Big-Block Crate Engines, Big Power Shipped To Your Door

When it was introduced in 1965, Chevrolet’s Mark IV big-block was an instant success. Not only has it become an iconic engine, but it truly is a fixture at just about any race, cruise night, or car show. Although the then-new 396 cubic-inch engine made its debut in the Corvette, and some larger Chevrolet passenger cars like the Impala, today it has been stuffed between the fenders of just about every Chevrolet model ever built.

When it was new, the strange valve layout in the cylinder heads – as compared to the already popular small-block engine, looked odd to consumers, but allowed the engine to combust the air/fuel mixture more efficiently, and that made the big-block a great powerhouse that was capable of relatively high engine RPM capability, despite its longer stroke. The big-block Chevy is so popular in fact, that there are some people that even consider them out of reach, and rightfully so. Let’s face it, the difference in value between a small-block and a big-block equipped Chevelle, Camaro, Nova, or Impala can be quite distant.

Big block, Big-Block

Even if your Chevy didn’t come from the factory with a big-block, you can make it the envy of the cruise night with a crate engine.

When looking for an engine for your ride, it’s not like you can go to a salvage yard and pick up a used big-block Chevy for $1 per cubic-inch anymore. We actually did a little research online, and we found that even a 454 cubic-inch engine that needs a complete rebuild typically sells for roughly $800 to $1,000. If you figure that the cost of rebuilding a used engine is continuing to get more expensive, you have a viable reason as to why many people are turning to crate engines for powering their rides.

Setting Parameters

Not long ago we put together a small-block crate engine guide, and people really liked it, so we figured that assembling a big-block guide could be just as helpful. Much like our small-block crate engine guide, we decided that we would focus on engines that were streetable, yet possessed enough horsepower to allow them to propel down the 1/4-mile on occasion, and not embarrass the car owner.

But, before we could say what designates a streetable engine, we needed to come up with some parameters. We could have arbitrarily stated what we feel constitutes a streetable engine, but we realized that would get a lot of comments our way, so we decided to be diplomatic. We asked our Facebook followers for their opinion, and man did we get some opinions. But, James Johanson told us, “The perfect big-block street engine runs a carburetor, is naturally-aspirated, and runs on pump gas.” A lot of people expressed similar opinions, so that sounded like a good place to start.

big block

When you pry the lid off of the crate, it can be Christmas any day of the year.

With the basis for our research in hand, we reached out to Edelbrock, Engine Factory, CNC-MotorsportsProformance Unlimited, Shafiroff Racing Engines, and Smeding Performance. Each builder has been delivering high-horsepower engines to consumers for years, so we were confident in their abilities.

Tall Deck Or Standard Deck

Big-block Chevy engines come in two deck heights (measurement from the crankshaft centerline to the head mounting surface), standard deck height is 9.8 inches, and tall-deck height is 10.2 inches. Truck (industrial) blocks are typically tall deck. The tall deck requires a wider intake manifold, and the headers are positioned higher than that of a standard deck, which can cause clearance issues. A tall deck allows for more stroke, allowing bigger cubic-inch displacements.

A standard-deck block allows the use of stock parts and accessories, and will usually fit into the engine bay with less modifications.

Crate engines are a popular alternative for good reason: they take the guesswork out of choosing the right parts, and they negate the user from finding a used engine and having to haul the hopefully rebuildable engine all over town to have it rebuilt. We’re even helping to make it easier by putting together this list of reputable crate engine manufacturers, so all you need to do is use your Smartphone or computer and order exactly what you need. After that, just sit back and wait for the Big Brown Truck to pull into your driveway.

One nice thing about ordering a crate engine is that the choices are virtually endless. You can order anything from a stock replacement mill to a race-ready monster. You just need to be realistic about what you need. Before you ever make a decision about the engine, we suggest that you first call the supplier and discuss your needs and wants with them. They are a neutral party and will make sure you get exactly what you need.

As evidenced in this guide, not all crate engines are created equal. When looking to purchase, there are a few tips that can help you get just what you need.

For starters, when it comes to power ratings, everyone seems to be hung up on high horsepower numbers. Unless your car is only driven with the throttle pedal bolted to the floor, why not look at average horsepower? When you hear someone talk about power under the curve, they are referring to the average horsepower produced throughout the engine’s total operating RPM range.

The perfect big-block street engine runs a carburetor, is naturally-aspirated, and runs on pump gas. – James Johanson

As an example, let’s say we have two engines: one engine produces a power curve that is really steep, while the other engine has a power curve that is slow and steady. Even if both engines produce the same peak power, the engine with the broader curve will be both more fun to drive, and usually quicker at the track. That’s because when you shift gears, the engine with the smoothly-shaped torque curve will be making more horsepower throughout the entire RPM range, not just at peak RPM. For this reason, the average horsepower (under the curve), is a much more effective way of gauging how well an engine will perform for a given application than peak torque or horsepower. All horsepower numbers are just a figure that is actually calculated from a mathematical equation derived from torque readings. For instance, when you push the throttle pedal to the floor, it is not horsepower that you feel, it is actually torque. Always remember, torque moves mass and horsepower is what keeps it moving.

camaro_3

Everyone dreams of big power for their car.

To get you pointed in the right direction on your quest for the perfect crate engine, we’ve put together a small guide to some of the latest offerings from several reputable builders. While this is just a short list, the various offerings should give you an idea of the wide range of engines available.

You might notice that the prices vary considerably, and that is not a reflection of the quality of a given engine. All of these engines are built with high-quality parts, but the price variation is due to the given parameters of each engine, as well as accessory items that are available. The best advice we can give you is to contact each of the manufacturers we have listed to discuss your needs and get the best engine for your application.

Shafiroff Racing

Low-Deck Leader

Twisted 615

If you’re one of those who believes there’s nothing new that you can do with a standard low-deck big-block Chevy, think again. Shafiroff Racing unleashed its 615 cubic-inch low-deck monster. According to Tom Tilford at Shafiroff, “This is not a cookie-cutter engine.” That sounds like a fair statement, as each engine starts with a Dart Big M low-deck block with splayed four-bolt main caps. Next on the list is a Manley 4340-steel crankshaft with 4.625 inches of stroke, and K1 H-beam steel connecting rods. Mounted to these are JE or SRP coated pistons (depending on application). All together, the compression ratio comes in at a pump-friendly 10.9:1.

615_twisted crop

Inside the block is a Comp Cams custom street-friendly solid-roller camshaft. Up top is a set of rectangle port aluminum Brodix BB3X 380 cylinder heads that are CNC-ported, supporting a Merlin X intake manifold. The engine is internally balanced and comes with a verifiable dyno sheet. Horsepower: 925 at 6,200 rpm. Torque: 830 lb-ft at 5,200 rpm.

It’ll Cost You: $16,750

Smeding Performance

Going To The Extreme

540 Extreme

When we asked Don Sutherland of Smeding Performance which engine he thought would best represent the most enthusiasts, he recommended this engine. The 540 extreme might not make the most horsepower in our guide, but according to Sutherland, “Our 540 Extreme is a good choice in the fact that it has very usable power and torque between 2,500 and 5,500 rpm, which is perfect for street driving, and it can handle a Saturday night at the drags.”

540 extreme cropThis engine will bolt into the place of a 396, 427, or 454 in a weekend, and the customer will be beaming with pride when he pulls up the pump for 91-octane fuel.” What’s more, since this engine will fit where any standard-deck big-block fits, that means that headers and other accessories will bolt right up.

The engine uses a proven combination of top-quality parts like a standard-height Dart block with four-bolt mains, and a 4340-steel, internally balanced crankshaft with 4.250 inches of stroke. Connecting the crankshaft to the forged pistons are 6.385-inch H-beam rods made of 4340 steel. With a 10.0:1 compression ratio, this truly is pump gas friendly.

The camshaft is a custom-ground hydraulic roller with .544/.573-inch lift and 238/248 degrees of duration at .050-inch lift. Up top are a pair of Smeding-prepped AFR cylinder heads with 305cc intake ports, 2.25/1.88-inch valves, and 119cc chambers. Finishing it off is an Edelbrock Performer RPM Air-Gap intake, and a Quick Fuel 850 cfm double-pumper carburetor. The engine is calibrated and tuned, and comes with a limited 3-year, unlimited mileage warranty. Horsepower: 620 at 5,800 rpm. Torque: 680 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm.

It’ll cost you: $11,995

Engine Factory

Triple Nickel Tire Fryer

555/675

A  family-run business since 1969, Engine Factory takes pride in ensuring its customers get exactly what they want. Owner Bruce Nelson told us, “We can custom-build any engine to your specifications, be it something basic to show quality.” With that philosophy in mind, each 555/675 engine is assembled and live-run tested for 45 minutes by ASE-certified engine builders, and each engine is guaranteed to run, right out of the crate.”

EF 555

Shown with optional billet accessory drive.

The build starts with an all-new Dart block with four-bolt mains, that receives a new, Eagle 4340-steel crankshaft, forged steel H-beam connecting rods, and Mahle forged pistons to create a 10.4:1 compression ratio. Reliability is built in, by using a Comp Cams hydraulic-roller camshaft with .588/.594-inch lift, and 240/248 degrees of duration at .050-inch lift. Up top are Dart Pro 1 aluminum cylinder heads with 2.25/1.88-inch severe duty stainless steel valves. Feeding this streetable beast is a Holley 880 cfm carburetor on a Dart intake manifold.

Just to make sure the engine delivers everything you need, it also comes with a new high-flow water pump, fuel pump, MSD race-prepped distributor, spark plugs, Taylor 8 mm plug wires, high-torque mini starter, and SFI-approved damper and automatic transmission flexplate (standard flywheel extra $250). Horsepower: 675 at 6,000. Torque: 660 lb-ft at 4,500.

It’ll Cost You: $17,295

Proformance Unlimited

Beyond A Big-Block

632/800

If you’re looking for an engine that can turn tires into asphalt crayons, then look no further than Proformance’s big-block stroker. With 632 cubic-inches, this engine combination was designed for the enthusiast looking for the ultimate in street/strip performance, while burning pump gas. The tall-deck Dart block is filled with A forged-steel crankshaft with a 4.750-inch stroke.

Proformacne 632

H-beam connecting rods with ARP bolts hold the rotating assembly together. Altogether, this combination comes in at an amazing 10.0:1 compression ratio. The hydraulic-roller camshaft is custom ground for the specific application’s intended usage, so you will need to talk with the guys at the shop. A set of Air Flow Research (AFR) cylinder heads are ported and support the Edelbrock Victor intake manifold and Holley Ultra HP carburetor. The engine comes complete and is ready to run. You can even check out this video of the Proformance engine making a dyno pull. Horsepower: 800 at 5,850 rpm. Torque: 857 lb-ft. at 4,550 rpm

It’ll Cost You: $15,990

Edelbrock Performance

Streetable Monster

Edelbrock/Musi 555

The Edelbrock/Musi 555 crate engine is an extremely powerful big-block package built on a standard deck height Dart block with a 4.560-inch bore and four-bolt mains. The rotating assembly consists of a steel Scat crankshaft with a 4.250-inch stroke, Scat H-beam connecting rods, and JE pistons. Altogether, the engine has a 10.0:1 compression ratio. The camshaft is an Edelbrock Rollin’ Thunder hydraulic roller with .632/.648-inch lift, and 248/256 degrees duration at.050-inch lift.

49550left

A pair of Edelbrock E-CNC cylinder heads are CNC-ported, and deliver excellent airflow for your street performance and light-duty racing engine. Since this is a standard-deck block and the exhaust ports are in the stock location, off-the-shelf headers will bolt right on. The intake manifold is a single-plane Victor 454R, and the carburetor is an 800 cfm Edelbrock Thunder Series AVS. According to Eric Blakely at Edelbrock, “This engine is ideal for any enthusiast who’s looking for a potent big-block Chevy that makes big power, but still retains great driveability for cruising.” While no water pump is included, is does come with a distributor, break-in oil, and a two-year unlimited mileage warranty. Horsepower: 676 at 6,000 rpm. Torque: 649 lb-ft. at 4,500 rpm.

It’ll Cost You: $15,770

CNC-Motorsports

Potent Pro Street Power

555/770

CNC-Motorsports is a name that is synonymous with delivering high-quality engines and performance parts for for performance enthusiasts. They are a true one-stop shop to find high quality, high-performance parts. Their submission in our guide is this big-block that according to Chris Carlson, “This engine runs on 91 octane pump gas. It is a nice engine because it still uses a hydraulic-roller camshaft, so you don’t need to worry about setting valves before you take it out, and the valvetrain will last longer.” CNC-Motorsports copy

The foundation is a standard deck-height Dart Big M sportsman block, with an Eagle 4340 forged-steel crankshaft and steel H-beam connecting rods. Building the 10.5:1 compression ratio is a set of Diamond Racing forged pistons. The roller stick features a proprietary grind, so we can’t tell you much, other than it helps make a ton of power. Sealing the bores is a set of Brodix BB3 Xtra O aluminum cylinder heads that deliver excellent airflow to make all that power. Helping deliver the needed fuel from the carburetor is a Brodix single-plane intake manifold. Finally, other parts like Clevite bearings, a Kevko oil pan with a Melling oil pump, Cloyes billet timing chain, Comp Cams two piece aluminum front cover, Jomar Stud girdles, ARP head studs, Fel-Pro gaskets, and a Pro/Sport SFI harmonic damper ensure you have a quality engine that will do everything you need. (The carburetor and distributor are available separately.) Horsepower: 770 at 6,500 rpm. Torque: 697 lb-ft. at 5,350 rpm.

It’ll Cost You: $13,299.95

front of car no motor

Why are you still walking out to your garage and looking at your classic Chevy sitting there without an engine? It’s time to decide what your car needs, and to make contact with the engine builders on our list so you can get your classic on the road to smoke those tires!

Article Sources

About the author

Randy Bolig

Randy Bolig has been working on cars and has been involved in the hobby ever since he bought his first car when he was only 14 years old. His passion for performance got him noticed by many locals, and he began helping them modify their vehicles.
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