Opinions

Reasons to go 273 they aren't too many.

1. If your looking to build reasonable power and mileage combo. Not that you couldn't do that with a 360 but the 273 more suited to do the job.

2. If you want to build a high Rev engine. Its a lot cheaper to do it with a 273 than try to make a 360 have a 3000-7000 powerband. Sure the 360 will make over 500 hp doing it and the 273 probably won't crack 400hp but not everyone needs 500 plus hp.

3. Kind of link to 2, I'd rather have a nasty 273 that's setup right from air cleaner to tires than a thumper cammed 360.

4. Someone that just wants to go against the grain.

The main problem with 273 other than bore size (hp limiter) is the need for deep gears about 1 ratio over what a 360 would need so a 273 would need 4.30:1 to put similar torque to the ground as a 3.23:1 360. But that's why the 273 has the gas mileage advantage cause a 360 would need low 2.??:1 gears to match a 3.23:1 273.