Fundamental (i.e. dumb) question about engines

[RICK LAKE]

round_midnight Speaking for a couple of us that play in a different sand box, we build large torque band motors that are under squared. With the extra torque you can then make the right gearing in both the trans and rearend for the car. I don't built a 7,000 rpm motor in an FE. Reasons small rod bearings, heavy rotating mass. The heads with even the best porter are a major limiting factor. If you get 420 cfm from the BT you have magic. 360-380 cfm with alot of work moving ports, sparkplug holes, off set rockers, sleeving pushrod holes, raising ports.150" and .300" is about the norm. Torque motor is an endurance motor. They live twice as long as high revving motors. Depending on what you are doing, autocrossing, or roadracing without 1/2 mile straights, the torque motor will stay with the HP motor until it's out of it's range and do this with less rpms. If you have unlimited funds, you can build a tricked out SB or BB and not worry. Budget racers don't have this option. I am building a 498 motor to replace the 482 in the car. The 482 makes 500hp and 540 ft. of torque in street trim and street pipes with mufflers from ERA. I am leaving 20+ ft. of torque and about 30 HP in the pipes. The 482 is a hand full. I may advance the cam timing to take some of the bottomend out and move the HP and torque ranges up a little higher in the rpm scale. I run 3.31 gears at this time with either a G-Force 5 spd or Richmond 6 spd with overdrive. The fun is coming with Diesels for racing, Look up Galebanks. 5,800 rpm diesel in a truck that will run down most cobras. Rick L. Midnight biuld a motor that fits your needs, don't worry about the other stuff. Higher the RPM the more maintainance and money. Also the shorter life span. The GT-40's that won lemans had a 6,200 rpm chip in them for both fuel milage and to make sure the motor stayed in 1 piece for 24 hours. Also a Holley carb had less moving parts than a set of webers. The webers made more power and used more gas. Funny trade off. Some times the turtle beats the rabbit.