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It's actually more expensive to build a large
displacement engine with a "good old block"
than it is to build an even bigger engine with a modern
block. If you start with a 4.250-inch bore block, you'll
spend big bucks on a 4.250-inch stroke crankshaft to end
up with 496 cubic inches. It's a much better deal to buy
a new block that can be bored to 4.600-inch diameter and
use a readily available 4.00-inch stroke crank. This
combination gives you 530 cubic inches, along with all
of the performance benefits of a big-bore/short stroke
engine.
Some
racers insist that they can save money by reusing an old
block, yet many of these same people won't hesitate to
buy new aluminum cylinder heads, intake manifolds and
carburetors that cost much more than a new big-bore
block. In reality, an aftermarket block is a bargain
because it's the structure that supports all of the
other components. You'll be able to realize the
performance potential of competition heads, manifolds
and camshafts much more easily with a big-bore block
than with a production casting.
I still see magazine articles about using seasoned
blocks. Well, I can't think of a single valid reason to
use any old block in racing today. Scouring junkyards
for blocks was
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something
we did years ago because there wasn't anything else
available. Now, however, the speed equipment industry
has advanced to the point that you can get virtually
anything you need - including state-of-the-art
big-blocks.
Sinking money into a vintage
block is like trying to make your old computer work with
the latest software. It wouldn't make sense to hop up an
IBM 286 to run Windows XP software - not when you can
buy a brand-new computer that's less expensive and
already designed to use sophisticated programs. Smart
racers don't use outdated computers, so why would they
use antique engine blocks?
I'm not trying to push
aftermarket blocks, but I am trying to help racers get
the right parts. If you analyze the long-term costs and
benefits, you'll see that you can actually get more
performance and reliability for less money with a modern
big-bore block.
My advice is to sell that
"good old block" to a car restorer and use the
money to buy a contemporary casting. And if you just
can't bear to part with your cherished block, I suggest
you use it as a coffee table.
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