Max RPM

LS-300 said

I found when I was driving the tail of the dragon I would keep the rpm between 3k & 6200 using a RL at 7000. This would allow me to get off the corner with speed and if I had to shift before the next tight turn so be it. I don't have to have 400 RWHP but at least 300 would be fun. Oil pan mods to stop the slosh is important as I don't want it to starve.

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Your BMW Z4 makes half the torque of a built Mopar 360 but the weight is not much different. If it's geared right your Barracuda won't need to rev past 6000 RPM; on that same section of road you could keep it between 2500 and 5000 RPM and it would accelerate off the turns and have enough "legs" to get you to the next turn without needing to shift. Regardless of the setup you'll be shifting a lot less because of that massive Mopar torque.

It's all about knowing where your engine makes torque and how to gear it properly. If you're running out of revs on a straightaway with a 400 HP engine it's time to put in some taller gears.

A long time ago I asked the same question, "how can I build a 360 that revs to 7k RPM?" After I built my first 360 and felt how insane the torque from an engine like that in a 3200-lb Duster was I realized the only reason to push these engines that high is if you need more power. Power is a function of torque and RPM, nothing more. Most decent 360s make at least 400 lb-ft through most of the RPM range so at the "crossover" point of 5252 RPM you're making 400 HP. You can't spin it faster and NOT make more power, unless there's something messed up with your combo.