^Sorry meant to say the engines ran fine after overheating. In one case an 84 Caprice Wagon with 300,000km's on it had the thermostat fail on the highway and the coolant boiled out. The owner drove it several miles with no coolant since he didn't think he was gonna keep the car much longer anyways, pulled into a parking lot engine just knocking like crazy. Replaced the thermostat the next day and drove it, the car still ran fine and an ongoing pinging problem was gone likely cause the heat burned all the carbon out of it. That engine lasted to over 600,000km's with no major repairs when the car was finally in a major accident.
If your talking about best engine overall as far as power, efficiency and mileage go a couple other engines come to mind. Some of them are in songs:
Giddyup Giddyup 409, and no its not a 409 Ford, its a 409 Chevy.
Rocket 455, I know theres a song about this one but I can't bear to listen to it since its country. I have one of these engines I'm rebuilding for a hot rod project.
Other engines I consider some of the best are:
Oldsmobile 350
Oldsmobile 425
Chevy 327
Ford 427
Chrysler 383
Really the list could go on forever. I admit to not being much of an import fan but if I have to nominate one I know of a local demo derby driver that runs Volvo wagons with a Hyundai Pony engine in them. Apparently these engines can be overheated badly enough to seize up, then still run fine the next day.