273ci thoughts?

replicaracer43 said
It would be pretty hard to have a intelligent discussion with anyone who says "he doesn't give a darn about torque" and thinks the requirements for a high performance engine are being able to rev to 6k. Which, by the way, any decent sbm can rev to 6k and beyond, even the lowly 318 two barrel.

The reason to not give a darn about torque, cause unless your competing over dyno numbers, it what gets to the ground which is more important. Torque is mainly based on size in a NA engine , same with powerband and needed gear which tends to even out if everything is setup optimally . Say an engine needs about 650 cfms of fuel and air to make 400 hp and both engines have a VE of a 100%. A 440 at 5100 rpms will displace 650 cfms of air, a 340 will need 6600 rpm. A 340 is about 3/4 the size of a 440 and a 440 needs 3/4 of rpm than a 340 to displace the same amount of air. "cid x rpm / 3456 = cfm" Most mid built engines will make 1.15-1.25 lbs-ft per cid so say 1.2 per cid. So would give a 340 408 lbs-ft and 440 a 528 lbs-ft.

So say a 400 hp A body does 115 mph in quarter mile and you want to hit peak power at the finish line, a 440 would need a 3.70 gear to turn 5100 rpm and a 340 would need 4.78 to turn 6600 rpm. Again 340 is about a 3/4 of a 440 and 440 needs about a 3/4 as much gear. Now times torque by gear to see whats going to the ground 528 lbs-ft x 3.70 = 1954 lbs-ft for the 440 and 408 lbs-ft x 4.78 = 1950 lbs-ft for 340, Hp is what counts the rest is proportional, if geared right everything tends to equal out.
There's no free lunch, cubic inch don't give bonus power ie. torque.