When is too much power just too much......

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:34 pm

In your opinion Bollox it may be :whogivesa: but i am simply invoking a reaction and that is to get peoples opinions on what i asked about to which you've kindly contributed in your own very special way :jerk:

You've exactly answered my question though 'a well set up car with around 600bhp at the wheels is probably about the limit of what is useable'. ....and that's what i was after.

Thank you!! :thumb:

Edited to add: Apologies it was Simon Norris's 900bhp Evo i was referring to not Rocket Ron's Skyline, my mistake

Ross · Post by **Ross** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:05 pm

What I would like to know is how many people have even driven a 600whp car? There arnt many genuine 600+whp cars about.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:36 pm

I can safely say ... no.

My skill level isnt up to driving one at this stage.

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:04 pm

Ross

I assume 700bhp is your power at the flywheel therefore with 22% losses through the drivetrain your whp may be around 546 bhp therefore you're not that far off Bladey's magic 600whp

Ross · Post by **Ross** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:23 pm

Last time Gary and I prepared the car was for a speed trial, mapped on super juice for out right power. I think we got 600whp out of it. But it is so bonkers at that level and far too much power for a circuit car. I take on board what bladey says about controling the power with your right foot. I personally prefer to see the exit point and get on the gas as much as possible letting the car pull its self out, (with out spinning all 4 wheels and swapping ends :lol: ), the car than gives that lovely "on rails" feeling. Hence 600whp & torque to match is too much for me to enjoy, but not enough for Bladey

drifter · Post by **drifter** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:43 pm

stuart wrote:600 bhp at the wheels with excellent response and a good spread of torque, decent brakes, grip, and cooling will go a long way to beating a higher powered, less well balanced car.

Don't forget the most important component within any build

the driver :thumb:

The driver has to account for a lot. It may not be the car is getting too fast, its the driver is too slow.

Post by **Ben** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:04 pm

From a little ride in the APT Evo, I can tell my little head isn't ready to compute what is going on under it's acceleration !! ...

I think it's driver experience relevant to the power, handling and braking !!.

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:20 pm

No doubt Bladey is used to mega horsepower cars and i agree with a lot of what he says. He knows his stuff and i don't doubt that for one second.

Also i have no doubts he is a tip top driver and could clearly teach me plenty (i would love to learn sometime

) but i always thought you needed shedloads of power for drifting to help start the drift and keep it there.

When these blokes get up to 100/120mph+, pull a drift and keep drifting it must take a lot of horses to stay sideways, and you must get used to the power and driving sideways all the time, however on a circuit surely the opposite is true.

In my opinion you need a great handling car and just enough bhp to keep it from drifting all over the place regardless of how well you use your right foot. You may disagree but then that's just my opinion, however, this is exactly how i would approach building a track car.

duncan · Post by **duncan** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 4:23 pm

Most of the drift cars are lower power than the track cars.

ScoobieWRX · Post by **ScoobieWRX** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:03 pm

I always thought the top drift cars were big bhp :?