No, that was not part of your question, but it is a valid point........ Considering that horsepower is a function of torque and RPM, the engine that created the highest torque at the highest RPM would make the most horsepower. That is the answer to your question. Following on from there, that would generate the most speed in the vehicle. Of course, we have to assume that "all things are equal" regarding said vehicle ( mass, gearing, frontal area, streamlining, etc, etc, etc.....) Your question is impossible to answer. Too many variables and too much conjecture. Some would call it moot.... I'm sure everyone is waiting for you to dazzle us with your take on a legitimate answer. I know I am.....
Jim I think the 1956 advertised 225 hp engine with 2 x 4 would have been a 265ci sbc, 1957 the 283 ci 2 x 4 setup advertised 270 hp and with F.I. advertised over 1 HP/CI, very few could keep the F.I. running right and switched over to the 2 x 4 setup.
Can you not put an engine on a dyno & find its output , that has nothing to do with any vehicle , the motor could be destined for other uses besides propelling an automobile ! The question was , how does the design of an engine affect its ability to make power ,I guess that's too difficult ?
It's really impossible to say they are all equal, even if cubic inches are close to equal. Bore and stroke used to get to equal cubic inches will determine what HP and torque each produces, so that can vary immensely. Also head design, cams, etc. all have a bearing on the HP and torque, and some of the old engines had a good head design for the engine, but maybe not considered a great flowing design these days. Hotrodding an engine is OT to this question, so what they can make vs. what they made originally is a whole other question and answer.
And the answer was, the design that produces the most torque at the highest rpm rate will make the most horsepower. I really doubt anyone has wasted dyno time on the question you want an answer to. Also, your "everything being equal" parameter just doesn't work. Each engine will require a different tune because of the design differences. An accurate answer is almost impossible. How long is a piece of string? Sentimentality and favouritism will also cloud most opinions you will get. Which design would you pick........ and please explain why??? Yes, it is too difficult.
That's what the stock classes at the old drag strips were for......... to knock the hypothetical off of those types of questions.
Ah, yes, "stock" racing. Excellent for finding out who can make the most modifications without someone noticing it.
Sorry Blues,,,I don’t have a link,,,,,,I read it many years ago,,,,in a real book ! The reason that Chrysler dropped the Hemi back then was because of cost ,,,,,plain and simple. 4 rocker shafts instead of 2,,,,,very heavy iron heads,,,,and it only produced a few more hp than a comparable wedge . And the Hemi chamber allows more compression before detonation,,,,not less . And in 1964 when they did bring it back,,,,,it literally won Daytona with 4 of the top 5 spot finishes . Richard Petty won leading 184 out of 200 laps,,,,,,a record that has never been broken . That was taking a wedge block ,,,known design,,,,,and adding Hemi heads after a few casting changes . And they were making so much power that the main webs were cracking ,,,,on brand new blocks . But,,,,back to the original post,,,,,everything being equal . The Chevy 283 was one of the best engines ever,,,,,but the 283 HP model was not at 7.5 compression,,,,like the early 1st generation Hemis . I’m just trying to be fair,,,and equal,,,LoL . Tommy
That actually validates my point. In general, all the various motors came from the factories with conservative tunes and all had the potential to unlock more power through "modifications" fairly equally across the board.
Not to argue, but just in the spirit of discussion and learning, a simple google search turned this up: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Chrysler_Hemi_engine "However, if the hemi-head hemisphere is of equal diameter to the piston, there is minimal squish for proper turbulence to mix fuel and air thoroughly. Thus, hemi-heads, because of their lack of squish, are more sensitive to fuel octane rating; a given compression ratio will require a higher octane rating to avoid pre-detonation in a hemi engine than in some conventional engine designs such as the wedge and bathtub."
The hemi would have to take the win. Due to the combustion chamber design. But the Ford y-block would be a contender. They have many built in performance enhancements designed into them that others just don't have. They all have solid lifters, rocker shafts, hi swirl combustion chambers, air gap inlet manifold, all con' rods are more than 6.2" long and every one a side oiler.
Not quite true. Chrysler were getting 355hp out their 354 in 1955. Ford supercharged 312 officially only had 300hp. But in reality they were to be producing in excess of 340hp from the factory.
Yes, but Harry certainly knew his shit. I think of it more that he laid the foundations, and we have expanded the possibilities from there. I wonder how much more we will be able to squeeze out of a drop of gasoline???
The fact is none of the aforementioned engines are equal and never will be. that is the beauty of it. But, This has been a very fun read
Don't know............. BUT....... It seems strange a 331 stroker SBF REALLY performs well compared to 289/302/5.0 just like the 327 REALLY performs well compared to the 265/283.! Maybe there is ..."something"...about that particular bore X stroke combo kind of a magic bullet thing!!?! 6sally6
Stock classes in drag racing don't truly reveal whose engine is fastest, as the various makes of cars can vary greatly in weight and suspension setups, plus who built the "stock" type engine. No serious racer ever just ran his stock engine at the drags without going through them and making sure it was all blueprinted, and as fast as it could be within the rules.
I looked through the article and landed on this same quote. Building an EarlyHemi today does not require higher octane. I believe that todays fuel is not much better that what was made in the 50's and we haven't sent a rebuild out the door with less than 10:1 in over 20 years...no call backs due to 'high' comp. Ever.
Twenty years ago I was reading the street stock rules for a few tracks. Here's how they handled it. Somewhere in the rules was a line said " If the rules don't allow it, it is forbidden."
A source purporting to be technically valid that mentions "pre-detonation" should probably be used cautiously or not at all.
Its been said a million times that an engine is nothing more than an air pump, and the whole goal is to draw or push as much air as possible into a cylinder. The engine that is capable of ingesting the most air should be the winner. But not so fast..........once the air is in there, technology also considers how much its compressed, swirl, flame travel, heat transfer, ignition accuracy, exhaust optimization and shape...........and on and on. The thing is that each engine would have to be built to what is optimal for its features and compared to the others. You can't pick one set of "equal" specifications and say its best for all engines. A preselected set of specs is going to favor some engine(s) and not work as well for other engines. The question is not about weight, or cost, its about which engine will produce the most torque/power......but its going to have to be with each engine built to its own desirable specs but using similar displacement. While the Chevy is probably going to make the most HP at higher rpms, its going to give up torque to do it. One would need to average hp and torque through a usable rpm range rather than just look at high rpm hp. I would say that a knowledgeable experienced professional builder could probably extract more power from a Hemi design if given free reign on a build. Probably looking at some of those magazine articles about the "Engine Masters" challenges should show what "enginuity" can do with different designs. Some might surprise you.
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