MRMaggo, With all of the aluminum parts you can get for the FE engines that is not much of a factor any more.
Mike, I understand all about weight vs HP. You can not tell me that for all the cash you have tied upin your Dart you could not get a FE that would do the same thing.
Tony, If your old motor went away at 5,000 rpm and the new motor will spin higher that is a fault of what you had in the stock engine. I fyou had a smaller cam or other issue and now you have made up for that with the new engine then I would say you could have seen the same result from putting those parts in your stock engine.
I have built everything from VW to Corvairs to 426 Hemi's and 427 Fords. I understand all about blowers maybe inches yes. With that in mind I still have a problem with a high toque engine in such a lite car. The ones I build for Cobras have a rpm top of 7,000 or better, will rip the rubber off the back end for as long as you want tp keep your foot in it and will run for 100,000 plus miles with not much more than a tune up and
oil changes. No fancy parts just good old HD parts that will not break and a balanced system.
I have one customer with a 351W I built in his Classic Cobra that will go 70+ with the AC on turning 1200 rpm in 5th so I do not see how touqe is much of an issue. That car if you drop it to third and step on it will rip your head off.
Touqe gets you moving HP gives you the top end speed.