What was the best domestic engine ever built?

[Fleet 500]

But highly modified race cars with Race Hemis are irrelevant to your claim of 180mph for the Street Hemi version, and your "world's fastest stock car at the time" was nowhere near a 100% stock-standard production car, or available "straight from the factory", nor even street-legal

Was 3.23 gearset the tallest OE-optional final drive for Daytonas? If so, with 3.23 gearing & 14" wheels, what engine revs do you estimate those off the showroom, as-delivered, unmodified, original exhaust, 100% stock-standard "straight from the factory" Hemi Daytonas would need to achieve, to realise 180mph?

Work it out & you'll realise 180mph is BS

Well, you'll have to question Bobby about his statement ("Anyone could drive one off the showroom [meaning unmodified] and go 180 mph.")
2.93 gears and 2.76s were also available. I don't know what gears the race cars would use. Remember, too, that the aerodynamics of the Daytona was much better than a typical Mopar (the Daytona's cd was .29).
If a Hemi-Charger could do 155 mph, then the more aerodynamic Daytonas certainly could do quite a bit better. (155 mph with 3.23 gears comes out to about 6500 rpm.)

Also, back then, stock cars really were almost stock- the modifications were nothing compared to today.

[Fleet 500]

Here's something interesting...
This website lists the top speed of a 440 '69 Charger Daytona at 160 mph. The Hemis, of course, are even faster.
http://www.fast-autos.net/dodge/dodgedaytona.html

[nota]

Here's something interesting...
This website lists the top speed of a 440 '69 Charger Daytona at 160 mph. The Hemis, of course, are even faster.
http://www.fast-autos.net/dodge/dodgedaytona.html

Saw that, and checked a few others ..

These cars featured an 18-inch bullet-shaped nosecone with pop-up headlights and an enormous rear wing to provide stability-enhancing downforce on the high-speed tracks. Power came from either the 440 Super Commando V-8 or the 426 Street Hemi. Top speed (in the Hemi version) was around 150 mph in stock, street legal trim - heroic performance for 1969 - and available to anyone who had the means to cut a check

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enth...215.A9115.html

They vary, right down to this (dubious) one ..
"PLYMOUTH SUPERBIRD
SPECIFICATIONS
TOP SPEED
140 mph (224 km/h)
0-60 mph (0-96 KM/H) 6.1 sec
ENGINE TYPE V8
DISPLACEMENT 426 ci (6,980 cc)
TRANSMISSION 4-speed manual"
http://www.is-it-a-lemon.com/used-ca...-superbird.htm

I have an original-test compendium (unfortunately not at hand) but IIRC Car Life tested 2 Hemi Chargers, one an auto with 4.10s did 113mph flat out @ redline, the other a smooth but anaemic 4speed (substandard example) with 3.23 couldnt reach 130mph. So failing something conclusive between us, I guess its a moot point

For reference, with 3.25 gears, 14" wheels & ER70 tyres, a '71 Falcon GT-HO does 141 @ 6150rpm and @ 7000rpm gets you ±152mph

[Fleet 500]

Yes, of course, there is going to be variations concerning top speeds.
Here are some I found going through my magazine collection: (All are 426-Hemis)

Vehicle---------------------- Axle ratio-- Top Speed- Source
'67 Charger------------------ 3.23:1----- 134 mph @ 6000 rpm- C/L, 2-67
'68 Charger------------------ 3.23------- 156 @ 6500 rpm- C/D, 11-67
'68 Charger------------------ 3.23------- 132 @ 5400 rpm- C/L, 4-68
(Above car not running well; needed tune up)
'69 Charger 500-------------- 3.23------- 136 @ 5700 rpm- C/L, 4-69
'69 Charger 500-------------- 3.55------- 134 @ 6100 rpm- C/L, 4-69
'69 Road Runner-------------- 3.54------- 142 mph--- C/D, 1-69
'70 Hemi Challenger---------- 3.23-------- 146 mph--- C/D, 11-69

The Charger Daytonas (and the Plymouth Superbirds) will have higher top speeds due to better aerodynamics. Especially compared to the Road Runner, which had a blunt front end. The fact that cars like the '66-'67 Chargers and '68-'70 Road Runners could top 140 mph is amazing considering how non-aerodynamic they were.

This is talked about in the book by well-known auto enthusiast and writer Roger Huntington in his book "American Supercar" To quote:
"A well-tuned street Hemi with 3.23 final drive could approach a top speed of 150 mph. This required about 6,000 rpm with stock tires. There was ample horsepower to do it- if a tire didn't disintegrate first. Aerodynamic design was relatively non-existent by today's standards, so if it went 150 mph, it did it on brute horsepower alone. Fantastic engine."

[Chevy Silverado]

i guess i missed somthing
what is domestic??

Made in U.S.A. lol

[kennyknoxville]

ls7..

[QuattroMan]

you can never go wrong with the LS7 (New Z06) ...

"ZOOOOM!!ZOOOOM!!ZOOOOM!!!

[civicssuck]

that is tough question but i would have to say the best engine in a production car as far as preformance and reliability i would have to go with the 32valve northstar engine that GM puts in the cadillac eldorado and deville since 1990 275 hp that engine make those big cars really move i have beaten an 05 grand prix and a 95 comaro and a bmw 325si and many more and with a top speed of more than 140 i would say that engine is the best

[rev440]

The best ever is stupid the best in modern day is the ls1 which evolved into the ls2 and ls7. I also think the cobra 03-04 engines great and the cobra R 5.4.

[Newbomb Turk]

That's an impossible question to answer simply because all those engines were built in different era's. The technology between a modern, fuel injected, computer managed engine versus a 60's muscle engine isn't fair. Just my opinion.

[pAinTrAin]

Well if anyone from US/Canada that watchs Spike TV's Powerblock. Trucks TV had a show on the engine that started it all, and it was the chevy 285(I think thats what it was, to tired to remember) that started the whole thing!

[henk4]

and it was the chevy 285(I think thats what it was, to tired to remember) that started the whole thing!

What is the "whole thing"?

[pAinTrAin]

What is the "whole thing"?

The muscle car era, that engine gave birth to the 350

[Newbomb Turk]

The muscle car era, that engine gave birth to the 350

What started the "muscle car era" was when Pontiac shoved a large displacement engine in an intermediate car called the GTO.

[henk4]

The muscle car era, that engine gave birth to the 350

I thought muscles started at 427