Quick Google search that might help some people out...

http://www.web-cars.com/math/horsepower.html

 

I've posted this link several times. Just not in this post:


HISTORY OF HORSEPOWER

 

Never underestimate the dogmatic ignorance of Americans. Only when we become an economic underdog in the worlds markets.. will we succome to common sense.

Besides, Mr stalker wouldn't be able to drive his ranger if you took away his "horsepower"!

Rich

 

If we use KW all our warranties will be voided since that is not a OEM unit of measure for the US. Oh no!!!

 

Hey guys, I'm glad that you liked the post. Let me clarify something that I said:

"Finally, I'm going to address whether or not horsepower is real. Horsepower is just a unit of power. It is very real, but to say it's just a calculation isn't very correct."

Rich, you are right in the sense that horsepower is just a made up unit, but it is a unit of power. What I should have said is this:

"Finally, I'm going to address whether or not horsepower is real. Horsepower is just a unit of power. POWER is very real, but to say it's just a calculation isn't very correct."

I did mention in my post that 1 HP = (550 ft-lb/s) and how I thought it was stupid that whoever came up with the idea of horsepower decided on the arbitrary number of 550. So Rich, plain and simple, you are correct. HORSEPOWER is just indeed math, but power is indeed a real and important quantity. You can calculate horsepower from torque, but like I said, neither are their own quantities. A dyno really doesn't measure power or torque. Like I mentioned in the write up, it measures length, mass, and time, and then uses those quantities to calculate both torque and power. I will say this though, when the dyno converts from power to horsepower, yes, it is just a straight mathematical calculation.

P.S. I wish that we were smart enough to do like the metric system. 1 Watt = 1 Newton-Meter/Second (1W = 1 N-m/s) or (1kW = 1kN-m/s). Isn't that just so much easier?

 

I absolutely agree with that.

I love the analogy of a "cow path". And with the term "horsepower" it fits very well. In modern day American speech.. it really has no place and only serves to confuse folks who haven't taken the time to understand what it means.

IMO at the time the term (and math) was thought up.. I think it was a brilliant way to get the idea across to common folk. it was an excellent way to dumb down the science of torque.

For so many gear heads today though.. they think it's a real & **tangible** thing. And even a few like mr stalker will go to thier grave defending something they know nothing about.
So many guys spend money trying to make peak HP numbers on a dyno. What a waste.

Anyone whos spent serious time on a dyno and then on the dragstrip realizes that peak HP numbers get you into the ball park. But they don't make for the best ETs. Give me 50ft lbs down low and I'll give you 50 hp up top anyday of the week.


Yes it is. IN the automotive OEM realm we went metric long ago. Only in areas where material was not being made in metric units.. did we keep the imperical specs.

Rich