Here's a tip-some '70's "Dogs"...Aren't really dogs....they just need a little help...

I love listening to self-proclaimed "experts" who give people bad advice. One of these idiots was pontificating at the shop I work at the other day. He was saying that a 429 Ford engine is a great performance engine, but a 460 is a dog. He also said that a 427 Chevy was a great engine, but a 454 is a dog, and that 383 Mopars and 428 Pontiacs were great, but 400 Mopars and 455 Pontiacs were dogs. I had to correct him. All other things being equal-the larger engine will always make more power and torque. The key words being  "All other things being equal".  429s up to 1971 were rated at 375 hp and had 10.5:1 compression. '72 and later 460s had about 205 net hp and 8.0:1 compression and a lazy cam. '60's 427 Chevys-depending on if they were in an Impala or a Corvette and depending on whether they were a 390 hp,425 or 435 hp versions ( L71,L72,L88,L89 ) -had 10.25:1, 11:1 and 12.5:1 compression!! And high-lift hydraulic and solid-lifter cams, and aluminum high-rise intakes with a 780 Holley or  3 Holley 2bbls!! With the exception of the 1100 or so 425 hp LS6 454s that were put in Corvettes and a few SS Chevelles in 1971-most '71 and later 454s had 8.25:1 compression, an iron manifold with a Quadrajet, and a lazy cam. Ditto for the Mopars and Pontiacs. The 383 Magnum had 10:1 compression and the heads and cam, and the excellent Carter AVS 4bbl carb and intake from it's big brother the 440 Magnum. '72 and later Chrysler 400s had 8.2:1 compression,a "station wagon" cam and a Carter ThermoQuad carb. Some '75 and later models had the horrible "Lean Burn" ignition systems, and single exhausts with catalytic converters that really choked them. 428 Pontiacs had 10.75:1 compression and either the "066" or "068" cam and were rated at 370 and 390 hp respectiveley. All '71 and later 455s-had only 8.0:1 compression and a lazy "smog" cam. '75-76 models had even more anemic 7.6:1 compression and catalyst choked exhausts. The rare and vaunted '71-72 455HO and  '73-74 455SD models-while having good RAIV style heads, and a decent cam and intake-only had 8.4:1 compression-a far cry from the 10.75:1 of the old 428!  And in addition-whether GM, Ford or Chrysler- most '60's cars-even if they weren't performance models had axle ratios like 3.23:1 or 3.55:1-especially if they had a towing package. Most '70's cars had salt-flats gearing like 2.56:1 or 2.80:1, which further hindered acceleration. So this clown was half-right. Yes a '66 Impala with a 10.25:1 compression 390 hp 427 backed by a TH400 and 3.31:1 gears will blow the doors off a '73 Impala with an 8.25:1 compression 245 hp 454 with a TH400 and 2.73:1 gears!!  Yes, your 10.75:1 compression 390 hp 428 powered '69 Gran Prix with 3.23:1 gears will suck up and spit out a '76 Gran Prix with a 7.6:1 compression 455 and 2.56:1 gears!!  A '69 T-Bird with a 375 hp 10.5:1 429, a C6 and 3.25:1 gears will run a lot faster than a 7.9:1 compression 460 powered '73 model with 2.80:1 gears!!  Thank you, Captain Obvious.  So remember the "All other things being equal"-factor-the larger cube engine will always make more power. Always. Just had to vent that. Mastermind