True horsepower rating?

[blumaro]

Originally Posted by CyberPunk223

Im actually suprised that GM inst advertising a higher number, but I guess I shouldnt be because they did the same with the 4th Gen camaros, always underated the v8 power.. That and I'm sure they are saving some HP in the bank so they dont have to do a lot of R&D for future releases.

With the 4th gen a lot of this had to do with not wanting to irritate Corvette owners. They certainly did not want produce a Camaro with the same HP as a Vette and charge ~$20k more for the Vette. With the 5th gen Camaro this seems to be much less of a concern.

[DRKS1D3]

Originally Posted by v6sonoma

Interesting read. The rules were very different back then. Heck as time went on they began to even hide just how powerful some cars were to avoid the insurance rates going completely through the roof.

Now everything goes through standardized tests and we get a clearer picture. They still don't give chassis dyne numbers but the engine numbers are a lot closer to reality.

Very true. My friend's Dad has a 1970 Chevelle 454SS (LS6 car) and the thing is bad ass. The air cleaner says, 450 HP, but many have speculated these cars were north of 500HP. I've ridden in it many times...it's NASTY! Just be prepared for some arm-pump because there's NO power steering.

Originally Posted by Iron Lung Jimmy

Compared to a stock LS3 Camaro, all but a couple of the muscle cars from back in the day were dog-ass slow. Even 454 Chevelles were only low 13 sec cars... on a good day.

Maybe the only one that could hang would be a hemi whatever and that would assume it was running properly (not likely) and the exhaust was uncorked. Set one up for racing and that would be a different story... but it would also be a car with near impossible street manners.

The only reason the '70 454SS Chevelle was a 13 second car, was because unless you'd bolt up some drag slicks, those 14" tires didn't stand a chance. As stated above, I've ridden in one many times. You can mash it in third while rolling and the tires go up in smoke! We took it to the dragstrip a few times and could never get those tires to hook.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by SlingShot

Wish I could find the article, but a couple years a go I think it was Hot rod TV or something of that nature tested a current LS3. The results on an engine dyno without accessories was around 490 HP.

Sounds about right for what an LS3 would have been under the SAE gross system. But back in the day they weren't above throwing headers on & removing the air filter and doing other such things to get a 'more true' power rating for what the engine really makes. Thats where are lot of the legends began for factory big blocks cars making 500+ hp. In reality, they probably didn't make much (if any) more power than the LS3 does today.

[RBD]

Bottom line is the old muscle cars were weak suck. an LS6 Chevelle had to have premium
fuel and 4.10 gears to go not very fast. 4.11 gears and a power peak at well under 6000rpm
makes a non tire spinning pass of maybe 105 mph. I love old cars don't get me wrong but they were smoke machines only and didn't really make much power. If you got one to go pretty good it was so radical it was nearly undrivable on the street. Now an old body with modern mechanicals that's a car with some charm.....

[HaulnJ]

In the 70's HP was over rated to customers and then under rated when the insurance companies started charging more$. The cars could go fairly quick in a straight line. The gen5 Camaro is a total package of Muscle and Finesse. When you see a bend in the road you know you will be able to make the corner and not plow through it like the old muscle cars.

[Bonemaro]

Interesting read.

[SPCBA]

396 ss' were 350 hp from factory

my pops had an 11 second chevelle tho

[gmen09]

Originally Posted by SPCBA

396 ss' were 350 hp from factory

my pops had an 11 second chevelle tho

There were 3 396 engines, the 325 hp, 350 hp, and the 375 hp. There was also a 265hp version i believe

[Dupree878]

Originally Posted by DRKS1D3

Very true. My friend's Dad has a 1970 Chevelle 454SS (LS6 car) and the thing is bad ass. The air cleaner says, 450 HP, but many have speculated these cars were north of 500HP. I've ridden in it many times...it's NASTY! Just be prepared for some arm-pump because there's NO power steering.
.

Well, if you go back to that link posted earlier, it says your dad'd friend's Chevelle made about 269 at the ground, which is about 325hp

[96 LT1-Z28]

Dog ass slow muscle cars? lol. The LS6 454, COPO 427 Camaro, and 426 Hemi were nothing to mess with. I have yet to see a 426 Hemi car with any traction and a tune not run high 11's. The LS6 chevelle runs 12.0-12.5 all day long with traction. I seen a copo Camaro run 11.5 and this is on polyglass tires. Yes, most muscle cars were in the 13's and 14's but some of those cars were nothing to mess with and they were the coolest cars ever built.