I am a believer in DIY but I do acknowledge Bret's point. As I understand it, the parts can be got cheaper if you are a large volume builder and once you have the "formula" down you then have a collection of parts proven to work well together and which are compatible. The end result is something that works (or at least ought to) at a price that you would find it hard to beat even DIY. If you are creating a DIY product, it's suprising how much trial and error it is to get everything to work together even with a main stream motor like a BBC. OTOH, putting it together can be fun and educatuional. And you get something that is exactly what you want, to see how well your ideas work. And $$ CAN be saved by scrounging for deals/used parts, etc. That can be fun and like mdacton says, it keeps you off the streets (and on eBay and Racing Junk).

Just to elaborate a little: I do this for fun and just ordering a crate motor would not be fun to me. If you are serious bracket racer, for example, and your total focus is winning, you may want to go the crate route and concentrate your time on perfecting your driving and the rest of your combo. In that case, I could see the crate route.

Rich

 

Yep - half the fun is building it yourself. We do a lot of machine for kit engines. Once the machine work is done, it's not too hard - just take your time and double/triple check everything, don't be afraid to ask questions.

 

Yes, for sure that makes sense. Good machine work is a big part of the project, if not the biggest. It won't guarantee a good result, but without it the project is doomed. If not doomed to complete failure, at least a lot of frustration and suboptimal results.

Rich

 

I agree guys, the problem is the pricing is so low on those "crate" motors from big names that why even compete with it? The time it takes to check everything in a motor is extremely expensive and even then little things can get by you.

Picking up a "kit" and assembling the motor yourself if you have the know how to do it can be a very economical way to go, but that only leaves the blame in your hands.... it's racing these things don't live forever and as Forrest Gump said "It Happens"

Mike I agree though, cars are what keeps me from drinking beer and chasing tail, well that and the old lady ;-) (then again she wouldn't be around if I wasn't doing that) One reason why I spend so much time autocrossing in the summer, you have to be up at the crack of dawn and on your game all day long so it keeps you in at night on a weekend. In the winter time you just have too much work anyways.

Bret

 

MD, contact BRADY on this board. Brady McNew. They built a silver 95 car with a Shafiroff crate 540 and a dry shot controlled through a FAST system that would have easily run in the 8's with stock suspension on drag radials. They used an off the shelf Chevelle header and modified one tube to make it work.

May be pics of it here

www.teamprickracing.com

On LS1Tech there is a specific big block small block section for this type of stuff.

Have you considered a turbo blow through small block on alcohol? That seems to be a new trend in Orsca type racing. Seems to work well.


David

 

I need to talk to brady to see what problems I may run into.....

Those chevelle headers work on everything, we just modified a set to a BBF flange to go in a tube chassis mustang about a month ago

I really don't want the clutter of the turbo......



turbo's are for people who can't build engines right...I thought I read that somewhere

 

LOL, or diesels! Hell actually I'm against about all forms of "false induction" just doesn't seem to be the challenge in it.

 

That may be true, but DAMN they go STUPID fast, Wormboy over on LS1tech just went a 7.57 on stock suspension and small tires with a turbo LS1, that's COOKIN' in anyones book.

David

 

that is fast, but I want it every weekend to be ready to go......you know how those turbo type cars are.....a bunch of hail mary passes.

I'm geared more towards bracket racing than anything, and my budget is why. Its about the only place I can fit in and be competative

 

68 chevelle. 3100lbs 540na high 8's
got a short block from ohio crankshaft(unassembled of course) dart block.steel crank,rods srp pistons. comp roller cam, dart 325's,dart intake, pro systems carb(best investment ever), 12.1 comp. th350
i love building motors but i will say the best thing about crate motors is warranty. i just put a zz454 in a 69 camaro and that was a beautiful engine. i had a hard time building one for $5700.00
sounds like a fun project.