Thread: What is the best engine, and why?

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So it looks like rare and different is winning out.

Not rare...just different:

34 Ford Roadster - 392 Hemi
51 Mercury - Lincoln Mark VIII 4.6L "Modular"
96 Excalibur Cobra - 351 Cleveland
33 American Austin - 302

The 302's out of the Camaro Z28's and the high performance 289's from Ford are probably two of the best engines ever made considering the cubic engines and horsepower generated. Overall, you really can't beat the chevy small block 350. The version that came out in 1965 with 350 horsepower was one of the best. Today's 350 horse crate motors cannot compare. They may have the rated horse, but don't have the compression and torque as the older ones.

Overall, the small block chevy, 283-350 cu. is the best. Chevrolet made some very potent components from cylinder heads to solid lifter cams, steel cranks, etc. Just look back at Smokey Yunicks stuff. Now they have the Bowtie goodies. No aftermarket stuff needed to boost horsepower.

Meanest engine..........Chryslers Hemi's, 392 - 426 cubes.

In my opinion, the best engine is anything but a SBC. It amazes me how people can spend huge money and countless hours hand building a rod and then drop in a crate 350 and a turbo 400. Usually the reason given is "they're cheap" or "it will help resale because everybody wants a SBC". Neither of which seem to fit the hot rod mentality. Perhaps we should all agree on a paint color too!

Richard

PS. I don't hate small block Chev's; I think every company truck should have one!

I personally like the old 283s, Had one in my dads 67 belair, car was 20 some years old had close to 200k miles on it and the only things that weren't original were the oil filter, air filter, battery and tires. And that car still smoke the tires and bottomed the needle.
But I have always worked on SBC so my taste is a little biased

The best engine for my '54 Chevy pickup is a 305 Chevy. This truck is supposed to be daily driver and the 305 will give plenty of power for cruising while being economical to operate.

The best engine for my '55 GMC Suburban is a Cadillac 500. Maybe a Pontiac or Buick 455. I haven't bought the motor yet. Since its a GMC a Chevy motor just doesn't seem like the right choice. Since I plan to use it to pull a trailer I want a big torquey motor. I'll probably choose the one of those I find first....

And then when I pull the 270 GMC six out I'm sure it will find a home in some future project where a big six will be the best motor. I'm thinking about building a g-machine based on a Nomad I've been trying to talk someone out of. The GMC 270 might find a home in it.

I look at it like OldSub it depends on what you want the vehicle to do when you get it done.

There are a lot of overlooked engines that if you have room under the hood for can really make a fun ride. In a lot of cases, you can buy the a donner car with one of these monsters for next to nothing.

455 Buick, Olds, Pontiac
440 Chrysler
460 Ford
472 and 500 Cadillac

Don't overlook there smaller brethern, the 400 CI GM motors,383/400 Mopars and 429 and FE Fords or even the 425 Caddy.

For Nostalgia, visually Hemi's and Flatheads are hard to beat. For looks on almost anything else, it's how it's dressed out (induction (I'm a sucker for lots of carburators), valve covers, paint etc).

I'm fortunate as I have storage space and have come across what I consider some very good deals over the years. I have a few favorites sitting in the shed right now waiting to either go into a project, or for the right project to come along (my wife calls it a disease ).

2 early hemis (a 6 carb 331 for the 37 Dodge truck and a 354 with tri-power for the 57 Plymouth)

A 390 Ford with a 62 Thunderbird Tri-power intake (it's alraedy built, just waiting for the right project).

A 72 350 LT1 Corvette motor with an aftermarket tri power setup (it's a real Vette motor and waiting on a project).

500 and 472 Ci Caddy motors
440
283

That Donovano is a smart guy! The small block Chevy has proven itself, but, everyone has, or has had one. The old FE Ford was the most overlooked engine ever (check out the new Shelby versions), but HEMI is a magic word bub, they rule (check top fuel anything), the new HEMI is posed to take over, it is THE package for any kind of retro fit high tech, new power into anything old, or will be soon. No overhead cams, tight package (read short), overdrive trannies, same bore spacing as the 360, which was the same as the old 318 Poly motor, which was the same as the Hemi it replaced, anyone listening, and they started life at one horse per cube, it'll get better!
Just thinking out loud, Happy trails

I have never had one and do not remember ever seeing one hot rodded, but some of the old bread and butter mechanics used to argue that the Dodge slant 6 was one of the most rugged engines made. The vehicles they were in would fall apart around them and they would keep on running.

I AM LOVEING MY NEW DART.....
638 cubes...850 h.p.
it really rocks....only $20.000
10:1 comp.93 octain pump gas......
just installed a new speedo that goes upto 200 mph

Ah yes lets see? mmmmmmmmmm. Yep, stroker motors and yes I'm very partial. I like SBC, 383s cause of sound, rpms, preferbly blown. While strokers are good, Blairs Speed Shop had a destroked DeSoto that I liked cause it was in their altered and it smoked. Lots of rpms. I guess the only thing I don't like in hot rods is crate motors, too bland.

The old 455 Rocket. Lots of power bullit proof lower end what more could you want. Oh gas mileage yeah it has none.

I do not know what the best motor is but, I know what the best engine I've ever owned is....A Chev Zo6. 350 ci & 405 hp. In a lite weight car you need active handling to use the power.

I don't know what engine is the best, you can make HP with whatever you have, but I would like to see more variety based on a persons imagination. When was the last time you saw a Allison V12 or a 1.6 L 1000 HP formula one engine in a hot rod. I have seen a Flat head Ford engine in a chopper, so how about two 80 cu.in. Harleys in a 32 roadster. Crazy, maybe?