things) to know how and when to use it. I do not know how many folks on here are driving 400+rwhp cars on the street but I find the more power you have, the less you need or want to show it off, unless you are like a certain infamous hot-dog (hush my mouth). With the realization of the acceleration of such a beast at 100+mph, it never ceases to amaze me that people think it cool to "race" at those speeds on public roads. Believe me, it only takes one experience of your life flashing in your mind's eye to resist the tempation but I know most think it will never happen to them or they have the skill to handle it (skill vs smarts!!). As for the issue with traction, only one person mentioned drag radials. I put the power in the GNZ at about 520rwhp and the RX7 maybe a tad more (to be proven) and I would not drive with anything but drag radials on the street. Anything else is simply a waste of rubber and a spin waiting to happen. As for the DRs, do not consider BFGs for the street. I highly recommend Nittos and I got about 8,000 miles out of them with many a 10-sec pass. So, the answer to the question is, whatever you have the skill AND smarts to handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyrus Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 Interesting thread. I find the more power you have' date=' the less you need or want to show it off[/quote'] very true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Maudlin Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 My last Z was around 400hp at the crank. It would break traction when it downshifted at 50-55mph. I went to pass a slow moving semi and stuck my foot in it a little hard and the car got completely sideways with just pedal at 50-55mph. How much is enough? That was plenty enough power for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 260ondubs Posted March 14, 2005 Share Posted March 14, 2005 First off from me, I haven't driven a high-horsepower car before. No one has ever given me the opportunity, so i've had to build one myself. It's still not finished but it is looking to have about 300hp at the wheels. I will talk through my car first and my theories: Power: With the engine I have gone all out on everything for massive HP. The fuel and ignition systems can support 600HP, the engine's inherent strength about 400HP and the airflow system about 500HP. The one limiting factor in my build looks to be the turbo. It is quite small (T3 with swapped IHI compressor cover, not an American T3 but one found in a factory turbocharged Holden over here in Australia). This turbo looks to only make 300HP. I 'was' dissappointed in this figure. But not now. I always wanted a bigger turbo, but after this thread and hearing what people say that they wish they hadn't gone so big or always trying to catch up with lag is a bitch, i'm think the quicker spool and response is a good thing to have. Chassis and suspension: Easily the key factor in having a fast car that can even approach a corner is the suspension. Stock gear is crap. As mine is not a circuit car all I have done is Bilstein shocks, King Springs and a full set of urethane bushes and new ball-joints etc...... nothing crazy, just sensible upgrades. Brakes: The one area where you can NEVER have enough power. Stopping power. Also, it depends on application (like all things) but I would think that no matter how or why you've built your Z, you can never have enough braking power. 2 laps around my sprint track and i'm in a world of fade with my mild upgrade! A car that spins tires in any gear and is just a macho display of brute horsepower is fun for a minute, but like people have said, you get used to the power and there comes a point where you're at the limit. Having fun around a corner is where it's at....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoeightythreez Posted March 26, 2005 Share Posted March 26, 2005 That's a hard question to answer, wholly depends on your mood, traffic, and the road conditions. (e.g. A STOCK Z has way too much power in....ahem...snow.) I know I have a lot of fun with my '78, with it's tired old L28. She runs on 5cyl at idle, and makes blows more smoke at WOT than the whole staff of "High Times". (Though that's fun in it's own way, I brag every day about how I can "smoke" a brand new Ferrari....I never said I could beat it in a race, but I can smoke'em for sure) I can't even venture a guess of how many miles are on her but the odo says 36K (said 5K when I bought her from the J/Y about a year and a half ago) and the original shift knob was WORN THROUGH! The amount I've driven her definitely shows what a fine auto these old Z's are, as I am in the Navy and my ship is constantly going underway, yet I've still managed to put over 30,000 miles on her. She is the most reliable car I've ever owned, and I will never part with her (though I will soon retire her motor) unless she gets wrecked. I can finally start to justify swapping out the engine, I'm finally beginning to wear it out! (Please, just pass smog this one time ) I still feel that I want to slowly upgrade the power so I can re-learn how to drive her, so my next engine is going to be an L28ET...not only due to it's availability, but the fact that I'll be able to go from L28E to ET in a weekend, due to the fact of her being my only car (after my WESTPAC, of course.......then once I go home from the navy (in 2 years, after which I proclaim any debt I've had to society has been paid in full, I've done 4 years so far and am now on my extension)...she will have a date with a Big Block Buick. I can't wait to see my car....I just got back from an underway yesterday, and am on duty today, and she will come back to me dressed in a slinky blue number courtesy of Supreme auto body, I finally tired of driving a haze-grey car when I live in a haze gray ship. Hence, tomorrow will begin the quest of reassembling her (I removed basically everything but the wheels, steering wheel, and drive train when I put her in paint jail, luckily for me the body was in very good condition, just dressed in rags) I have to get her together soon, as she is my only transportation! Oops! Got a bit off subject there, but she is, after all, my automotive soul mate, and I tend to ramble. (Hopefully one day I find a woman I can love more than that car To get back to topic, I believe you can never have too much power in ANY car, the limit's up to you and your pocketbook. good luck to all, Hail Hybrid Z! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoeightythreez Posted March 26, 2005 Share Posted March 26, 2005 Sorry about the double post, but I just realized that I didn't say anything about the subject! So, without further ado, How much power is too much in a Z? It depends on what you've done to the brakes and suspension. A '78 280 with '76 bumpers and a ton of crap in the back (when I took all the crap I hobbited away over a year and a half outta there when prepping it for the body shop the back end rose up TWO INCHES) that probably weighed in the neighborhood of 3100lb. with me in it, and stock brakes, has too much power STOCK. Consider that the stock brakes are basically the ones used on the 1900lb. datsun 510, that Nissan practically never updated, and you get an idea of how much they suck! I completely rebuilt the front brakes about a year ago with all new stock stuff, the rotors are now so warped that the steering wheel tries to shake itself out of my hands every time I try to stop. All it took to do that was ONE stop from 90 to Zero MPH. THe brakes are really the only thing about that car I hate. After deployment, it's 5-lug conversion time with the MMS kit (And the Mustang cobra brakes! Yummy!) Bryan P.S.- I've always wondered why Nissan thought those tiny little brakes were OK for the Z but the '66 1600 roadster with SIXTY FREAKIN HORSEPOWER and 2000lb had nice 11.2" front discs and 10" drums on the back? (Stock Z has 10.2" discs and 10" drums...though most of you all know that already, I'm practically a Z INFANT compared to you guys!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73Turbo240z Posted March 30, 2005 Share Posted March 30, 2005 Not sure what to tell you yet... the current recipe calls for 400hp and 500ft lbs through slicky mickeys... on high boost of course... it will be for straight line use only though, probally dole the boost down to 250-300hp for drift, and less for "back roads twisties" as i don't feel like kissing inanimate objects w/ my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 as a general rule of thumb, you can figure on a ratio of hp(flywheel) per lb of car weight (driver included) lets assume your (Z) weights 3000 lbs with you in it and a full tank of fuel thats 7 lb per hp makes for a nice fast street car (youll beat 90% of the competition, if your a skilled driver) about 425hp for a 7 lb per hp make nice fast street car 6lb per hp makes for a nice fast road racing car (youll beat 90% of the competition if your a skilled driver) about 500hp for a 6lb per hp make nice fast road racing car 5 lbs per hp makes for a nice fast drag car (youll beat most of the non-pro competition if your a skilled driver) about 600hp for a 5 lb per hp make nice fast drag car any more than that gets to be very hard to control on street tires , and ,yes, if your cars lighter you can use less, if it heavier youll need more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcheeze36 Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 How bout 171 horsepower? J/K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Carolina Z Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 How much power is enough...until you scare yourself to death and are literally afraid of the power the car has...then back it down a notch or two... Carolina Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73Turbo240z Posted April 6, 2005 Share Posted April 6, 2005 How much power is enough...until you scare yourself to death and are literally afraid of the power the car has...then back it down a notch or two... Carolina Z i'd agree w/ this logic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cygnusx1 Posted April 7, 2005 Share Posted April 7, 2005 In order to truly answer this question you need to have more info. "How much power is enough in a Z? " to do what? So far every car I have bought or built has had more power than the previous one...with the exception of my just after college commuter, a 1990 Civic 3-door rated at 60HP. With only 60HP it was still a fun car. It taught me how to maintain speed through corners and how choose lines. If I didn't maintain speed, I could not get it back. Horsepower is addictive and without training it can turn you into a lazy driver. When I took my turbo Z to Limerock road course, I found that I was relying too much on engine and brakes instead of carrying speed through corners. If you want to smoke tires and make lots of show, then there is never enough power. No question, power is addictive. Right now I am happy with the power of the turbo Z at 14psi. I just wanted to be able to have a weekend warrior that I could take out to, grocery stores, dinner, car shows, occasional time trials and still be able to surprise a Mustang, STI, or Corvette from time to time in a friendly traffic light launch contest. I have an impeccable 20 year driving record with one unfortunate ticket for illegaly passing a rusty old cadillac doing 20 in a 40...across a double yellow at night, very safely I might add. I got caught, so I paid. Simple as that. It's not the power, it's what you use the power for and how you use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkspeed Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Alright, I couldn't resist this thread one any longer. "Is it too much horspower to drive?" was asked the great Mark Donahue about driving Porshe 917 Can-Am cars with about 1200 Hp, and still considered one of the fastest race cars of all time. "No, When you can leave a black mark down the longest straight of the track, that's when you have enough horsepower." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 8, 2005 Share Posted April 8, 2005 Alright' date=' I couldn't resist this thread one any longer. "Is it too much horspower to drive?" was asked the great Mark Donahue about driving Porshe 917 Can-Am cars with about 1200 Hp, and still considered one of the fastest race cars of all time. "No, When you can leave a black mark down the longest straight of the track, that's when you have enough horsepower."[/quote'] My new hero! Too much power at the moment? Just means take your freaking foot off the accelerator a bit - problem solved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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