King of the muscle car engines?

"JR1" (type35bugatti) 09/22/2014 at 09:18 • Filed to: Muscle car royalty, discussion, muscle car, hemi

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We always talk about what was the best car of the muscle car era but I think less often we argue which was the best engine of the muscle car era? The 426 Hemi is my vote but I have little experience in the area anyone care to call me out?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > JR1 09/22/2014 at 09:22

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For the most part, the Hemi's ran like shit on the road unless they were properly tuned. The 440 was a much better street motor and would give a Hemi a run for its money right out of the box.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > JR1 09/22/2014 at 09:23

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L88 427. 510 any day all day horsepower. The single most powerful regular production order engine made in the 60's.

yamahog > JR1 09/22/2014 at 09:24

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Cobra Jets, yo

Sweet Trav > JR1 09/22/2014 at 09:25

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Buick 455 "Stage II"

Lighter than the Hemi and made a gobsmacking 510 Ft/lbs of torque. It's generally agreed that this or the 426 Hemi was the fastest readily available street/strip engine.

BUT...

The Ford 427 SOHC motor made 657HP at 7500 rpm in 1964. It was only available in a handfull of Galaxies, I consider this to be the "King" of the muscle car engines, but many will disagree.

Sweet Trav > yamahog 09/22/2014 at 09:29

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Cammers > Cobrajets.

Sweet Trav > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 09/22/2014 at 09:31

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While I agree with the 440 for a street motor if i was racing. I'd take the Elephant any day.

505Turbeaux > JR1 09/22/2014 at 09:34

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I am here to back up anyone who says 440 Mopar

quarterlifecrisis > JR1 09/22/2014 at 09:39

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I agree with the Hemi. I've got an inherent bias to the 426, but, in terms of a slightly diluted race engine for the street...it gets my vote all day long.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > yamahog 09/22/2014 at 09:43

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WOO CJ Ford Engines!

jovimon7 > JR1 09/22/2014 at 10:04

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BigBlock440 > JR1 09/22/2014 at 10:53

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Having no experience with the Hemi myself, I can't compare it to the 440 as others have. Sadly, they're all priced so high it's hard to justify buying one, especially as so many people say the 440 can give it a run for it's money. And, who keeps an engine stock anyway?

I'd still love a Hemi though.

MrMootsie > Sweet Trav 09/22/2014 at 14:37

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Pontiac 455 HO.

JR1 > Sweet Trav 09/22/2014 at 15:01

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Wait a 64 Galaxie came with 657HP in the showroom stock?

JR1 > BigBlock440 09/22/2014 at 15:02

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I feel like the 440 is a cheaper and more ready alternative. And it wins the cubic inch race and to the misinformed that is all that matters.

Sweet Trav > JR1 09/22/2014 at 15:04

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uh.. if you knew the right people.. yes.

JR1 > Sweet Trav 09/22/2014 at 15:08

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Holy shit that might be the coolest thing I have heard all month

Sweet Trav > JR1 09/22/2014 at 15:10

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http://www.dearbornflashback.com/xfiles.asp

BigBlock440 > JR1 09/22/2014 at 15:13

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It is cheaper and more readily available, but if I had to do it again, I'd go the small block route. I love having a big block, and there's always more potential with more cubes, but after blowing one up and having to search for another, my tune may have changed. The whole, who keeps an engine stock also helps. Small blocks are so much more plentiful, especially in trucks, it would just have made the search a lot easier. That, and you can get 400+ cubes from a small block these days, and more power than I'll ever need, there's not as big of a pull to the big blocks as there once was. 10 years ago when I bought my car, it was a different story for making power (or I wasn't just as well versed in the small-block venerability).

JR1 > BigBlock440 09/22/2014 at 15:18

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So what kinda car is the 440 in?

BigBlock440 > JR1 09/22/2014 at 15:21

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73 Charger, mainly just a cruiser/project car. Was getting fast until I blew it up, now I have to start again with a motor home engine.

Stephen the Canuck > JR1 09/22/2014 at 15:53

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My top three are the Chevy 454ci, the Ford 427 super cobra jet, and the Mopar 440 Six pack.

I'm not a big fan of the hemi, for no particular reason. The 440 Six Pack will always be my favourite Mopar engine. Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec, my favourite was a 70 Plymouth 'Cuda 440 Six Pack. I will always want that car.

A couple of years ago at the AutoFest Show in Oshawa, I saw a guy who had a 70ish 'Cuda 340, but inside was a 440 Six Pack that he replaced the tired 340 with. Pretty damn close to one of my dream cars.

JR1 > BigBlock440 09/22/2014 at 15:55

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Damn that really sucks. But a 73 Charger is a thing of beauty to behold

JR1 > Stephen the Canuck 09/22/2014 at 15:59

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For whatever the reason a 70 Cuda is the short list of holy grail muscle cars. Anything that says Cuda and 440 would have me squealing like a little girl

BigBlock440 > JR1 09/22/2014 at 16:00

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Shit happens. I'm just happy it's moving under it's own power again.

Stephen the Canuck > JR1 09/22/2014 at 16:01

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I think it's the bright colours with the matte coloured graphics. See below. It's the only way I would ever want mine to be. Preferably in the green or purple variety though.

JR1 > Stephen the Canuck 09/22/2014 at 16:31

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Plum crazy or it isn't a real mopar

Jedidiah > Sweet Trav 09/23/2014 at 00:33

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Buicks had thin cylinder walls (this is why they were light) and a stupid oiling system.

Interestingly enough, Oldsmobile made DOHC 455s and a 4 valve per cylinder OHV 455 that made nearly 700 hp to compete with the SOHC ford, but they never got further than testing.

Jedidiah > JR1 09/23/2014 at 00:41

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Top 3:

1. Olds 455 w-30. Approximately 500 ft-lbs of torque. Stronger, high nickel alloys than Chevrolets. Made power effortlessly with hydraulic lifters and valves unlike the most powerful Chevrolets who used solid lifters. Thicker cylinder walls and better oiling systems than Buicks and could actually fit in engine bays unlike Cadillacs. Can take a larger overbore than a Pontiac 455 which is already close to it's bore limit.

Also for a number of conveniance factors. The distributor fires the opposite direction of a Chevrolet which means that it never looses tolerances that require you to shim it. The exhaust ports are below the spark plugs unlike Chevrolets.

2. 440 Six-Pack. More streetable than the Hemi. More commonly available parts and blocks.

3. Chevy 350. So what if it's a small block? Somethings just work well.

JR1 > Jedidiah 09/23/2014 at 09:29

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I had no idea the Olds engine was such a gem you're not the first to comment on it today.

Jedidiah > JR1 09/23/2014 at 11:18

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I like them for a reason.

Only problem with them is that they are considerably less common than some of their GM brothers and parts are expensive.

They have some untapped potential by not using roller rockers or solid lifters from the factories, but they are really streetable and have real easy maintenance.

V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me! > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 09/27/2014 at 19:08

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The 440 6-pack would run hard when the 3 2-barrel cars were properly synchronized.