500HP street motor, a waste?

[The T-man]

I am looking to put together a 500 horse/ 500 torque Gen-1 small block, a 406 stroker
my engine dyno shop says it's a waste of $ and time for the street, they say go 400 horse and that I'd be much happier, better milage, reliability, etc....

any thought from you guys?!?!

[monza]

Time for a new dyno shop..... I can't believe it from a dyno shop kings of HP?

running a LS2 402 stroked 545hp @ rear wheels and it's a blast. Sure lots of power but totally controllable. :thumbsup:

[camcojb]

I am looking to put together a 500 horse/ 500 torque small block, a 406 stroker
my engine dyno shop says it's a waste of $ and time for the street, they say go 400 horse and that I'd be much happier, better milage, reliability, etc....

any thought from you guys?!?!

I disagree, 500 hp has become very common, even factory meet or exceed this number with a full factory warranty. Not that hard with the proper suspension and tires to put that much power down. Plenty to be fun, perfect for track, and I don't see why reliability should be an issue if properly built.

Jody

[Flash68]

I agree. Time for a new shop. This is the first time I have ever heard this from anyone, especially an actual performance shop! Those guys must not be truly into performance... sheesh.

go for 500hp. Or more.

[67ragtp]

Dont mean to highjack the thread, but DAMN Dave!, fuel's got to be near 650 ponies at the flywheel. I know your running a harrop but wow! thats pretty stout. Care to elaborate on compression/cam specs/heads, hows its street manners? Very impressive!

Thanks Rich

[Vegas69]

I'm around 600/600 and it's a blast to drive on the street. Let a buddy drive it and he couldn't believe how docile it is until you hit the loud pedal. I am really impressed with my True Trac rear as well. Even with tire spin it just keeps moving forward.:D Now an old school small block with a flat tappet cam may be a little peaky over 500hp. I'd go roller cam or more cubes.

[XcYZ]

my engine dyno shop says it's a waste of $ and time for the street, they say go 400 horse and that I'd be much happier, better milage, reliability, etc....

any thought from you guys?!?!

500+ RWHP, 22mpg, runs mid 11's at close to 124 in full street trim. Couldn't be happier, but... will have the nitrous hooked up this winter. :thumbsup:

[Stuart Adams]

500+ RWHP, 22mpg, runs mid 11's at close to 124 in full street trim. Couldn't be happier, but... will have the nitrous hooked up this winter. :thumbsup:

Yeah Buddy! LS = Like Sex.

[monza]

Dont mean to highjack the thread, but DAMN Dave!, fuel's got to be near 650 ponies at the flywheel. I know your running a harrop but wow! thats pretty stout. Care to elaborate on compression/cam specs/heads, hows its street manners? Very impressive!

Thanks Rich

Lets thread jack away... here is what pumps FUel.... 05' LS2 block (GTO), Eagle Crank and displaces 402ci. Diamond Racing pistons w/ 2cc dishes yield 11.2:1 compression under the Trick Flow 225 heads w/ 2.08/1.60 valves. The cam is a custom spec cam from Brett Bauer Racing Engines. (don't have specs in front of me) The Harrop Hurricane w/ eight 52mm throttle bodies and fuel rails by Harrop. Any other specifics you want, let me know.
General streetablity has been really good, I was battling some tune issues making low rpm driving rather rough, that is all sorted and drivability is now unreal, smooth when you want, crazy power when you get on it.

Here is a article done by Hot Rod (not current as thing are always changing... making it more of a track beast): http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/113_0703_1969_camaro_rs/index.html
(thats been posted before but for other who may want to check it out)

I have to post up my Optima Vegas Wrenching madness in a new thread soon just swamped busy.

[MtotheIKEo]

Note that there is a difference in a 500hp carb'd gen I motor and a 500hp LSx. Older motors get a little more rowdy when you start pushing the hp up. They are not as refined as a newer LSx with fuel injection.

[LCAC_Man]

Note that there is a difference in a 500hp carb'd gen I motor and a 500hp LSx. Older motors get a little more rowdy when you start pushing the hp up. They are not as refined as a newer LSx with fuel injection.

X2, I'm running a 450hp 406 Gen1, even tamed it with hyd roller cam, fastburns and a well spec'd converter, but, it's still pretty uncivilized with my auto trans. A T56 would probably make it a little easier to deal with. Gen III/IV is a totally different story....

[The T-man]

Note that there is a difference in a 500hp carb'd gen I motor and a 500hp LSx. Older motors get a little more rowdy when you start pushing the hp up. They are not as refined as a newer LSx with fuel injection.

Now THIS is an answer tying into what they are trying to tell me,
althought I am looking at EFI for it
it is Gen1 small block, a Dart Little M to be exact

500+ torque is the first goal, and if I can squeeze 500 HP by 5500 rpm or so I will be happy

[The T-man]

any cam recomendations for 450-500 HP w/ a 406 SBC?

10to1 comp,
TPiS MiniRAM intake
AFR 210's

[andrewmp6]

You can street drive anything if your crazy enough.Yes some new cars come with that much power but look at the whole car and its weight also.I daily drive a 68 mustang with a 460 small block its fine tell its stop and go traffic it idles kinda lumpy.

[chevyIIpost]

Make the horse power with the heads. AFR 210 heads with 2.100 intake valves and comp porting. Comp cams 236/240 @.050 .600 lift. hyd roller. The big bore of the 406 won't shroud the big valve and it will help the flow numbers. The cam will make it streetable with a broad power band.

[olds]

I could see why your shop would say a 406 stroker is overkill or overpriced, whichever. You could make the same HP with a 383, or even a 350 and it would save tons of money. You wouldn't have nearly the same torque, but why would you need it? I'll have about 3,500$ in my 383 and I guestimate it will have between 470-520 hp/tq. It's really a mild build, perfect for the street, and built to handle throughout the entire streetable RPM range (not too much top end or too much low end).

^^AFR 210's are a bit overkill, I would build a 383 with AFR 195cc intake runners - they outclass anything else in that size range hands down.

You could run a 700 hp motor on the street, it's not the power that matters, it's a question of where the power is delivered in the RPM range and how effective the power is put on the ground without losing too much driveability. In my opinion, I wouldn't want less than 500hp out of my SBC or why would I spend that kinda money.

edit - as for reliability, I would guess they're referencing to the huge bore, downgrade to a 383 then you won't have the cooling and structural problems. Also for mileage - that has nothing to do with the engine, it's gearing and airflow.

[67ss&99ss]

505 hp 506 ft lb pump gas 406 here. Close to 11:1 static, 8.2:1 dynamic compression. AFR 195 eliminators, and a comp cams XE 284 hydraulic flat tappet cam. Can provide other specifics if needed. Idles good at 800 and has no problems pushing the 67 down the road. As long as its over 2k rpm when going down the road, its happy. Runs 170-180*.