The original Boss 302 engine was way underrated for insurance purposes at 290hp like a lot cars back then. Various folks have put the 1969 Z28 Camaro on dynamometers, and the Chevy 302 has cranked out around 400 gross hp using the calculation methods of the time. Of course horsepower was calculated differently back then and today’s horsepower ratings are much more conservative, meaning the 2012 Boss engine is much more powerful than the original.
The original Boss 302s, Z28 Camaros and the AAR Cudas weren’t built for drag racing, but from a rolling start they would eat up a lot of cars with bigger engines, as a lot of unwary street racers found out when they pulled up beside one cruising around town.
The new fuel regulations are going to kill off automobiles as we know them, and sooner than most realize. Cars like the Boss 302 will be viewed as the high water mark for the internal combustion engine. Burn those tires while you still can!
My ‘66 396 rat motor was rated at 375 horsepower by Chevrolet. My insurance man knew better...