Hellcat totaled right after purchase

[Che70velle]

Originally Posted by Revved

I'll throw in another .02 as a guy that deals with 1000+ hp blown big blocks on a regular basis...

I've had two clients that after having me build them 1000+hp supercharged big block monster cars realized how uncomfortable it is to drive that on a regular basis and both have their cars up for sale so I can build them something more reasonable that they can enjoy. The Chevelle being one of them which I felt was a very comfortable car (relatively compared to the 1000hp Super Snakes I've done with side exhaust) that we road tripped 2200 miles in a week. People don't realize how much effort goes into driving a vehicle like this on the street on a daily basis. You feel worn out and tone deaf when you get where you are going just from driving and keeping the car straight. A little too much throttle off the line? Tire spin... A little too deep in the throttle getting around that guy on the on ramp? Passing him sideways.... Burnouts aren't even much fun since they tires don't have a chance.... Fun for a weekend car but these guys wanted something to drive on a regular basis.

One will be replaced with a Viper powered Challenger and the other with a TT Coyote 65 Fastback.

And yes...the HP numbers we can produce easily nowadays scares me as well. The majority of my clients like cars but are not "car guys" per se... they have their muscle car as a weekend toy but they aren't "drivers." These cars are much different from driving a 458 or Murcialago... much more brutal... much more raw... much easier to get into trouble with.

Agreed, well said.

[TheJDMan]

Originally Posted by 68Cuda

Yep, seen it through the years. It used to be the guys going from 6 cyl cars or stock small blocks to big blocks and four speeds. Sometimes the cars made it as much as a week. People not used to the power and not careful enough. Just recently here in town, guy took a '69 with an LS2 and swapped it out for an LSA.

Luckily for him he only spent one night in the hospital and no one else was in the car at the time.

Pictured below, the car before the swap, the crate engine, after the transplant, and then what it looked like after he drove it for a short period of time.

I'd be interested in buying that 69. Then I would buy an AMD 69 body shell and start moving parts from the old to the new.

[68Cuda]

Originally Posted by TheJDMan

I'd be interested in buying that 69. Then I would buy an AMD 69 body shell and start moving parts from the old to the new.

The guy already bought a rust free West Texas '69 donor shell and is doing a DSE suspension on it, fresh paint, then transferring all his good parts over.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by Revved

I'll throw in another .02 as a guy that deals with 1000+ hp blown big blocks on a regular basis...

I've had two clients that after having me build them 1000+hp supercharged big block monster cars realized how uncomfortable it is to drive that on a regular basis and both have their cars up for sale so I can build them something more reasonable that they can enjoy. The Chevelle being one of them which I felt was a very comfortable car (relatively compared to the 1000hp Super Snakes I've done with side exhaust) that we road tripped 2200 miles in a week. People don't realize how much effort goes into driving a vehicle like this on the street on a daily basis. You feel worn out and tone deaf when you get where you are going just from driving and keeping the car straight. A little too much throttle off the line? Tire spin... A little too deep in the throttle getting around that guy on the on ramp? Passing him sideways.... Burnouts aren't even much fun since they tires don't have a chance.... Fun for a weekend car but these guys wanted something to drive on a regular basis.

One will be replaced with a Viper powered Challenger and the other with a TT Coyote 65 Fastback.

And yes...the HP numbers we can produce easily nowadays scares me as well. The majority of my clients like cars but are not "car guys" per se... they have their muscle car as a weekend toy but they aren't "drivers." These cars are much different from driving a 458 or Murcialago... much more brutal... much more raw... much easier to get into trouble with.

Exactly what Steve was telling me. He told me I would get old real fast!

[OLDFLM]

For many of the same reasons, I had a similar conversation with my engine builder for my car... and had thoughts of going with an LSx for reliability/fuel injection etc., but ultimately stuck with the original Pontiac 400... and instead of going for crazy big HP numbers went with an old school 440cid stroker combo that's a unique conversation piece and more fun on the street!

Now, they did add a vacuum pump and 1" spacer under the carb to hit that magic 600hp mark for an engine article, but the combo as it sits in the car makes around 550/550 which is more than enough for me. With a 4.00-inch stroke and 4.185" bore it revs like crazy, sounds nasty, and makes gobs of Pontiac torque! (over 400lb/ft @ 2500rpm - 550lb/ft@4900rpm)

The 248/260 solid roller sounds nasty too! No mistaking it for an LSx!

http://vid691.photobucket.com/albums...psqcrq6fla.mp4

Car looks better than ever btw... THANKS MARIO!!!!

[mach1stang]

Me and my dad were talking about this the other day. When we see these 1300-1600hp cars street racing it honestly amazes me how that's even remotely possible! My boss makes MAYBE 400 wheel hp as it sits now, and even with 315 rivals and a good bit of suspension work on the right day and road I can still spin them pretty darn good from a 35-40 mph roll in second. Granted the rival is no drag radial or slick but its a very sticky tire non the less, so seeing how quickly my car can get out of shape with 400 hp I don't even want to think what could happen with 4X's that power!

[MichaelP]

Originally Posted by 68Cuda

Yep, seen it through the years. It used to be the guys going from 6 cyl cars or stock small blocks to big blocks and four speeds. Sometimes the cars made it as much as a week. People not used to the power and not careful enough. Just recently here in town, guy took a '69 with an LS2 and swapped it out for an LSA.

Luckily for him he only spent one night in the hospital and no one else was in the car at the time.

Pictured below, the car before the swap, the crate engine, after the transplant, and then what it looked like after he drove it for a short period of time.

So, this was an episode of the driver not knowing the power of the car?

[68Cuda]

Originally Posted by MichaelP

So, this was an episode of the driver not knowing the power of the car?

Not sure, since I have not had a chance to ask Trevor, it would just be speculation. But he went from a mild LS2 to a LSA... and he was not pushed into the pole by another car. I was told the car got away from him, but not sure of all the details or the circumstance. He was not racing, it was on a large well lit street about a mile from where I work, and he was in the car by himself are the only things I know. Next time I see him I will ask. That same stretch of road claimed a Lotus Exige not too long ago in a similar accident, it was a customer's car being driven by a Lotus mechanic.

[preston]

I agree I have also felt this way for a long time. Used to be you really had to be a core hot rodder to make big power, now its available to everyone.

I simply cannot believe those guys on the you tube videos racing 800whp++++ cars on public highways. Most times they seem "alone" but I have seen several where they go whipping around other cars. Totally wrong, in fact I am surprised there hasn't been a public outcry yet. There have been accidents with these types of individuals and cars but they seem to get swept up by the authorities into just being car accidents or isolated "street racing". In the old days some drag racers might setup a street somewhere and do some illegal stuff but it wsa mostly a risk for the drivers and spectators, now you have these goofballs trying to be internet heroes on highways and freeways everywhere (glad I don't drive around in Houston TX !). Reminds me of Strava and cycling, now that you can compete with anyone anytime on the internet, you get a lot of reckless behavior.

I think one of these days a rich kid in his 20's is going to plow into someone ni his 1000whp Lambo and cause everyone a lot of problems.

For god's sake the new Cadillac CTS-V a 4 DOOR SEDAN, is going to have 640 hp. From the factory ! Of course I want one, but other than me they probably shouldn't be selling something like this to the public !!