protouring mopar options? lets talk

[Majik16106]

ok, I'm posting this in hopes it becomes an on going discussion thread, hopefully spawning ford/gm counterparts, but my interest is in mopar, thus this should be the first, also, since it is the first, ill go ahead and start talking to people get the idea. Basically just some info on common motors, pro's and con's in pro touring cars versus just drag racing cars. So here is what I gather on mopars given the following.

Pro touring cars going to be street driven, need an overdrive for some gas mileage, bigger wheels, cool suspension, not a raced out interior, a/c and p/s. I.e, a decently comfortable street driven insanely fast car.

So on mopars, ill lay out the two motor options as i see it, and then conclude in the bottom, suggestions, criticism, whatever.. im open.

Small- Blocks. I like the non magnum motors, the 340 is pretty nice, the 360 to me is the motor to have. a 408 stroker is plenty capable of being a pump gas naturaly aspirated 500hp motor, albiet with lots of porting. so for this case, lets focus on the 360.

Big blocks- 383 and 400, pretty cool, 440 is easy, and the hemi is pretty badass given your wallet is real deep, and since gigantic cubic inches and mopars short stroke are cheaply used in a 440, we'll go with that,especially since it 1) weighs less than a hemi (protouring plus) and 2) a 496+ ci forged stroker bottom end costs 1300 bucks.

So lets put them in a car, for this example, a 70's ebody, coil over tubular front (plenty of header clearance) lowered on some nice 17's, the keisler tko600 5speed with a .62 overdrive, so given gear, a 6500rpm shift point (easy for both motors) gives you 180ish mph.

The argument- The 360 is lighter, and i guess it would rev easier, steve vukovich is a fan obviously, his isky blown 408ci makes 600+ hp. However,if we are talking about a 40 mph roll on a major freeway, trying to take on a decently powered newer turbo car (supra/300zx) what would we rather have, good mid-top end right? well, all the mopar guys i talk too say they'd rather have the 440, stroked or not. They all say its worth the weight penalty, mopars arent anything without a big block seems to be the attitude. so given that, what about the 440, could go forged .030 over 440 with blower or no? 496 same price, blower or no? stock 360 high comp, blown 360?

Basically, what would you guys use and why? I like the idea of something like a twin turbo 366, but thats just me, what would you do if you had to take that e-body, and out run a modded viper on the interstate to 145mph.. what would you use to bury 100mph as quickly as possible? yet still retain some turning ability, would the big block kill that? just throwing ideas out...