Thread: Best Crate engine for your money?

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Am looking at possibly purchasing a crate engine to switch out the 383 I presently have.Am after a 350 that would run on pump gas low octane and be in the 3-350 HP range.Nothing fancy,just after reliability with a possible warranty.Any suggestions of reputable builders.I saw a flyer at Hot August nights from Jasper and I know there are a bunch out there.Also any out CA way as shipping could be a factor.Thanks
Roger

Hope you don't mine Roger,want to learn from your decision to swap out the 383.

what heads ? have a new nice dart SHP 350 blocks that i can build up from 350 and past 400 shipping is not bad. i just shipped 8 454 short blocks out of colorado

"Crate Engine" used to mean a brand new engine from an OEM that came complete, "..in a crate" but the term has been picked up by the mass rebuilders and there are a lot of horror stories out there - rod & main caps left loose in the pan, improper or no torque, etc. When I was looking I evolved to a machine shop that I felt I could trust to build it right. He had basic "crate engine" packages if that met your desires, but as we talked I started asking about increased value, where I could spend $100 more and make a lot of difference in output and reliability. Today I would either go back to Scotty Sehr at Sehr Performance in SD, or call Pat McCarthy or Jerry Clayton and pay the crating & shipping charge to CA vs buying a generic "crate" job. You'll get a good engine plus peace of mind knowing it's done right, and you can get exactly what you want. Just my $0.02.

So I don't count? Just kidding as we are pretty backed up

A GM crate engine from scoggins dickey in Lubbock Texas. Priced right and Gm warranty. My two pennys

yep i am to i am just one guy but i am getting there another month things should be more to the speed that i like to work at .Yes jerry you count

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

So I don't count? Just kidding as we are pretty backed up

Sorry, Jerry! Pat was on my mind because he asked the question about heads immediately before my post. You for sure count, too!!

Originally Posted by sg4356

A GM crate engine from scoggins dickey in Lubbock Texas. Priced right and Gm warranty. My two pennys

AND guess who screwed some of them things together for them ?at GT Performance in lubbock Tx some good looking Irish guy on here ok the truth is i only did five or six i was only there for a month to hot for me 110 in the shop to hot

we got a LS7 block from them that had been dropped and broke the bell housing area---had evidently been returned to them as it wasn't in the usual GM crate/box

Did they replace it?

We refused it from Fed Ex--wasn't in the right box--we are very careful about the parts we get as we generally find if the packaging looks like its been opened, its probably a return for some reason---sometimes just in wrong box as people will order new part and return wrong part--

Gary I was told that the engine in the A is a 383,but I have yet to find out if it actually is.My plans were to get a fairly stock 350 so that I can get the car running while I then build the 383 over a longer period of time as from how it is performing I think there maybe some internal issues.My goal is to have a reliable fun little car that I am happy to drive any distance with the minimal of issues.Am now also looking at changing the 700R4 out to a turbo 350 as I am not happy with the stiff shift changes that i get between 1-2nd.As for Pat and Jerry am open to suggestions on what you might be able to come up with as I would assume it is a pretty tough market on seeing some of these prices on the crates with warranties.

Originally Posted by Blow by

Gary I was told that the engine in the A is a 383,but I have yet to find out if it actually is.My plans were to get a fairly stock 350 so that I can get the car running while I then build the 383 over a longer period of time as from how it is performing I think there maybe some internal issues.My goal is to have a reliable fun little car that I am happy to drive any distance with the minimal of issues.Am now also looking at changing the 700R4 out to a turbo 350 as I am not happy with the stiff shift changes that i get between 1-2nd.As for Pat and Jerry am open to suggestions on what you might be able to come up with as I would assume it is a pretty tough market on seeing some of these prices on the crates with warranties.

well when you push junk out the door its not hard to give you a warranty better look at the fine print as most are built with cheap junk so there is a good mark up but then it may last ..but if you pull it whats your time worth ? i warranty my builds if i do some thing wrong not if you do has a owner of a shop and i only do the work .my over head is lower then a 10 man shop . i have more control of work. you did not really say were you want to be at for price ? a 350 gm one pc seal roller engine GM iron crank reground . recon wide beam rods with ARP bolts or all new parts? with RHS vtec heads ?or PBM heads. cast pistons. hyper. forged.for the out put any of the pistons listed would work but cost will go up BUT when all said and done a 383 will not cost any more money if your building with new parts cast steel crank and hyper pistons would get the job done

Roger,

You just answered my question before I asked it, are you a mind reader. My question was going to be "why go from a 383 sbc stroker to a 350"? The 700R4 I would keep, but that is just me. It really is a great box and IMHO a much better choice for its features than the TH350.

On crate engines, repears has a good memory. We used to only refer factory GM, Ford, Mopar crated engines as crate engines. I hope someone here can give some feedback on Scott Shafiroff's engines. He has one that I think would be a great engine for my Track-T. All aluminum 427 EFI sbc, 525 hp @ 5600 and 550 lb/ft @ 4200, and dyno curves that almost assure a great engine "personality".