I might have let out a tiny little detail...it wasn't a straight up drag. It was a 40 roll, whoever got to the next interstate interchange first won. The 88 GT was a straight up drag though.

 

OK, so here is where my knowledge of the 3.8 is lacking

It is a pushrod based engine, correct? it's not OHC.

It only has 2 valves per cylinder, is that also correct.

So, with those dyno numbers, and I assume they are WHP, otherwise, the figures are FWHP which is done with the engine out of the car.

So, let's go with WHP at 216 WHP. if you have a manny tranny in awesome shape, then you would experience @ 10% driveline loss from engine to rear wheels so divide 216WHP by .9 and you get 240 FWHP. If you have an auto tranny, then it's around 15% driveline loss so divide by .85 and you get 254 FWHP.

This from a stock motor with 2 valves per cylinder, does not have variable valve timing etc.

I find those numbers to be quite impressive as it is over 1 HP per cubic inch considering 230 cubic inches and a stock engine. Heck, in that same year, Honda, who is one heck of an engine builder was getting 1.2 HP per cubic inch with 4 valves per cylinder and variable valve timing and your dyno figures claim 1.1 HP per cubic inch with 2 valves, pushrods and bone stock.

I am missing something here.

 

That isn't the actual horsepower going to the wheels. I was never informed of the rear wheel horsepower. I believe it to be in the mid 170's from what a lot 3.8 owners here say.

 

Well, Ford really has had its pants down on Mustang development for... oh, the past 30 years or so.

http://home.pon.net/hunnicutt/history_mustVScam.htm

Even up to the '08, '09 models, my stock IROC-Z can still play ball, and it's as old as I am.

 

Actually, check your facts first, stock:
http://www.camarosource.ca/php/camar..._info_2&bmid=1

The only possible difference is if GM never certified the numbers and purposely under-rated it, like they did in the 2010 (304 HP) vs 2011 (312 HP) V6 Camaro -- even though they are actually both exactly the same.

 

OK, so the previous owner pulled the engine to run it on an engine dyno to get the numbers vs just putting it on a roller dyno and getting the wheel numbers?

If the motor was yanked to be rebuilt then I can see that being done, but otherwise???

Anyway, to all, does the 3.8 have 2 or 3 valves per cylinder?

 

He was in a front-end crash and had to rebuild the entire front end. While he had the motor out he had it dyno'd. To answer your question the 3.8 has 2 valves per cylinder.

 

The difference is a 97 Z28 is a 5.7 liter and the 97 Mustang has a 4.6 liter. So if you do the math the camaro has 1.1 liters more and its a chevy so its just better.