[wiserocz]

Okay here is my perception of the DOHC vs OHV. I have had the pleasure of driving both a 96 and a 98 Monte Carlo Z34. One has the venerable 3800 which makes around 200hp the other has the dohc 3.4 which is about 215. Now why would I pick the OHV motor over a cammer you ask? Press the gas petal and you will notice the cammer pulling above 4000RMP and the 3800 pulling from the word go. I simply use the lower powerband more. So even though the old 3800 may be a dog on paper in perception it feels way faster. Now lets get down "technology". Simpler is always better especially when it comes to the motor of the car. When it comes down to endurance you will hardly ever see a racer go pick a DOHC "high feature motor". I dont want to even get into the the absurd costs of repair for a DOHC motor. Ask the 96 owner to change his alternator and he will cry like a baby, and why is this you ask? Because another benifit is space, and in that particular car the alternator gets to be somewhere under the car (because the heads and intake take up so much room) forcing you to drop the engine cradle (FUN!). OHV motors take less space and weigh less. Isnt that really more advanced anyway. Since when was the harder to live with, less durable, more complex to operate computer more advanced? Take the specs off the paper and things start to look mighty good.