Thread: how muck HP is too much for Chevy short step side

Tweet

Have a 77 chevy step side want has much HP as feasible but light in rear and don't want to twist axles , understand spinning is not winning 3.73 posi rear end th350 trans ??? Thanks

I hate to burst your bubble, but you'll never be the baddest guy on the street without spending a fortune to get there. For instance, when I was working at Firebird as a tech inspector, we had a fellow who would show up every Friday night with a turbocharged Supra. He drove it in off the street, changed to slicks and laid down mid 7 second runs at 180 mph in the quarter mile. It would cost you $50,000 to $75,000 to beat him with a pickup truck.

Now, you could have a lot of fun building out the rear of your truck with a 4-link rear suspension and a 9" differential, (about $5,000), while spending $12,000 to $15,000 for an 800 hp motor and fully built auto and converter. So, lots of fun for $20K, but no cigar.

.

Originally Posted by milkdud

Have a 77 chevy step side want has much HP as feasible but light in rear and don't want to twist axles , street but want to be baddest on street I understand spinning is not winning 3.73 posi rear end th350 trans ??? Thanks

How much HP is too much for 77 chevy short step side said no hot rodder ever.

To be the baddest on the street, depends how fast the guys in your circle are running? But Tech Inspector is right.. like a gunfighter from the days of the west, someone will always show up who's faster. An old racing adage is, "Speed cost money. How fast do you want to go?" I've also heard it as, Speed costs money, how fast can you afford to go?"

Not trying to burst your bubble or spoil your fun. I guess I'm just trying to say have fun with it and don't worry about the "other guy". Just work up to a level that brings satisfaction to you.

Being the fastest on the street and not breaking a stock rear end shouldn't be used in the same sentence! With your pickup being light in the back, it's going to take a good 4 link setup and a strong rear end (Ford 9") to make it hook and work! Big horse engines are fun, but you've got to be able to get the power to the street, too. A balanced approach of horsepower and a good working chassis would probably be your best approach. About 375 to 400 horse is about all that the stock parts are going to handle, even at that level the stock pieces have a shortened life expectancy.

Personally, I think you're pissing in the wind.

Originally Posted by NTFDAY

Personally, I think you're pissing in the wind.

Nice Ken, real nice. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

Nice Ken, real nice. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

.

The truth will set you free. I've owned two pickups with fairly stout engines and they were a bitch on the street, no weight in the rear= no traction and squirrelly as hell if they did hook up. And I've driven over 400hp on the street and one with over 350hp and it was a straight axle which most of today's children would put into the ditch the first time they hit a bump in the road.

Maybe you meant the baddest on YOUR street!? That could be doable. As Tech said, there are plenty of “street” cars out there that are really full blown race cars with a license plate on them.