As much as I like the old school big-inch motors, I have to give credit where credit is due. Today's engines are marvels of power production efficiency. Making 500 HP when I was racing meant scouring junkyards and swap meets for the right cores, then many thousands of dollars in parts, lots of expensive machining, and many tedious hours of filing, trimming, and hand-fitting. Now, simply slapping a mail-order cam, headers, and intake on a junkyard-stock 6.0/6.2L LS easily crests that mark, and does so without being lumpy, slobbering, ill-tempered, unstreetable beast. The new 7.3L Godzilla motor from Ford hit 600HP with the same basic swaps and all indications show there is plenty more to be had. That's amazing.
Brad