68 Cuda 383 vs a 360

I keep seeing "piston speed" pop up. First off, it's completely arguable that a short rod motor (higher piston speed) is more desirable on the street. Quicker to rev, quicker to get the reciprocating mass up to speed and "all that jazz".

Having said that, IMO, you'd be hard pressed to notice the difference in feel between a long rod motor (slower piston speed) and the short rod motor (faster piston speed).

I just don't think it's all that important. And don't come at me about higher rod ratios unloading the cylinder walls and wearing piston skirts less, blah blah blah. Just look at the Chevy 350. Has what most consider a "crappy" 1.6 rod ratio, yet those little motors run good and are very durable. If rod ratios were so all fired important, everybody would be building the 1.88 ratio 383s and 400s, but that's not the case. Everybody strokes them making the rod ratio "worse" as far as the theory goes.

It just doesn't make that much difference.