I'm contemplating either having a local reputable engine builder build my next engine for me or have him just do the machining of the block and put the engine together myself. Well, there are two guys to pick from. Ones is gonna be close to 25k and one close to 18k. Both seem to be highly recommended, one works on weekends out of his garage and the other has a full service shop which I'm sure is why it makes him more expensive. Basically a 351 based stroked motor, dart block, supercharger probably, mostly street driven but lots of racing play time. It's a lotta money but since this is my daily driver it seems reasonable to me.
Is it just me, but does it always seem like someone's always trying to "out" impress everyone else here ? Come on, trying to decide whether to spend 25 grand vs 18 grand for an engine and you have to ask us lowly peons ? :16suspect
If it's a daily driver, buy a factory crate engine with a one year warranty for about 50% of what you have been quoted. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FMS-M6007Z427FFT/
Not sure what you're calling high HP...but you can get a pretty stout crate engine from reputable builders for that kind of money...and all you have to do is unload if from the truck and bolt it in... Just wondering if the amounts are a typo...hmmm
Or buy a 427 Windsor direct from Ford Racing, save $544 and get free shipping and a Victor Jr intake. Wow!! THAT is tempting. Wonder if my son will part with his '70 F100 short bed step side. http://www.fordracingpartsdirect.com/Ford_351W_Crate_Engine_s/23.htm
if you're seriously thinking about spending that kind of money on an engine, i wouldn't combine it with a daily driver. i'd get a second mav to build as a dedicated race car...
Sorry about the typos guys. Well, it's always been my dream to have a car that can make 1,000HP. I figure a 351 based engine would get me to 500-550 and I can have a supercharger that will get me to 750-800 on pump gas and probably 1,000-ish with race gas or methanol injection. I might be able to do the same with a 302 based motor but I haven't really looked into that enough.
Good luck "streeting" a 1,000hp supercharged motor like that. And I certainly wouldn't rec building a motor like that yourself.. unless you've done more than a few by now. Everything needs to be fully blue-printed and checked thrice at those power levels to be sure. My advice is to buy a CUSTOM SPEC'd motor like the others have said.. then take it to a shop and have them install a twin turbo setup. That config will be like running close to N/A around town.. but give you god-like power when you rev it up to have some fun. Although.. I'm sure you'll need to lose those shock towers to make it all fit in a smaller bay like these cars have. Also better figure on another 6-8 g's.. or so.. to get that trans, suspension, and brakes up to the task. Not to mention.. you'll need at least mini-tubs to get big enough tires to keep from wasting that sort of power. Plenty of dyno queens out there that get their asses handed to them by far lessor cars on the drag strips because they can't put it all down. Sure looks cool to lose traction at 100+MPH though. lol Then there's the driving skills needed to keep the ass end behind you were it's supposed to be. 3 years ago me and my 2 boys were down at Porky's in St Paul and watched a Porsche TT that was said to make 700+HP(at the wheels!) side swipe a parked car after doing what looked to be a 3rd gear burnout. He tried to regain and hit the brakes.. but it was too late after the turbo's spooled up and the wheel speed went sky high. Cops everywhere and ruined everyone's night after they told anyone not eating food to leave the premises. I've been ticketed/towed by that same task force.. and they are some highly dedicated pricks for sure. Probably not really a bad thing though.. since the kids would be killing themselves left and right without them on the job. I'm just still a bit sore because I got picked for over 2k in impound/legal costs. Oh well.. live and learn. Moral being.. don't overestimate your driving skills when it comes to that kind of power. My dream motor is a Kasse headed BB Ford with a larger single Turbo setup. More power to ya if you can swing that kinda cash.. but just be safe and prepare the rest of the car to handle it.
I don't think Mo is trying to impress anyone, for that kind of HP and my guess would be you'd spend more than that............but lets talk about the motor only first, for the amount of HP you are targeting............$25k is not a lot and especially if someone else puts it together (hopefully a dyno session of at least 1-1/2 days would be included in the $25k)....if not then I would walk away from those two shops you choosen. One good thing is that you could sell your motor since you wouldn't be using any parts off it........................to help reduce the cost. So, lets just take a look at some of the parts prices; Dart 351w Iron Eagle............$3000 Machine work for the block.....$1000/1500 Heads...................................$4000+ for fully CNC'd, custom chambers with special everything and assembled/plus flow tested Solid Roller cam/lifters.............$1000 Pistons....not off the shelf but custom...........$1500 Rods like Cunningham or Carrillo................$2000 Crank shaft from Bryant/Crower.................$3000 Rings/Bearings/Gaskets...........................$700 And we are already at $16,000.................so another $10k for intake, Fast or someother injection, turbo/supercharger, ignition.........and then a purpose built header system........................and all tested and broken in on an engine dyno with someone who knows what they are doing and how to work with the "huff'd" motor..............................you are close to if not over $25k. Now I know some of the prices may be a little high, but I believe it's within a grand or so..................and on a 1000hp motor you don't want to buying cheap stuff made in China and machined here in the good ole USorA like Eagle, S.C.A.T, C.A.T...................... Now, if this is what your two shops are saying.............then I'd say they probably they know what they are doing...............if not, then I'd walk away or maybe even run away as fast as I could. Personally if I was going to have a motor built with that much HP I'd want the very best people putting the motor together and dynoing it, someone like Roush/Yates, Tom Nelson (of Nelson racing engines), BES Racing, MME (McKeown Motorsports)..................or a dozen more. Then, we haven't even talked about preparing your chassis to hold the 1000hp on the ground without crashing and burning..................like get rid of the front suspension because you aren't going to have any room for everything with those BIG shock towers sitting there..............and a transmission to take the HP along with rearend.............................IMHO My direction has always been to build the chassis first with whatever HP you have in mind..........................get it done right.............then drop the MEGA HP monster in........................if not you may break everything behind the bellhousing or worse..............hurt yourself or someone else. Oh, one last thing....................if you do this, you seriously need to a competition driving course...........something more than just a few hours. Join the SCCA, early next year sign up for their 3 day drivers school, go rent a real race car.......................and get your competition drivers license....you will not regret it.................................it's hard work and not cheap, but it will make you a totally different person when you get behind the wheel of a car with some HP..........................IMHO
