 
|  I was in Chrysler Engine Lab in 1951 and 1952 and I was 
involved in the manufacturer of DeSoto engines (Warren Plant) and 
Chrysler/Imperial engines (Jefferson Plant) until 1960. I remember that Chrysler factory HP ratings were honest 
except for the 1960 "slant 6" engines where we under rated the 170 cu. in. 
version and over rated the 225 cu. in version. More on that 
later. Rated horsepower in the 1960's was "gross HP". Gross HP is 
measured on a dynamometer with lab exhaust (zero back pressure), intake air 
corrected to standard barometer and temperature settings and no accessories - 
not even a fan. Horsepower as installed in a car would be considerably 
less. In 1960 the new 170 cu. in. engine tested in the 
Laboratory at 117 HP but was rated at only 101 HP it  because it 
went in a subcompact car (Valiant) and we thought the 
subcompact customers wanted a 100hp - or less - 
engine.    The same year (1960) the new 225 cu. in. slant six tested 
at 123 HP but was rated at 145 HP because that 
displacement should have produced 145 HP. We obviously had work to do. (A 
common cylinder head on the 170 cu. in. and 225 cu. in. versions penalized the 
larger displacement.) Some Chrysler Engineers were upset about this discrepancy 
but Product Planners rationalized that it's not so bad when you average the 
over rating of the 225 with the under rating of the 170 for the "slant 6" 
 family of engines. Burt Bouwkamp 
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