[Oldsguy]

Excellent info on your post John. As a side note, about the early Rocket in '49, it was not THE first but ONE OF THE first overhead valve V8s available. Up to then everyone was using flatheads and the Ford Flathead was the favorite v8.

I will second John's evaluation of the Rocket being torque king. With a comparible displacement "other" engine to compare, you will more easily get good street performance out of the Oldsmobile. I think lots of everyday guys who don't race and don't intend on winding their engines up past 6,000 rpm just want good street corner to street corner performance to "show off" a little now and then. The torgue of the Olds enables that quite well as you will find it much easier to bark those skins with the greater torque a rocket offers, especially the big blocks.