for the few here that think they are special because they "build" their engines, which really means they assemble them at best, I spent $950 to have my engine assembled by a PROFESSIONAL engine builder, one of the best in the country building bracket as well super class and TD/TS engines. Meanwhile I spent over $30K on parts, machine work and dyno time.

That's what your merit badge is worth , have at it!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 1320racer,

I guess I have to turn in my man card and go back to riding a bicycle with cards in the spokes.

if you can't afford $950 to have a PROFESSIONAL race engine builder assemble your junk, you've got no business staging your car!

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
for the few here that think they are special because they "build" their engines, which really means they assemble them at best, I spent $950 to have my engine assembled by a PROFESSIONAL engine builder, one of the best in the country building bracket as well super class and TD/TS engines. Meanwhile I spent over $30K on parts, machine work and dyno time.

That's what your merit badge is worth , have at it!

All that and it just breaks 7.0....

Jealous haters gonna hate. You ain’t got anything quicker or faster

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
Jealous haters gonna hate. You ain’t got anything quicker or faster

HeII, my old B/D hanging in the rafters ran 7.0's 20 yrs ago... HEY that's an idea ! Maybe you'll have the guts to come out west and race a 345ci SBC dragster for real money.....You're obviously afraid of my big block car...and you're over a 100ci bigger than it...

Come on, that would be a great race....just bring a couple phone books to sit on so you can see over the dash. Do you even have a license to drive that digger?

I started building my own engines, transmissions and differentials when I was in my early teens. I have all the machine work done by a local shop that I've used for decades but the actual assembly is done by the same person, me. I love the work!

Bob

*Chirp* *Chirp*

Nothing but crickets

quote:

Originally posted by RPROGAS:
I started building my own engines, transmissions and differentials when I was in my early teens. I have all the machine work done by a local shop that I've used for decades but the actual assembly is done by the same person, me. I love the work!

Bob

Did you get permission from know nothing Ed, before proceeding to build your own power plant?

Maybe you didn't, and this is why know nothing Ed is so sour?

I build everything in house, always have, It's what brought me to drag racing after watching Garlits do it, growing up.

It's the measure, how good does your own engine run.

Drag racing is an individual sport.

Ed is a know nothing poser.

For me it wasn't the money, but the enjoyment, satisfaction and sense of accomplishment of building my own stuff.

Like my current project, putting together a mid 10 second bracket car that is anything but ordinary.

I have always built my own engine. And up until 14 years ago that included doing all the machine work except crankshaft/rotating assembly balance. I got burned out and left the shop I was at and now work for a large manufacturer. I am getting to the point I miss the engine work but have no plans to return to it other than my own stuff or helping friends. It’s been a long time but I even got the opportunity to work on what was at the time, the quickest and fastest top fuel drag bike in the world.

I can't do the machine work, but I do everything else. I have all the proper tools to measure, inspect, adjust, etc....I do it because I enjoy it, and because my engine guy here is usually so booked that I'd miss races because of it. There's nothing really difficult about it if you have the right tools and don't get in a rush, check everything....and check it again...and like Bender, I like the sense of accomplishment. Car runs low 7's on motor alone at 8500ft + DA, so it can't be all bad....there are similar cars to mine on the mountain running high dollar pro built engines that can't get out of the 7.50-60's without nitrous....and I know of a few of those that are over 100 lbs lighter than me too.....

Not thumping my chest at all either, just stating facts....

This one just expired, I recently heard.

I did it in 2013, got freshened in 2019 "pro engine builder" in NC.

Sad, it was a good one RIP.

Did the transmission too, for chitz & giggles, while I was at it.

I'd out run Ed off the trailer, with his own car, easily.

Ed is a know nothing poser.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Rietow,

1320 likes to stir up ****, which is fine. Some people like a 60 year old clown, others don't like his immature mentality.

I bought my GM ZZ4 from Mcguire Chevrolet in 1999. I paid $3250. It has served me well. At one point I was racing four nights a week. Only had two issues, head gasket and oil pump pickup rotated from my 1.60 sixty foots! No lifter failures, no leaving rods on the track, no rocker issues,.. I have ran it on pump gas, E85 and alky. Carbed and MFI.

I do race S/PRO going mid 11's ¼ mile in a cut up shyt box Chevelle with dents in every panel. It has served me well though. I'm also a broke ass something, something. I'm sure 1320 will tell you.

I'm thinking I'm money ahead of 1320 in cost vs winnings. Crank, rods, pistons camshaft lifters have never been out of my engine since purchased in 1999. I did put a new oil pump in when I had the pick up issue.

Not sure why this thread was started but I thought I would play along.

1320racer you make a very good point. If someone cant afford $950.00 to have a race motor assembled they need to re-think their program. That being said their are some of use that have gathered the right tools, stayed up on new tech, up to date torque wrenches, the best stretch guages,bore guages, and been doing our own for forty five years. You are right about the machine work and I have it done for me and have the equipment to double check upon recieving the parts back. I can not check the balancing so I have to take their word. I worked in a machine shop. I still have friends that work for them also and I can still use some of the equipment. But as far as the $950 goes most likely the average weekly wages for the people on here is probabaly about $1600 give or take as I said average. I would not be comfortable if it was qouted for labor $950 to assemble a new race motor (all new) start to finish. I would not do it for that and would not expect anyone else to do it for that. Too cheap like the Macco of auto painting. Now $1800-$2500 start to finish is more in line. Blocks,heads,internals,etc. from brand name companys still have to be inspected and checked after recieving. We as racers have been blessed with the parts selection at this time we can purchase to make as much (with in reason) H/P as we want. But is a 1300 h/p bracket car going to win more than a 1100 h/p bracket car or a 1000 h/p going to win more than a 900 h/p etc. you all get the picture. Most kind of get comfortable at an e.t. and stay there and look for that repetable e.t. every time out. My transmissions and rears are also done right here at my shop. Same thing get the tools and get the know how and you will never forget as they can not take knowledge away from a person. Bottom line thats a great deal and good job on getting them to do it for 950 but you probably have had them do other work so you have history with them as being a good customer. I think I saw you went 7.30s a week ago first time out great job. Keep the E.T's posted as there may be some 7.20s in that combo with a rool the dice converter.

SLICKSTER, went 6.96 first time out on the 3rd hit and I've never worked with PAR before.

That said, anyone with a few special tools and the desire can bolt together a BBC engine today making upwards of 1300+HP, it's no big deal, ALL the parts are available to all with the coin no mind bolting together the nothing special 700HP sbc that retard rietow brags about and it certainly doesn't require superior athletic skills or a PH.D. to set/check clearances, gaps, torque bolts and degree a cam, just the right tools and patience.

yes there a few here that assemble their own because they have the time and enjoy it like Bob aka RPROGAS, Al aka TOP38, Big Steve and Paul aka adv ET 266 before he retired from racing. Fewer yet here like Rich aka SCDIV1 are/were engine builders but for the few here that brag about it, wanting recognition and a merit badge, the truth is they do it because they have, assembling nothing special engines. Then we have special needs retard rietow who thinks he's smarter, thinks he's better than the PROFESSIONALS yet no bracket racer, class racer of any note runs anything assembled by him.

Me and thousands of other racers every year choose to have our engines built, rebuilt by PROFESSIONALS, because we can, because our time is worth more $, because machine shops are far and few to be dragging our parts to, because they stock many if not all of the parts needed, because they earned their reputation on the track and over decades for building reliable championship caliber engines and with the cost of assembly only being around $1,000, we think it's foolish to "build" our own.

So I state it again for the broke dycks, if you can't afford $950 to have a PROFESSIONAL race engine builder assemble your junk, you've got no business staging your car!

New rock n roll from Chevelle

Noting all the effort from technocrats underway, for Mars.

The upside to doing it yourself, you put eyes/hands on everything. Until my current engine shop Ive always felt like I got the “what ya need to hear” from shops. I had less then stellar long term luck with consistent results of engines having the same end results with performance/longevity.

Last year I purchased a complete engine built by a reputable company and after not so great track results it turned into a pricey mess to fix this past winter. My point is the cost of assembling is void to some people just to verify it’s setup to where they’d like, its on them if something isn’t right at that point. If your lucky enough to find a shop you trust, the cost means nothing IMO it’s the peace of mind at really any cost.

RIP