BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

[CTX-SLPR]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

Hard to say. From a performance stand point the Buick 3800 Series II/III is a good example. For engines that are fun but not great performers in stock form and not known for their performance even modified I have to go with the Buick 1st and 2nd Gen small blocks. That is the original 215 Aluminum V8 (I'll include it's Rover and Olds derivatives) and the 300/340 iron motors. I had a 67 300-2 in a Skylark it was plenty of fun bone stock. The Repco Brabham V8 is the only American engine to win F1 though that took a flat plane crank and SOHC heads on a stock block. Just really enjoy these engines and the HRM article on "Hot Rod Any Odd Ball Engine" proves that it can run with some significant beans when breathed on.

[Barry Donovan]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

my answer, if needing a retarded reply .. only makes whoever responds dumber.

I have had the 8s, big and small, 301 to 350, the big blocks slobbering their way around.. all of them shared journal, big chambered or small..

how in the freaking hell is someone going to step up with an exact CI v8 as an under dog.. when they all do the same god damn things on the same exact design?
???

the inlines are hopeless, except for 5 cylinders, 3 cylinders..
this gets to my answer. the most under appreciated under dog of all time started with a patent by karl benz for his crankshaft...

it is in fact a boxer engine.
2, 4 or 6

2 cams in the block, 2 cams overhead, 4 cams overhead, 1 cam in the block, chained, belted, 4 valve 2 valve, big stroke, little stroke, split blok, reomovable front ends whatever they did.. they all got a record in reality.
even in my locale of big hevy block spanking torture.. 16 liter deisel bending pansies cannot even deny a 25 year runtime of even a flawed oxide making 3 main boxer...

and it would still get a retarded opinion...without anything based on fact except the dumb owners.

I said dumb owners...and mean it. I am one.

[realsteelfreak]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

Buick 455's, Fords 2.3, and the Slant 6s either 170 or 225 are not the most common , but they do fill a niche and have a following. I think of a underdog I think the Buick 430 , down on cubes but has as much HP and Tq as the 455.
The smallest of the Chevy Small Blocks would also fit here, the oddest one being the 262 ci V8, found in Monzas and Novas.
Its brother the 267 also, these SBC's would be great filling in on CI restrictions ,just a good head change. Olds 260 V8 would also fit here.

[Two Lane]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

The Olds '68-'70 W-31 Ram Rod 350 may be equal parts unseen, unlnown, & therefore an underappreciated underdog.

Their stock bore:stroke ratio, CR and head-potentials...coupled w/a cam upgrade, carb tweaks & 4.33...FLYING! :o


When I think of stealthy street-racer, it'd be a W-31 engine...but in a '67-'68 Firebird. ;)

99.8% would never know what was about to hit 'em.

[mike343sharpstick]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

The Olds '68-'70 W-31 Ram Rod 350 may be equal parts unseen, unlnown, & therefore an underappreciated underdog.

Their stock bore:stroke ratio, CR and head-potentials...coupled w/a cam upgrade, carb tweaks & 4.33...FLYING! :o


When I think of stealthy street-racer, it'd be a W-31 engine...but in a '67-'68 Firebird. ;)

99.8% would never know what was about to hit 'em.

How about a W-31 or one of the long-stroke Buick 350's in a disco vette :D Cheap fun! I love the underdog stuff!

[min301]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

I think the 403 is even more under appreciated.

Big bore, nice stroke, give it some compression, good heads, and cam.
It will make some power.

But it has to be braced, maybe a little fill of block-fill to stiffen it up.

Mondello build 600hp crate motor 403's.

[seanm]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

1970 Cadillac Eldo's 500 ci engine. High nickel alloy block, forged steel crank and rods, 10.25:1 compression and a factory rating of 440 hp and 550 ft lbs torque all with a smooth as glass idle and an iron intake where the carb pad is lower than the intake ports.

No forged cranks or rods in the 472/500's. Cast rods and high nickel cranks in them all.

See if you have the 250 heads and a 094 crank. Those are considered the best to start a performance build with, but not required.

[JOES66FURY]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

Mopar 383/Chevy 396

Consider this...these two are probably more common than their bigger brothers..440/454. the smaller motors were less expensive and I think that these engines were being run on the street and the strip by your average Joe more often than the more desirable big brothers.

I don't know how beefy the 396 could be but I know damn well that a stock rebuild on a 383 will turn damn near 400 hp and just as much torque, with a cam, headers, a carb and intake..you have damn good street motor...

[realsteelfreak]

Re: BangShift Question of the Day: What's the Biggest Underdog Engine?

I think the 403 is even more under appreciated.

Big bore, nice stroke, give it some compression, good heads, and cam.
It will make some power.

But it has to be braced, maybe a little fill of block-fill to stiffen it up.

Mondello build 600hp crate motor 403's.

X2 on a 403 also, had one stock out of a wagon, had it in a 80 Firebird, replaced a weak 301. Always wanted to add better heads and intake. The car had 241 gears