When you walk into your buddy's garage and look around, what do you notice? If there is an engine on a stand off in the corner, you'd probably walk right over and check it out. There's something about having a complete motor on display--never mind the fact you don't have anything to put it in yet--it just looks great having a motor on a stand in your garage (and a painted and detailed one is even better).
But having a project to stick that engine into is the best, and one study showed if you're like most kit and replicar owners, you probably bought the powerplant for your ride before the body was even delivered. It wasn't that long ago when the Average Joe was limited as to what size engines were available to plug into their kit. Nowadays the choices seem limitless, as those in the engine-building business have expanded their lines of motors available to the home builder.
Once some displacements, such as a 427, were hard to come by, but now nearly every engine-builder has at least one of their engines set up with that many cubes. Small-block motors with 500 hp are available, too, as are odd-displacement engines rarely heard of before, such as 532- or 557-cubic inchers.
And one of the best things about these engine-builders is that you don't have to send them your old block to have the appropriate work done. You can now order a complete engine--all to your spec, from air cleaner to oil pan--and have it delivered to your doorstep and in your replicar faster than you can dust off your cherry picker.
Over the next few pages is a listing of crate engine builders that can get your dream that much closer to reality. And what the heck, if your kit isn't ready for its powerplant, then that motor will look great in your garage sitting on that new engine stand you just bought!
Bullet Performance
Bullet Performance crate engines were designed with the street rod and kit car enthusiast in mind. Bullet Performance crate engines are built in five different series, from mild to wild, and General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler combinations are available in all series. Ideal for both the cruiser and the occasional trip down the strip, all Bullet crate engines are supplied with the valve covers, timing cover, oil pan, balancer, intake manifold, and flex plate. Dyno-testing is available as an option, as are custom combinations. Bullet Performance, with its precision-machined and expert-assembled crate engines, uses only brand-name components from national manufacturers with the highest reputations for quality. These engines are sold outright, without a core charge, and have a two-year unlimited-mileage warranty. Dealer inquirers are welcome. If you ca dream it, Bullet Performance can build it.
COAST HIGH PERFORMANCE
Coast High Performance (CHP) has been building crate engines for over 16 years. All CHP short-blocks, long-blocks, and crate motors are hand-assembled and precision-balanced by our expert engine-builders. Our Ford engines come in the following sizes: 306ci, 331ci, 347ci, and 393ci. Our Ford 351C engines come in at 393 ci. Our Ford 351W engines are available as 393ci, 408ci, and 427 inchers, and our Ford 460 engines come in at 521ci, 532ci, 545ci, and 557 inches. We also have a 4.6L Mod Motors and a 5.1L 310-inch Mod Motor available. Our Chevrolet motors are the 350ci, and also available are a 355-inch Ultralight, 383ci, 406ci, 421ci, 434ci, 454ci, and a 496ci engine. Our Ford Crate Motors include a 347ci Cobra Classic, 393ci, 427ci, and our popular 427 "Injected Venom." Call us today to discuss your next engine build-up, as our knowledgeable and experienced staff will help you build the engine you always wanted. At Coast High Performance, We Build Race Proven Horsepower!
Coast High Performance
2555 W. 237th St., Dept. KC
Torrance, CA 90505
(310) 784-1010
www.coasthigh.com
KEITH CRAFT PERFORMANCE ENGINES
Our 427 SBF standard crate engine comes with 580 hp and 560 lb-ft of torque. Starting with a fully machined Dart cast-steel block, we assemble the engine with an Eagle 4340 forged crankshaft, H-Beam rods, JE pistons, Plasma-moly rings, heat-treated bearings, a COMP Cams hydraulic roller camshaft, a double-roller timing set, a front cover, a blueprinted Melling oil pump, drive, and insert. The list of parts also includes a Canton 7-quart oil pan, a Ford Racing SFI damper, hydraulic roller lifters, COMP Cams pushrods, Scorpion roller rockers, ARP fasteners, and Fel Pro gaskets. Up top, Brodix CNC Track 1s or AFR 225 CNC cylinder heads are coupled with an Edelbrock Victor intake, an Edelbrock aluminum water pump, a set of valve covers, a Holley carburetor, an MSD distributor, and Ford Racing Wires. The assembly is zero-balanced, blueprinted, and assembled. For an aluminum art block, add $2,200; $7,000 for TWM Stack Fuel Injection; or $3,000 for throttle-body fuel injection. Ford crate engines are available as well. If you need a small-block, big-block, or Ford FE engine, call us!
Keith Craft Performance Engines
3157 Hwy 26 W, Dept. KC
Arkadelphia, AR 71923
(870) 246-7460
www.keithcraft.com
POTTER AUTOMOTIVE
Potter offers complete Cadillac 500 crate engines from our standard 500hp /575-lb-ft, all the way up to 700-plus-horsepower engines on 92 OCTANE PUMP GAS! And those numbers are without a blower, NOS, or a turbo (and we sell those too!). Each engine is built to order and formatted to fit each individual need from the absolute highest-quality, badass, race-proven parts. This is the ultimate street rod engine and weighs 75 pounds less than a BBC (and that's without aluminum heads!). There is also a complete line of parts ranging from pro-type intakes, aluminum heads, blower kits, 52mm roller cams, and more. A stock-block and crank will handle over 1,000 hp with proper prep. Complete engines are priced from $6,900, with billet pulleys, an alternator bracket, T-6 valve covers, an aluminum intake, a distributor, and a carb! Trade in your core. In-house dyno-testing available! We got what it takes to take what they got!
ROUSH PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
Roush Performance Engines announces its version of the FE engine series, backed by 25 years of engine assembling experience. The new Roush Performance Engines 451R FE offers car-builders 455 hp and 525 lb-ft of torque. The package utilizes all-new engine parts, including a Roush-tuned Holley carburetor, a dual-plane intake, Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads, Roush engraved aluminum valve covers with billet breathers, all based on a Pond aluminum block. Internally, the 451R FE features forged pistons, a nodular iron crankshaft, hydraulic flat-tappet camshaft, and Harland Sharp shaft-mount roller rockers. Also included are a MSD billet distributor and wires, a Melling high-volume oil pump, and a powdercoated Canton road race-style oil pan. To finalize the package, Roush Performance dyno-tests and black-lights each engine, providing dyno documentation and a two-year warranty. Higher horsepower and dual-quad versions are available.
Roush Performance PRODUCTS
28156 Plymouth Rd., Ste. Z, Dept. KC
Livonia, MI 48150
(800) 59-ROUSH
www.roushperf.com