Bigfoots N Mopars
Well-Known Member
Well my 318 started to knock and once again I was facing an oncoming Summer of missing out on cruises, car shows, and racing. My planned slow conversion from show pony to street/strip monster had taken a frantic leap forward leaving my meager toy budget in a state of crisis.
I figured, if I'm going to have to have an engine built, it's time to go all in. I spent hours of days scouring the internet looking at crate motors I can't afford and made lists of the parts I could scrimp and save for in hopes I could have a decent engine by 2025...
I found a few core big blocks ranging from $400-$1500 in need of rebuilding before they could be used. Figure machine work would cost a minimum $1500 and what the heck, I might as well stroke the short block for another $2000-$3000... and a TrickFlow top end kit for $4000 more, of course that doesn't include roller lifters, ignition system, water pump, fuel pump...you get the idea.
Without using credit cards I could only afford half of the above
So disheartened, I slogged forward and contacted a local engine builder in hopes of making him laugh and possibly able to buy a descent lunch with the pittance of my offerings when things took one hell of a turn!
Just so happens a previous customer mentioned selling an engine he recently built. Granted it's a mud racing engine with four passes, but it's almost a pump gas motor. Shocked by his casual tone and lack of mockery, I bought it. I found impulse buys have always worked out in my favor despite what my wife, mother, and dog say.
So here are the details: sonic checked 400 bored .035 over, 440 source 512 stroker kit, stealth heads, estimated 10.5 compression ratio, tunnel ram intake with twin Predator carbs (my uncle ran them on his jet boat back in the day) and a custom grind Howard's Roller cam:
I figured, if I'm going to have to have an engine built, it's time to go all in. I spent hours of days scouring the internet looking at crate motors I can't afford and made lists of the parts I could scrimp and save for in hopes I could have a decent engine by 2025...
I found a few core big blocks ranging from $400-$1500 in need of rebuilding before they could be used. Figure machine work would cost a minimum $1500 and what the heck, I might as well stroke the short block for another $2000-$3000... and a TrickFlow top end kit for $4000 more, of course that doesn't include roller lifters, ignition system, water pump, fuel pump...you get the idea.
Without using credit cards I could only afford half of the above
So disheartened, I slogged forward and contacted a local engine builder in hopes of making him laugh and possibly able to buy a descent lunch with the pittance of my offerings when things took one hell of a turn!
Just so happens a previous customer mentioned selling an engine he recently built. Granted it's a mud racing engine with four passes, but it's almost a pump gas motor. Shocked by his casual tone and lack of mockery, I bought it. I found impulse buys have always worked out in my favor despite what my wife, mother, and dog say.
So here are the details: sonic checked 400 bored .035 over, 440 source 512 stroker kit, stealth heads, estimated 10.5 compression ratio, tunnel ram intake with twin Predator carbs (my uncle ran them on his jet boat back in the day) and a custom grind Howard's Roller cam:
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