Poll for Minimum Torque for a performance street Machine?

Minimum acceptable Peak Torque for a performance street engine

  • 320

    Votes: 3 6.0%

  • 330

    Votes: 2 4.0%

  • 340

    Votes: 1 2.0%

  • 350

    Votes: 6 12.0%

  • 360

    Votes: 2 4.0%

  • 370

    Votes: 2 4.0%

  • 380

    Votes: 3 6.0%

  • 390

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 400

    Votes: 6 12.0%

  • 400+

    Votes: 25 50.0%
  • Total voters
    50
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318willrun said:
You thought somebody might think that a 318 is enough...... you put 320 on the list to vote for !!!!
:poke::poke:
Click to expand...
I didn't anyone would vote lower than that :) a 2bbl 360 dynos 340 lbs-ft, my guess it around 330-350 on a dyno that people would choose.
 
IMO;
At speeds below 50 mph;
it really really really depends on your gear ratios, the weight of the vehicle, and the application.
I voted 360 minimum, cuz it allows a three-speed Torqueflite and 3.23s
But;
What I actually want is a minimum of 400ftlbs x roadgear of ~6.8 (manual trans), in a car weighing up to 3600 pounds(me in it). Doing the math, that comes to ~.75 ftlb per pound of mass to be moved, at 40>45mph. This is where the fun is, I can always lift if it's too much. But if it's not enough and I run out in mid-turn, aborting can be embarrassing if not dangerous.
400 ftlbs at 3500 works out to 267hp. By 4000, it is up to 305hp
It took me a lotta time to find the right Roadgear for my little 367.
Whereas with a BB or a stroker , you can just put it in Drive and go, then dial in whatever you need, by throttle-position..........
Too much Torque?
For a NA SBM, not stroked, in a big-tubbed A-body, I don't think there is such a thing. But a boosted 360/or a stroker, could be serious overkill, in any small-tubbed Dart.

These are my opinions
 
BTW
I have had numerous stock 340s, some nearly new, and with gear ratios from 3.23 to 4.10. Once you get them into a roadgear of say 3.91 or so, they were all done pulling in the midrange. I could always feel when mine started to nose over. On the street, with traction, you gotta gear them just right to survive the 1-2 shift, and if you don't, they will just lay down. Which is real embarrassing when a correctly geared 318 car comes along and blows you off.

Yeah sure they pull at 5000, but with a roadgear of 3.91, that works out to around 100 mph, which, last time I checked, is not street territory.

BTW-2
the hi-compression 318's were rated 320 ftlbs at 2400, whereas
the hi-compression 340's were rated 320 but @3400.
What any of them actually made, is anyone's guess, cuz everybody seemed to be lying about those kinds of things back in the day.

Jus saying
 
A1B13D0B-2C31-4748-B92E-E2B30E2C3663.png

I’ll take +700 for the whole curve.
 
missing linc said:
1970 Buick GS 455 Stage 1, 510 ft lbs off the showroom floor. THAT will roast the tires!
Click to expand...

toolmanmike said:
They needed that much. Nice cars but they were tanks.
Click to expand...

my 73 centry/regal was luxo barge deluxe and the smogger 455 with a crower RV cam would absolutely melt tires at will. it had a mountain of torque and it wasn't super fast by any stretch of the imagination, but boy was it fun to sneak one in on people. never saw it coming, curb feelers and all!
 
The poll needs to be in bigger increments, say 300 lbs/ft, 350, 400 etc.
Who here can feel the difference between 320 and 330 lbs/ft?
If it's your car maybe, but in general terms? No one.
My vote is enough torque to make the car feel light, however much it weighs. To have that push in the back, like a big hand just pushing you down the road.
 
AJ/FormS said:
BTW
I have had numerous stock 340s, some nearly new, and with gear ratios from 3.23 to 4.10. Once you get them into a roadgear of say 3.91 or so, they were all done pulling in the midrange. I could always feel when mine started to nose over. On the street, with traction, you gotta gear them just right to survive the 1-2 shift, and if you don't, they will just lay down. Which is real embarrassing when a correctly geared 318 car comes along and blows you off.

Yeah sure they pull at 5000, but with a roadgear of 3.91, that works out to around 100 mph, which, last time I checked, is not street territory.

BTW-2
the hi-compression 318's were rated 320 ftlbs at 2400, whereas
the hi-compression 340's were rated 320 but @3400.
What any of them actually made, is anyone's guess, cuz everybody seemed to be lying about those kinds of things back in the day.

Jus saying
Click to expand...

In your opinion what have you found to be the best road gear. I know there’s thousands of factors going into that (converter, tire size, powerband, etc) but for a stock stroll small block what neighborhood are you in?
 
AJ/FormS said:
BTW
I have had numerous stock 340s, some nearly new, and with gear ratios from 3.23 to 4.10. Once you get them into a roadgear of say 3.91 or so, they were all done pulling in the midrange. I could always feel when mine started to nose over. On the street, with traction, you gotta gear them just right to survive the 1-2 shift, and if you don't, they will just lay down. Which is real embarrassing when a correctly geared 318 car comes along and blows you off.

Yeah sure they pull at 5000, but with a roadgear of 3.91, that works out to around 100 mph, which, last time I checked, is not street territory.

BTW-2
the hi-compression 318's were rated 320 ftlbs at 2400, whereas
the hi-compression 340's were rated 320 but @3400.
What any of them actually made, is anyone's guess, cuz everybody seemed to be lying about those kinds of things back in the day.

Jus saying
Click to expand...
340s were 340 lb ft@3200
 
I voted the max... You will never have enough
 
85glht said:
I voted the max... You will never have enough
Click to expand...
Guess the point is the least acceptable where an engine has enough to start to be considered a performance engine at street rpms 2500-4500, that's why I'm ask torque this is where torque generally gonna peaks on a street engine, you got slow then peppy then performance then many levels of performance.
 
273 said:
Guess the point is the least acceptable where an engine has enough to start to be considered a performance engine at street rpms 2500-4500, that's why I'm ask torque this is where torque generally gonna peaks on a street engine, you got slow then peppy then performance then many levels of performance.
Click to expand...
Trust me, it's a disease. You'll always want more... but take my advice... There will always be someone faster, so be happy with what you have. It will get expensive...quick
 
On the dyno a stock 340 only dyno'd 328 lbs-ft with bolt-ons got up to 411, it's safe to say a stock 340 is a performance engine.

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/mopp-0102-1970-340-high-performance-mill-dyno/

Phase 1: Stock 340 baseline, Chrysler electronic ignitionPhase 2: Replace small production AVS with Edelbrock 800 CFM carbPhase 3: Replace factory HP manifolds with Hooker 151/48-inch headersPhase 4: Replace factory iron 340 HP intake with Edelbrock Performer RPM Air GapPhase 5: Replace SSI springs and retainers with Engle #604LS retainers and #993 springsPhase 6: Replace stock 340 HP cam with Comp Xtreme Energy 268

Dyno Results
Westech Performance Group
Superflow Dyno
Horsepower
RPMPhase 1Phase 2Phase 3Phase 4Phase 5Phase 6
3000185.2195.5199.6206.4206.2214.7
3200195.4206.1213.9220.7220.8229.3
3400208.9224.6233.0240.6240.5251.5
3600224.8238.7252.7260.8259.9275.7
3800236.4253.7266.6277.0276.9298.1
4000249.5267.6280.0291.8291.8311.7
4200259.3278.9292.9306.0306.2327.1
4400265.0287.1304.3321.3321.3344.6
4600268.8297.2313.3335.2334.7355.9
4800274.7306.8321.1343.1342.5366.7
5000278.5312.7329.1352.6350.4377.0
5100280.2316.9330.6354.5352.4381.3
5200281.3316.9330.8353.6353.6384.3
5400273.7314.9329.3350.8355.4386.1
5500273.5313.9330.4350.7355.9387.4
5600269.3314.5330.2350.9353.5389.4
5700312.7329.3348.6353.3391.6
5800308.8326.2347.6351.4387.2
6000329.2353.4383.7
6200314.8373.7
Show Less
Torque
RPMPhase 1Phase 2Phase 3Phase 4Phase 5Phase 6
3000324.2342.3349.5361.4361.0375.8
3200320.7338.3351.1362.3362.3376.4
3400322.7347.0359.9371.6371.5388.4
3600328.0348.2368.7380.4379.1402.2
3800326.8350.7368.4382.9382.7412.0
4000327.6351.3367.6383.1383.1409.3
4200324.3348.8366.3382.7382.9409.0
4400316.4342.7363.2383.5383.6411.4
4600306.9339.3357.7382.7382.1406.3
4800300.6335.7351.4375.4374.8401.3
5000292.6328.5345.7370.4368.1396.0
5200284.1320.1334.1357.2357.1388.1
5400266.2306.3320.3341.2345.6375.5
5600252.6295.0309.7329.1331.7365.2
5800279.6295.4314.8318.2350.6
6000288.1309.3335.8
6200266.7316.6
Show Less
 
Imagine with decent heads what that would do...
 
390/411 are good numbers for a Xtreme Energy 268 That's not that big of a cam really.
 
90's 5.0l mustang is probably the minimum performance engine you can get and they dyno 306 lbs-ft stock. But a 273 commando dynos 280 lbs-ft which is about the same as a stock 318 but commando generally came in early A's wonder the performance lost when installed into the later A's.
 
273 said:
90's 5.0l mustang is probably the minimum performance engine you can get and they dyno 306 lbs-ft stock. But a 273 commando dynos 280 lbs-ft which is about the same as a stock 318.
Click to expand...
Just keep in mind, dyno numbers vary, and it can be pretty substantial.
 
318willrun said:
Just keep in mind, dyno numbers vary, and it can be pretty substantial.
Click to expand...
True but most of these came from Westech so they should be somewhat compatible to each other, this is far from perfect :)
 
Last edited:
I only want 350-400.... with 4.57s and my car should be about 3200# i don't need crazy torque.. Plus i'm realistic about my goal of just beating it on the street, stoplight fun is bout it..
 
Icetech said:
I only want 350-400.... with 4.57s and my car should be about 3200# i don't need crazy torque.. Plus i'm realistic about my goal of just beating it on the street, stoplight fun is bout it..
Click to expand...
That's a 318, Not a 390 ? Either way should be easy :)
 
Last edited:
273 said:
That's a 318, Not a 390 ? Either way should be easy :)
Click to expand...
right now it's a 318 with trick flows, roller cam and rpm intake (was worried bout hood clearance).. i think a lot of guys needing 700+ tq/hp haven't had that on the street or are doing mostly strip where it makes more sense. but that's just an opinion.
 
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