[Excaliber]

vector1's comment about bore and stroke got to me thinking.

A classic race type, high performance type motor is a big bore with short stroke. They make rpm quicker and typically rev higher than a longer stroke motor. The 427 is a classic design in that regard, big bore, short stroke. Add to that list the legendary Chevy small blocks, 302, 327. Porsche followed that basic recipe as well, many other examples out there. 428 was small bore, long stroke, which is favored by TRUCKS for the torque, not the horse power!

Modern engines tend to go long stroke small bore these days. It's a recipe that is better for emmission controls, mpg, that sort of thing. More horse power per cube comes from modern superior computer functions (EFI, etc) as well as computer designed combustion chambers, better science and all that.

BUT, that doesn't change the fact that a big bore short stroke is inherently a "better design" when it comes to making max h.p. and building rpm quicker. When Ford designed the 427 they had one thing in mind, win races, what's the best fundamental design to do that? Well, there ya go!