UPDATE:Oh, oh.....maybe it
is the 528ci.
After talking to Tim Banning and Ray Bartons shops, both agreed without hesitation that the 426 does have a bad lack of torque down low, quite bad actually. I asked them if building it to 500-550hp would help and both immediately said no. They were two different phone calls yet their responses were identical and like they were in the same room. That is not a good sign and shows it's definitely true, these guys know their engines.
I was told a 472ci is what people in my situation would go for but I'm not too keen on "sitting on the fence". They get better power down low over the 426ci while not being overly wild. I asked what kind of power the 528ci could be built to make to "lower" the horse power, well, not lower but keep it simple and very mild. He said 600hp+ and that it was just the nature of the engine. So, I may end up getting a 528ci built to around 600-615hp. Which, at the end of the day is "only" 50hp+ over the 426ci build I was looking at doing. The Keisler is rated at 650hp so it is still below it's rating which is great. I'll be getting the aluminium block and EFI. I'm getting two quotes, one from Barton and one from Banning. I was told that the aluminium is perfect for my situation as it makes a little less horsepower over cast iron engines, but is lighter (120-130lbs lighter). So, it'll have great torque throughout and still have the high rpm Hemi power.
So, I went around in a big circle.
I feel like an ass now LOL.
I'll wait to talk directly to Tim Banning (he's on holiday). But at this stage It'll more than likely be the 528ci. What they told me I kind of knew but didn't think it was as bad as that. They did say though that the 472 sells 2 to one over any of their engines. Nice to know for you 472 owners.......
