For some, the ritual of hauling a grease-encrusted engine in the trunk of their car to the machine shop is something to look forward to. It's a new lease on life for a tired engine, and the promise of more power and better performance. For others, it's a ritual requiring time, patience, and even more time. Add the pressure of finding a machine shop you can trust and won't soak you for unnecessary "additional" work, and it may be a dreaded experience. But what else can you do? What if you don't have the time, desire, or mechanical know-how? It's quite simple to opt for a crate-style engine. It's easy to choose an engine package that is already assembled and scienced-out, delivering a proven package.
We've assembled a gathering of big-block crate-style engines from a number of manufacturers and limited the price ceiling at $10,000. we even threw in a couple pieces at slightly over the ceiling just for comparison's sake. While this may seem somewhat steep, add up the cost of all new parts and machining, and you may find a crate engine is a bargain. And you won't have to borrow your neighbor's truck and haul a greasy lump of cast iron to your machine shop.
Mopar Performance
The Mothership got in the crate-motor racket a number of years ago, and has come up with a number of good crate engines for predictable performance levels. Mopar Performance offers everything from mild small-blocks to stroker Hemis. The most popular of the big-block wedges are these two examples. It is important to note that these engines are built from all new components. For a mild-mannered heavy vehicle, the 500-inch wedge makes a lot of sense. It'll move with authority on a steady diet of pump premium, but with nearly 600 lb-ft of torque it will melt the tires at will. The 500ci short-block assembly is a great foundation from which to build a torque monster or a high horsepower producer-the choice is yours.
Specs
Displacement: 500ci short-block
Bore and stroke: 4.380-inch bore, 4.150-inch stroke
Pistons: Speed Pro hypereutectic
Compression: 10.25:1
Con Rods: H-beam forged
Crank: MP 4340 forged
Cost: $6,800 (usually discounted by local MP dealer)
Specs
Displacement: 500 ci
Bore and stroke: 4.380-inch bore, 4.150-inch stroke
Pistons: Speed Pro hypereutectic
Compression: 9:1
Con Rods: H-beam forged
Crank: MP 4340 forged
Cam: MP hydraulic flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: MP Stage V cast iron
Intake: MP M1 single plane intake
Power: 505 hp, 590 lb-ft
Cost: $9,900 (usually discounted by local MP dealer)
Indy Cylinder Head
One look at Indy Cylinder Head's catalog and you soon understand that Indy can, and will, cater to your every whim, desire, and need, with offerings ranging from mild, stock-displacement engines to fire-breathing, mega-cube monstrosities. Best known for their own line of aluminum cylinder heads, Indy can build anything your heart desires from milquetoast to mind numbing. the sky and the depth of your wallet are the only limitations. The old adage about speed costing money is oh-so-true at Indy Cylinder Head, but nobody ever envisioned this much speed!
Specs
Displacement: 426 ci
Bore and stroke: 4.380-inch bore, 3.530-inch stroke
Pistons: Wiseco forged
Compression: 10.25:1
Con Rods: Eagle H-beam
Crank: Indy forged
Cam: Comp hydraulic flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: Indy 440-SR, bowl ported, gasket matched
Intake: MP M-1 single-plane intake, 750-cfm Mighty Demon carb
Power: 500 hp, 500 lb-ft
Cost: $9,495
Specs
Displacement: 451 ci
Bore and stroke: 4.375-inch bore, 3.750-inch stroke
Pistons: Wiseco forged
Compression: 10.25:1
Con Rods: Eagle H-beam
Crank: Eagle 4340
Cam: Comp hydraulic flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: Indy 440-SR, bowl ported, gasket matched
Intake: MP M-1 single-plane, 750-cfm Mighty Demon carb
Power: 525 hp, 500 lb-ft
Cost: $10,495
Ray Barton Racing Engines
Ray Barton Racing Engines is well known in Mopar racing circles, with a particular talent in Super-Stock Hemi engine development. We chose two of Ray's bombers that are entry level-they come with a whole slew of high-quality parts, but won't break the bank in the process. While these are developed engine packages, RBRE stresses these are still custom-built engines that can be tuned up or down depending on the customer's desires or budget. look no further, as RBRE is ready to accommodate you.
Specs
Displacement: 440 ci
Bore and stroke: 4.350-inch bore, 3.750-inch stroke
Pistons: JE forged
Compression: 10.0:1
Con Rods: RBRE On-Trac 4340 H-beam
Crank: Production forged
Cam: RBRE custom hydraulic flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum
Intake: Edelbrock Victor 440 single-plane intake
Power: 470 to 525 hp (depending on options)
Cost: $7,030.10
Specs
Displacement: 499 ci
Bore and stroke: 4.380-inch bore, 4.150-inch stroke
Pistons: JE forged
Compression: 10:1
Con Rods: RBRE On-Trac 4340 H-beam
Crank: MP 4340 forged
Cam: RBRE custom solid flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: Edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum
Intake: Edelbrock Performer RPM dual-plane intake
Power: 575 to 630 hp (depending on options)
cost: $9,234.07
Hensley Performance
Hensley Performance has been in the Chrysler engine building business since 1967, and features a full-service, in-house machine shop run by Matt Hensley. If that name doesn't ring a bell, Matt's SS/AA '68 Hemi Cuda recently ran an 8.74 at 154.78, the highest trap speed ever recorded by a SS/AA racer. The list of available crate engines and options is mind-boggling and competitively priced to accommodate a wide range of enthusiasts. We believe the Hensleys are more than qualified to handle your engine-building needs. How about 493 ci of tire fryer? The Hensley 493 will deliver a good blend of streetability and muscle-packing dominance for the track. Need something a little more...shall we say...dominating? Although the 451 Bracket Buster gives up a few cubic inches, the added ponies kinda sneak up on you and the guy in the other lane.
Specs
Displacement: 451ci (bracket buster)
Bore and stroke: 4.375-inch bore, 3.750-inch stroke
Pistons: Ross forged
Compression: 11.5:1
Con Rods: Manley H-beam
Crank: Eagle 4340 forged
Cam: Comp or Crane solid flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: Indy SR blueprinted aluminum
Intake: Edelbrock Victor single-plane intake
Power: 625 hp
Cost: $6,995
Specs
Displacement: 493 ci (street/strip)
Bore and stroke: 4.350-inch bore, 4.150-inch stroke
Pistons: Ross forged
Compression: 10.0:1
Con Rods: Manley H-beam rods
Crank: Eagle forged
Cam: Comp or Crane solid flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: Blueprinted production "346" S/S iron castings
Intake: Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
Power: 550 hp
Cost: $7,995
Muscle Motors
Muscle Motors of Lansing, Michigan, has been in the Mopar engine building business for 15 years. Their services include complete crate engines, as well as custom builds and rotating assemblies for popular stroker applications. Appropriately dubbed the Killer Krate by the good folks at Muscle Motors, this 496-inch fat-block delivers the goods in spades, all on available pump-premium. A recent example punished the dyno to the tune of 626 horses and an axle-snapping 640 lb-ft of torque. More than 500 lb-ft of torque is available from a basement level 2,200 rpm all the way through 6,500. As if that wasn't enough, this thing is packing a maintenance-free, off-the-shelf hydraulic cam. In a decent chassis, this combo should be good for deep tens all day long. A complete Killer Krate from pan to intake can be yours for $8,999. For just over $10,000, you get a turnkey crate with carburetor, distributor, wires, plugs, and oil that's been broken-in, dyno'd, tuned, and ready to rock.
Specs
Displacement: 496 ci
Bore and stroke: 4.380-inch bore, 4.150-inch stroke
Pistons: Ross forged
Compression: 10.5:1
Con Rods: Cat 4340 H-beam rods
Crank: Eagle forged
Cam: Comp Extreme Energy hydraulic flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: Bulldog Track Dog aluminum ported
Intake: Indy single plane (Max Wedge port window) with 850 Mighty Demon carb
Power: 626 hp
Cost: $8,999
Hughes Engines
Anything Mopar you need is more than likely lurking between the pages of the Hughes Engines' catalog. Dave Hughes has been in the Mopar engine building business for close to 35 years and was one of the first to promote and take advantage of the .904-inch lifter diameter, recognizing the fact that Chryslers have a unique advantage in the realm of camshaft profiles. We tapped into Dave Hughes' vast inventory of crate engines for these two fine examples. It is important to note that Hughes' offerings are all "custom" crate engines, leaving the customer the option to outfit his crate in any manner he or she sees fit from aluminum cylinder heads to max porting to hairy solid cams. Plus, all engines will be assembled to specific specifications based upon customer use, including altitude, camshaft profile, and available fuel quality (octane). Price requires customer-supplied core (block and crank for the 440; block only for the 500-incher), but includes start-up and break-in.
Specs
Displacement: 446 ci
Displacement Bore and stroke: 4.350-inch bore, 3.750-inch stroke
Displacement Pistons: Keith Black hypereutectic
Displacement Compression: Optional based on application (altitude, cam, and fuel octane)
Con Rods: Factory reworked, ARP rod bolts
Crank: Factory cast
Cam: Hughes Engines hydraulic flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: 452/902 iron castings, HP Stage I porting, 2.14/1.81-inch valves
Intake: Edelbrock Performer RPM dual-plane intake
Power: 525 hp (Stage I)
Cost: $8,375
Specs
Displacement: 500 ci
Bore and stroke: 4.350-inch bore, 4.150-inch stroke
Pistons: Diamond Racing forged
Compression: Optional based on application (altitude, cam, and fuel octane)
Con Rods: Steel H-beam
Crank: Eagle forged 4.150 stroke
Cam: Hughes Engines hydraulic flat-tappet
Cyl Heads: Edelbrock aluminum, HP Stage I porting, 2.14/1.81-inch valves
Intake: Edelbrock Victor 440 single-plane intake
Power: 611 hp, 630 lb-ft (Stage I)
Cost: $10,950
