To Tell the Truth

Dan Bennett · 12-14-2011, 10:50 AM

Yes, it was a game show in the 60s but it also could be applied to the horsepower ratings the manufacturers listed for their performance cars.

There's a lot of controversy today with obviously incorrect ratings but it's really nothing new. How about your opinion on the engines of the musclecar era? Just to pass the time in the offseason here's mine, off the top of my head without a whole lot of research, and in no particular order. 71-up smog engines don't count.

I'm sorting them according to their as-produced, showroom condition. I may have some of the HP numbers incorrect as I'm working from memory.

"We'd rather have a big number for our ads"
Ford 390/335
AMC 343/280(? not sure about the HP)
Mopar 426/365 wedge
Chevrolet 350/300
Ford 351 Windsor 4V
Ford Boss 429

"That's the number we saw on the dyno (but at 4000 rpm), wink, wink"
Boss 302/290
Z28 302/290
396/375
454/450
Cobra Jet 428/335
Stage 1 455/370
Ram Air IV 455/370
Olds 455/370 W30
Mopar 340/275
327/275
440/390 Six Pack
426/425 Hemi

"We screwed up and put the right number on"
Mopar 440/375
396/325

Additions are welcome. What is the engine that had the most bogus factory rating, high or low? I suppose you could check the NHRA factors for that era but I don't have them available.

12-14-2011, 10:50 AM	#1
Dan Bennett Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 439 Likes: 853 Liked 595 Times in 136 Posts	To Tell the Truth Yes, it was a game show in the 60s but it also could be applied to the horsepower ratings the manufacturers listed for their performance cars. There's a lot of controversy today with obviously incorrect ratings but it's really nothing new. How about your opinion on the engines of the musclecar era? Just to pass the time in the offseason here's mine, off the top of my head without a whole lot of research, and in no particular order. 71-up smog engines don't count. I'm sorting them according to their as-produced, showroom condition. I may have some of the HP numbers incorrect as I'm working from memory. "We'd rather have a big number for our ads" Ford 390/335 AMC 343/280(? not sure about the HP) Mopar 426/365 wedge Chevrolet 350/300 Ford 351 Windsor 4V Ford Boss 429 "That's the number we saw on the dyno (but at 4000 rpm), wink, wink" Boss 302/290 Z28 302/290 396/375 454/450 Cobra Jet 428/335 Stage 1 455/370 Ram Air IV 455/370 Olds 455/370 W30 Mopar 340/275 327/275 440/390 Six Pack 426/425 Hemi "We screwed up and put the right number on" Mopar 440/375 396/325 Additions are welcome. What is the engine that had the most bogus factory rating, high or low? I suppose you could check the NHRA factors for that era but I don't have them available.