General observations & opinions from 2008 Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge:

1. All the legit competitors in the 2008 Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge used MW-sized ported versions of the spec Indy SR head. Some started out using ICH's 295 CNC program and at least one used MCH's CNC program. It's probably fair to say those were at least 355+ CFM heads, depending upon any additional work done. Most used MW-sized single-plane intakes (ICH RB and Edelbrock Super Victor) and two entries used ICH's tunnel ram intake. The cams, when the specs were provided, ranged from 260 to 276+ at .050" and most builders used 1.7 rockers to get the lift well over .700".

2. The dyno tests were run from 3000 to 7000 RPM and, not unexpectedly IMO, every one of those MW-head 440s had a big freakin' dip in the torque curve around 4000 RPM. The engine with the smallest cam listed that also used one of the tunnel ram setups actually had one of the biggest holes in the torque curve. None of them hit their torque peaks below 5500+, and only one actually got close to, or exceeded, 600 lbs-ft. That was the 750+ HP ICH build with the offset heads, custom T&D rocker setup, and a 276/280 at .050" cam. Yeah, it was the HP and torque King, but peak torque was almost 6000 RPM and it probably hadn't even maxed out on HP at the 7000 limit from the look of the dyno chart (still climbing).

3. One of the single-plane Dominator combinations made about 735 HP at 7000, 585 torque at 5500 and, oh yeah, they didn't provide their cam specs. Im' guessing... pretty bleepin' big. A more "mild" single-plane Dominator combination made almost 700 HP, but only 560-something torque at around 5600, and used a 270/280-ish at .050" cam.

Anybody see the obvious (to me, at least) pattern?
- 450-ish cubes
- Octane-limited CR
- MW ports
- Big dips in the torque curves right at the bottom of the range of where I'd expect a typical street/strip 440 needs the converter to stall
- Big HP at high RPM at the expense of the rest of the torque curve

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