THIS ENGINE IS BUILT WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE PARTS WITH CONSIDERATION TO KEEPING THE COST OF THIS ENGINE REASONABLE. WE’VE REVIEWED WHAT THE COMPETITION IS OFFERING, AND WE’RE CONVINCED THAT WE ARE OFFERING THE BEST VALUE FOR THE MONEY.

We offer this engine with selected upgrades. Listed below are some of the most requested ones. Many not only improve performance, but further enhance the reliability and longevity of your engine, along with resale value. Most of these upgrades are low in cost considering the benefits they offer.

(opens in new tab)

Race balancing: This is for those who want the engine to operate virtually vibration free at high rpm. Extends engine life and frees up a few more horse power. This is a somewhat labor intensive procedure and is not required, but the feel of an absolutely vibration free engine at high rpm is desirable by many. The standard balance job that is included with this assembly at no extra charge is certainly sufficient. With a race balance job, all pistons and rods are match weighed to within 2/10’s of a gram or less, and the final balance is brought down to around 1 gram plus or minus. An ultra smooth engine at high rpm has a noticeable feel and sound to it. If you do not opt for this upgrade, the assembly will still be fully balanced. We spend a good hour and a half doing the regular balance work, and it will certainly meet your needs.

Cost of this race balancing upgrade is $125.00 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the “UPGRADES” category, or simply do a search with the key word, “Upgrade” in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

(opens in new tab)

SCAT H-BEAM RODS WITH ARP 2000 BOLT: Recommended for those running hard. The Scat Competition rods that come with this assembly are sufficient for most street rod uses, but the Scat H-Beam series rods offer more security against rod breakage under hard use, and they have the huge ARP-2000 7/16’s cap screws. The scat h-beam rods with the ARP 2000 rod bolts have an 800+ Hp rating, and the slight cost to upgrade is well worth it in our opinion. The cost of this upgrade is $150.00.

(opens in new tab)

Scat 4340 Forged Crank: The forged Scat crank has a rating of 800+ HP. This is the ultimate upgrade for those wanting to run hard. Nos, blowers, turbos, are not an issue with this crank. Even without such power adders, this Crank offers great protection under the most severe conditions. This upgrade also comes with the HP high Performance King bearings. Should you decide to run power adders in the future, this would be essential. The fatigue life of the 4340 crank over the cast nodular is also greatly extended. We do offer this upgrade as part of many of our assemblies in some of our other listings. They have the key words, “fully forged,” in the title.

Cost of this forged crank upgrade is $585.00 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the “UPGRADES” category, or simply do a search with the key word, “Upgrade” in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  Click here to add upgrades.(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)

Internal (neutral) balanced front. This low cost upgrade is the next best thing to an internal balanced crank. This Scat crank is similar in design to the one offered in this assembly, but it has an internal (neutral) balanced front. Running a crank that is neutral balanced in the front will allow the use of a non-weighted front damper. This will eliminate the additional mass from a weighted damper. Replacing the damper, if it’s ever needed, becomes a simple procedure, and assures that the balancing is not affected. It’s well known that under high rpm conditions, the front of the crank on externally balanced engines is at risk of breaking much more than those with an internal setup.

Cost of the internally balanced front crank is $89.50 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the “UPGRADES” category, or simply do a search with the key word, “Upgrade” in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  Click here to add upgrades.(opens in new tab)

Holley Sniper EFI Self-Tuning Fuel Injection System. This has become a very popular upgrade on many of our engines. For those not wanting to deal with the potential quirks of a carburetor, this is the way to go. Drivability becomes greatly improved over a carb. Startup and warm-up are also greatly improved. Tuning stays spot on. These systems make it very easy to tweak the tuning on your engine to better serve your application. Our engine room crew has found the Holley Sniper system to be a very straightforward setup. Some of our customers have requested the Fitech system, and we find them to be an inferior product in many ways to the Holley Sniper system. The customer service offered by Fitech also has been a very poor experience for us. There is no comparison in the way the two systems function, nor in the way they are set up. The Holley system is 100% made in the USA and that is not the case with the Fitech system. The Holley system has a slightly higher cost, but is well worth it, in our very strong opinion. Our company founder, Skip White, stated that he has no problems with running a carb on a street rod engine, but the ability to tune the engine to perfection and the fact that fuel metering is so perfect with the EFI system has changed how he thinks an engine should receive its fuel and air. The difference in drive between the two is vast, to say the least.  

Cost for this upgrade is calculated by taking the retail difference between the carburetor that comes with this engine and the retail cost of the Holley Sniper EFI System. This is a great value with many benefits, in our opinion. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the “UPGRADES” category, or simply do a search with the key word, “Upgrade” in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  Click here to add upgrades.(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)

Dyno Tuning (Carbureted Engines): This is one of the most important upgrade/options we offer. There are many benefits to this service. The engine is first run at fast idle to bring the water and oil temp up to normal operating temperature. It is then run for approx. 20 minutes under a simulated load at around 3k rpm to promote initial ring seating. After this, the engine is shut down to allow us to check the readings on the spark plugs, and for any possible oil leaks. This cool down is considered part of the engine’s first heat cycle. We then follow up with multiple low to medium rpm runs to further the break-in process of all the moving parts in the engine. During these multiple runs, we are paying close attention to the EGT (exhaust gas temp) readings, vacuum pump readings, oil temp and pressure, coolant temp, and overall engine sound. At this point, we start the actual dyno tuning process and this focuses around the air to fuel ratio numbers and what timing numbers produce peak power. We usually have to change carb. jetting several times, adjust the idle circuits, and the air-bleeds occasionally have to be changed. We then establish the engine’s full horse power and torque numbers at a given rpm limit.

Having your engine dyno tuned will allow it to run at its absolute best, and is very important in protecting the engine from potential damage caused by the carburetor running excessively rich or lean. This also establishes the engine’s hp output and max rpm. These numbers are very important to know. There is one more value that we consider just as important to what we have mentioned above. An engine that has been dyno tuned has also been validated to be in perfect operating condition. This is something that running the engine on a test mule can’t provide. Any problems the engine may have will show up during the dyno tuning process. We have on rare occasion seen a popular combination show hp numbers that were not where they should be. Some of these problems give no indication other than reduced hp numbers. We find and fix such problems. The problem may be something simple and easy to find and in some cases very difficult to pinpoint. We will not send the engine out until it’s perfect. If you choose not to purchase the dyno tuning package, we will still do a test mule run, as many engine builders do, and it certainly is better than nothing but pales in comparison to a full dyno tuning. When engines are dyno tuned, the chances of you having a problem are near non-existent. Unforeseen problems may still occur, but they are rare. We have kept the cost on this extensive procedure low to not only make it affordable, but it gives us great peace of mind knowing the engine will be in perfect operating condition when it is received. The cost to do a repair once the engine is installed can be very expensive for both us as the seller and for the customer. When you see the final dyno run of your engine on youtube, consider the fact that approximately five man hours, around $25.00 worth of fuel, oil and filter, and $105K worth of dyno equipment went into making that one minute final test run video.

Cost of the full dyno tune option for carbureted engines is $360.00 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the “UPGRADES” category, or simply do a search with the key word, “Upgrade” in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this engine, you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  Click here to add upgrades.(opens in new tab)

Cost of the full dyno tune option for engines with EFI fuel systems will be $100 more.

Pictured below is one of our actual Super Flow dyno’s. This is a 2016 model and highly advanced compared to the much older models many shops have. We have two of these in use at our shop.

(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)

If you purchase a starter from us you will have to install it. There is no way for us to properly shim the starter (should it be needed) while the torque converter and transmission are not installed. The flexplate will change position when the transmission is installed and the torque converter is hooked up to the flexplate. Some flexplates have a slight amount of run-out/warpage when the trans. and torque converter are not connected to it. This makes correct starter installation difficult. Only when you have the torque converter mounted to the flexplate can you properly install and adjust the starter.  

Suggestion: While the engine is out of the car, still mounted on the engine stand, bolt up your torque converter to the flexplate. This will flatten out the flexplate to a great degree. Then, mount your starter on the engine. This is the only time you will have a birds eye view of the starter gear and ring gear from the back of the engine. You can see ifthe proper amount of mesh is there. 

It’s possible that once the transmission is installed and the torque converter is hooked up to the flexplate, the position of the ring gear may move a slight bit more. The transmission shaft centers up to the torque converter, and this causes the flexplate to further change shape slightly. This may alter your initial starter adjustment, and if it does, you may need to do a light adjustment once the transmission is installed.

You may not find a problem with any of the items mentioned above, but considering the small amount of time it takes to check them, we find it to be a valuable preventive measure. 

As it’s been said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Continue reading for more detailed information on timing and carburetion. You must follow the recommendations listed below.

Tuning, maintenance, and oil recommendations.             

This engine must be maintained with oil specifically designed for high performance engines. The life of the engine can be greatly extended if you run a race grade engine oil such as our Schaeffer brand racing oil. We strongly recommend the Schaeffer Micron Moly 20w-50 grade in warm to hot weather. The part number for this oil is 0191-012, or you may run the 10w-30 weight Schaeffer Supreme 7000 series semi synthetic oil in cooler weather. The part number for this oil is 709-012 for the full case. After the engine is fully broken in, you may move over the Schaeffer full synthetic oil. The Schaeffer brand oil is very highly rated. It is the only brand of oil we use when dyno tuning. Racing oil must be changed more often than conventional oil. Every 2000 miles or less would be optimal. We offer a full line of this oil in our other listings. 

Here is a brief outline of the average additive levels in the Schaeffer Oils as compared to Valvoline VR1. We only use Schaeffer 20w-50 oil in our dyno room, and strongly recommend its use in our engines. The 10W-30 7000 series oil is totally acceptable to use once the engine is broke in especially in cool weather. The 20W-50 Micron Moly is also an excellent choice to use in warm weather. Continue reading for info on what type oil filters to use.

This engine does not come with oil in it. The oil that was used during the test run or dyno tuning will be drained as this is required by the shipping companies. We also prefer draining the oil as this gives us a chance to examine it for metal particles. The filter is removed and is also closely examined for metal particles or debris.

Oil Filter Recommendations 

Racing oil filters such as the Wix Racing oil filter may only be used after the engine is completely broken in and we would prefer that you stay with the 20W-50 Shaeffer oil when running the racing filter. These racing filters have a very loose media and provide very little resistance and a high oil flow volume, but due to the loose media, they don’t filter small particles of debris from the oil. They are only to be used on engines that do not see high mileage use, and have gone through one or two oil changes with low micron rated filters. 

To prevent oil from dripping onto the shipping pallet, we re-install an extended life high quality Summit oil filter. These filters are very good quality, and made by Purolator. This oil filter that we supply has an internal by-pass valve in it and is rated at 25 micron filtration. Run the oil and filter for a period of approx. 500 miles, and be sure to warm the engine up to complete operating temp before going above 2500 rpm. The part number for the Summit/Purolator oil filter we use is 127007 for the short version, and 127004 for the medium length. Wix Racing filter part number is 51061R for the medium length version, and 51069R for the short version. As mentioned the racing filters are ONLY to be used for reduced mileage driving, and must be changed along with the engine oil more often than the more restrictive filters. The racing filter is not to be used as the first filter on a brand new engine. 

You may wonder why we’re using an extended life oil filter but want it replaced in such a short period. These extended life oil filters are an excellent choice for a brand new engine. They have a much larger capacity for the higher amount of debris developed from the new engine. They also have better designed bypass valves and stronger cases on them. All of these features are essential to a brand new engine when debris levels are highest until the engine is fully broke-in.

Our engines are now equipped with a billet oil filter adapter that requires the use of an oil filter that has its own by-pass valve in it, unless you are using a true racing filter. The racing filters do not require the by-pass valve in them due to the fact they have such a loose media. Always opt for the medium length version, as this will help maintain oil pressure and volume much better than the short version. If your headers are an issue with the medium length filter, then the shorty version is acceptable.

(opens in new tab)   

Billet aluminum oil filter adapter.

Oil pressure of 50-60 lbs in the upper rpm range on a fully warmed up engine is nothing to worry about. You may also notice that oil pressure drops at idle to approx 25-30 lbs when the engine is fully warmed up during very hot weather. This is somewhat common and no cause for alarm. When the time comes to change your first oil filter, the Wix racing filter will most likely improve oil pressure. It will certainly improve oil flow, and GPM rating. The Wix Racing filters are a true racing filter, and have a micron rating of around 60. You will be required to change your oil and filter more frequently when using the Wix Racing filters. Around every 1500-2000 miles.

If your engine has a Dart block, then it has priority main oiling. This block routes the oil in a very different pathway compared to a GM block. The mains and rod bearings as well as the crankshaft are well protected with an ample supply of oil even when the oil pressure numbers are lower than you think they should be. 

There are many special additives in true race grade oils that are not in conventional oil. These additives are very valuable for high performance engines. Never add anything to racing oil. This oil has exactly what is needed to protect a high performance engine. Some of these oils will state that they are low or possibly non-detergent, and that is a desirable trait of racing oil.

The anti-foaming agents in race grade oils are much better than what you would find in conventional motor oil. Race grade oils have higher than normal amounts of the zinc compounds in them, and there are many components in the engine that can make great use of these additives.

This engine does not include a fuel pump. This engine is best suited to operate with an electric fuel pump, with a pressure regulator set at 5.5-6.5 psi. A chrome block off plate will be installed on the engine. We believe that the electric fuel pump system is a superior fuel delivery system compared to a mechanical system. If you decide to run a high volume mechanical fuel pump on this engine, then you must use the special Comp # 4607 fuel pump rod that we offer. We find this fuel pump rod to be suitable for most applications. We don’t recommend using any other brand as the likelihood of the bronze tip coming off is somewhat high. The Comp brand seems to be doing well for us. 

You must also use a fuel pressure regulator, and gauge, set to approx. 6.0-6.5 psi. Only use engine oils with high levels of zinc compounds in them when running a mechanical fuel pump. This will protect the eccentric fuel pump lobe on the camshaft. We strongly recommend the Schaeffer Racing oil. See our other listings for this oil. 

You must use a rev-limiter on this engine. Should you have a warranty issue, proof will be required.  A rev-limiter will allow you the freedom to drive without having to monitor the tach. Every car from the factory has this feature. Set the limiter to the peak hp rating of this engine or less for added protection. 

Engine break in: As soon as your engine is installed, check and reset the timing if needed.

Drive safely please but keep your engine under load more than normal and bring the rpm up and back down to seat the rings much better and faster. This allows the rings to expand in a perfect circle and with greater pressure against the cylinder walls to establish an even wear pattern. This is why race engines are dynoed: to put a good number of passes on the engine under heavy load, as this will partially seat the rings very quickly, making the engine somewhat ready for racing. Failing to do this not only delays the break-in, but can permanently stop the engine from establishing a good wear pattern on the cylinder walls.

If you have opted for our dyno-tuned version of this engine, then ring seating will be partially established. The dyno has a computer controlled break-in mode that we use before doing any dyno testing for power output. Should you opt for the dyno tuning package, it does not mean that your engine is ready for full synthetic racing oil. Your engine will continue to seat the rings in to an even higher degree after 300-500 miles of driving.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE.

You must prime your new oil filter. Priming is not needed when changing oil on a well broken-in warm engine that has been running moments before changing the oil. If your new engine has been sitting around for weeks, or possibly months, then you must prime the oil filter.

Some of our engines offer and extended capacity Champ oil pan that has kickouts that swell outward approx. 3 inches on each side and has a square flat bottom but depth is only about half an inch different from the stock style pan. If you think you will encounter clearance issues with the kickouts, we recommend opting for the stock appearing oil pan. This style pan will still be a Champ pan and will have the windage tray and crank scraper. We strongly recommend reducing the amount of oil used in these oil pans by approx. 1/4th to 1/2 a quart. Doing this may greatly reduce the chance of oil leaks, and reduce oil temps as well as other issues caused by windage. The larger counter weights used on stroker crankshafts create a large amount of windage and are why we recommend reducing the oil capacity in these engines.

Our engines include a dipstick. It’s very important that you re-calibrate the oil level marking on the dipstick. This is due to the fact that the dipstick, oil pan, and block are all made from various manufacturers and we often see great variances. Couple this with the fact that you may be running a reduced amount of oil, and the “full” mark on the dipstick will most likely not indicate correctly. Once you have put a predetermined amount of oil in your engine, and run it for a few minutes, let it sit for awhile on level ground, check the oil, and mark your dipstick with a flat file to re-establish the full mark if needed.

More tuning recommendations. Very important.

You must be sure that your air to fuel ratio is correct. We strongly recommend purchasing a fuel to air ratio monitor. Proper carb jetting is also a must. If you purchased the dyno package from us then the fuel to air ratio on your carburetor will be tuned within the safe ranges. 

If you are using your own carb. on this engine, then you must be sure the fuel to air ratio is correct. If your carb is running too lean, detonation is at your door.

If it is excessively rich, cylinder wash-down from excessive fuel will destroy your bore finish, pistons, and rings quickly, not to mention cause excessive fuel consumption.

A tad on the rich side is not a problem and can help resist detonation; a tad on the lean side will generate the most power and increase fuel mileage.

The optimal air to fuel ratio is approx. 12.5:1 and up to approx. 13.5:1 Set total timing at 32-34 degrees. Total timing refers to the reading at 4500 rpm with the vac. advance disconnected. The closer to the lower number (32 degrees) the total timing is, the safer your engine will be. Do not worry about initial timing, as it will be determined by the total timing. 

We do not recommend running the vacuum advance with this engine. 

Be sure to have a high amperage battery and high quality starter. The battery must be 850 cca or more. Use heavy gauge battery cables. If you have a hard cranking issue, purchase an in-car timing controller or ignition kill switch. This will allow you to control your timing for optimal performance and ease of starting. 

Do not run regular gas in this engine, no matter how much you have reduced the timing. It may not be enough! You may have run an old car in the past that pinged and clattered under load for many miles, and this didn’t seem to hurt it. Most cars from the 60’s and 70’s had very low compression, especially when nearly worn out, and this is why the detonation did not destroy the engine. Excessive pinging, spark knock or valve clatter, as it’s often referred to, may destroy this engine very quickly. Light pinging now and then is unlikely to do any damage, but it certainly will when there is an excessive amount of it under load. You may run regular gas in an emergency situation, but drive the car with reduced acceleration until you can find premium fuel. In some cases we can build certain engines with a reduced compression that will run on regular fuel or mid-grade, but these engines are to be setup with greatly reduced camshaft profiles. 

Let any engine with compression numbers above 10:1 clatter and ping (aka spark knock) for very long, and you will lose the engine due to detonation, and in some cases this can happen very quickly.

Spark Plugs: We recommend the Autolite brand, part number Autolite 3923. Most of our engines include the correct spark plugs. We also offer a premium NGK plug that is highly suitable for this engine when running in very hot climate. Race grade plugs are fine as they have a few features that are desirable for certain types of driving. Keep the temp in the low to middle range. Use a plug that’s too hot, and you are once again close to detonation/pre-ignition; use a plug that’s too cold and they will foul constantly, run poorly when cruising at low speed, and be difficult to start.

Most of our engines come with spark plugs in them, depending on the package you purchase. You may also use NGK part # NGK 4554, a plug that is one step lower in heat range than the Autolite plug. The NGK plug is only to be run during very hot weather. 

You would be amazed at how much better an engine will run with the correct spark plugs installed, but brand name has little do with this. It’s more to do with heat range than any other factor. Factors such as outside temp, altitude, compression ratio, and the type of driving you do determine the temp range to run.

A slight loss of power is also an issue with plugs that are too cold, as well as possible difficulty in starting. However, you can have much more serious issues by running plugs with high temp ranges. 

Keep the engine coolant temp as low as possible, but it is not a problem if it runs as high as 210 on very hot days, as long as it’s consistent, and not climbing.

Never use any of the modern day type antifreeze formulas that are used in most newer cars. This will most likely destroy the gasket material used in these engines. We have a customer that used the orange colored antifreeze made for Toyota trucks as he happened to have this on hand. This led to a failure of the high quality Felpro intake gaskets. The print seal material was partially dissolved allowing great amounts of coolant into the combustion chamber. This led to a catastrophic engine failure. The correct type of antifreeze to use should be ethylene glycol based, usually green colored. There are some animal safe substitutes on the market that should be ok to use. A mixture of 50/50 or even slightly less antifreeze will cool the engine better than a rich mixture of antifreeze. Keep the engine temp down if possible, but don’t worry if you can’t get it below 210 on a hot summer day. The cooler you keep the engine, the lower the risk of detonation. Set engine idle at approx. 900-950, and never too far below this unless you are running the smaller engine cam choices. The reduced size cams would allow for a lower idle speed.

Never let the engine idle for excessively long periods during the break-in period.

Do not overfill with engine oil. Slightly less than normal is better than too much, in most cases. Using half a quart less oil can greatly reduce potential oil leaks. This is a common practice in many high performance engines.

If your engine is equipped with a choke, we recommend setting it on the mild/lean side. It is best for the choke to open up to its full straight up position as quickly as possible. Keep backing it off until cold starting becomes difficult.

If the choke is set up on the aggressive side, it will create an over-rich condition upon every cold start-up and warm-up. This over-rich condition is very damaging to an engine, and will huge amounts of fuel.

If you feel you can get by without using the choke, then by all means do without it! The modern day carbs actually do well with very little or no choke. With a few pumps of the throttle and a bit of feathering, the throttle will have you off and going smoothly, in most cases with very little or no choking at all. 

Hydraulic roller setups are virtually maintenance-free and require little if any maintenance. Some of our engines come setup with what is known as a hybrid valvetrain. These require very little maintenance and are very reliable.   

Our recommendations will change from time to time. We never stop trying to build a better engine, and we learn from our own experiences and from feedback from our customers. We know there’s always room for improvement. We’re always working on research and development, as does any successful business. We advise checking out the recommendation section of our engine ads on a regular basis. 

Why have we given such detailed information on our warranty and maintenance suggestions? Some customers bought our engines and did not fully understand our warranty and the maintenance needs of the engines.

Not knowing is understandable, but failing to educate yourself on the do’s and don’ts is asking for problems.  We suggest joining a few good car forums, as they have a wealth of great information.

However, beware of some individuals on forums who think they know it all, and really know very little.  Do your research using several sources, and be sure to read between the lines.

Special note.

Engines that are setup with a full solid roller valvetrain should not be driven for excessively long distances or for long periods of time on the street. A weekend of racing at the drag strip would likely have less of an effect on the valve train components than a 100 mile easy drive as far as wear is concerned. 

If you do think you will be driving significant numbers of miles, we strongly recommend staying with our hydraulic roller cam package or the hybrid valve train setup. The warranty on the hydraulic or hybrid roller cam and valve train components is the same as the rest of the engine.  See our other listings for info on all of our engines. Engines with a full solid roller valvetrain do require an occasional lash adjustment.  

Skip White

Your engine info will include the balance sheet and other information on this engine such as cam card, and your invoice will show your personal selection of the options offered. 

Many have asked why we’re able to sell such an engine for such a great price. It’s because we’re a major distribution center for all of the parts used in this engine, as well as a full scale machine shop. Our purchase price for the parts used in this and all of our engines are at master warehouse distributor (WD) pricing. Few machine shops ever get to master-wd pricing. We also believe in keeping our profit levels low enough to allow the working man a chance to build his car the way it should be built.

Our Engine Shipping Procedure.

Your engine will be in a crate on a pallet, and you will receive a roll around engine cradle at no additional cost. The value of the engine cradle and lift plate is approx. $65.00 Your engine will also be fully insured. 

Below are pictures showing how your engine is prepared for shipping. We start with a heavy duty pallet with an OSB base, then the engine is put on an engine cradle, (wheels are included) and bolted to the pallet with an engine lift plate installed on the intake and fully shrink wrapped to avoid scuffing the engine when removing the crate and this also protects the engine in the event the outer crate is knocked loose during shipping. We then build a heavy duty custom engine crate that is bolted and nailed onto the base over the engine and once again shrink wrap the complete crate for added strength. Prior to shipping you will be sent a close up picture showing your engine on the pallet including any other items you purchased with your engine.

(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)

We include an engine lift plate and heavy duty engine stand with casters with every engine we build.

(opens in new tab)    (opens in new tab)

As of this date 12/10/25 we will be including with your engine, at no charge, an assortment of items that we are over-stocked on. We are going to be stepping out of the retail market on the lower cost misc. items in an effort to stay focused on engines, and the parts for these engines. Listed below are the items that will be included at no cost, free shipping is also included on these items. The actual retail value of these items is approx. $245.00  HOT ROD CALCULATOR $59.00 Retail Value. <a_blank” _blank”=””></a_blank”>   (opens in new tab) LCD Readout: Yes   Backlit: No   Power Supply: Two LR44 batteries   Quantity: Sold individually. (opens in new tab)     The Hot Rod Calculator allows instant, on the spot, calculations of how engine changes and at track vehicle setup changes can effect power output and track performance. Easy to use formulas for the professional or novice will show you how engine changes like compression ratio and air fuel mixture effect your engine’s power and torque outputs. At the track, see how things like gear ratio changes or weather conditions can effect your E.T. (accurate weather data required). Hot Rod Calculator – Street and Strip performance calculator for use by racers, engine builders, and automotive enthusiasts. This is the chance to know up front how changes will translate into power and performance, so before you spend your time or money, use the Hot Rod Calc to get the answers. It is equipped with pre-programmed formulas for engine building and track tuning. Quick reference guide with 100’s of formulas are included for ease of use. Easy to use, self contained, no additional computer or monitors required (accurate weather data required for some ET calculations). Hand held, take it anywhere, and includes a protective Armadillo case at no additional charge. Use to do any mathematical calculations related to engine performance and vehicle E.T. Two LR44 batteries and protective case included. Mr. Gasket’s street and strip performance calculators are the first ET predictor calculators with built-in motor building and performance solutions. Use it to calculate temperature, elevation, pressure, and moisture. You can instantly calculate how changes in your car’s engine and fuel system will affect performance. Includes two L-R-44 batteries, user guide and a protective case.   A note from our company president, Skip White    I find the Hot Rod Calculator a very valuable tool. It will educate you on the positive or negative changes made to your car and or engine. Gearing, weight, horsepower, and dozens of other important factors are addressed. Knowing how your car will perform with different setups and settings is very important. You will be surprised at the difference gearing can make in et. This calculator uses similar programming used on dynos to correct hp and torque numbers for elevation, temp, and other factors. This has to be the handiest device for setting up an engine and car I have ever seen. One more very valuable tool is the compression calculator. It is very easy calculate your compression, and see what changes you need to make on head combustion chamber size or piston style when building your engine. Our engine builders think that everyone into high performance should own one of these.   Manual Transmission Shift Knob Hurst 1632008 A $25.00 VALUE    (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)  (opens in new tab)   Spectre 45183 Chrome Ignition Coil Cover Bracket Vertical or Horizontal Mount $16.95 Retail value. This chrome coil cover is very high quality with a great chrome finish on it.     (opens in new tab) Spectre 46723 Exhaust Header Bolt Kit 3/8-16 x 7/8″ w/Tool Grade 5 Steel. 5 gold anodized $20.00 Retail value.   (opens in new tab)  (opens in new tab)   Spectre 17385 Chrome + Billet Aluminum 1-1/4″ Push In Valve Cover Oil Filler Plug Cap $16.00 VALUE.    (opens in new tab) Spectre Performance 1-1/4″ Twist-In Breather. Part number, 4273 Triple Chrome Plated Steel $12.00 value. Picture shows a push in style but it will be the twist-in style.   (opens in new tab)  (opens in new tab) Spectre Chrome Power Steering Dipstick. $18.99 Fits Most Common Power Steering Pumps.(opens in new tab)  (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)   Spectre Inline Fuel Filter Element Kit. $8.95  (opens in new tab)         Mr. Gasket 4592 7in Timing Tab Mr. Gasket – 4592 – Fits 7in Damper Timing Tab – Timing Tab $9.00 retail value.   (opens in new tab) Same as above but fits 8 inch dampers. Mr. Gasket 4593 7in Timing Tab Mr. Gasket – 4592 – Fits 8in Damper Timing Tab – Timing Tab $9.00 Retail Value. (opens in new tab)  Mr. Gasket Bolt Caps 5/8″ 16mm – Chrome – Mr Gasket #8909G 10 PACK. Each box of ten will have a different size. You will rec. a total of 40 cards with your order. Total retail value is $30.00 x 2 = $60.00 (opens in new tab) Mr. Gasket Bolt Caps 9/16″ 16mm – Chrome – Mr. Gasket #8906G 10 PACK. You will rec. a total of 10 cards with your order. We have actually seen these priced higher when purchased in smaller quantities.  (opens in new tab) Mr. Gasket Bolt Caps 7/16″ 16mm – Chrome – Mr. Gasket #8900G 10 PACK. You will rec. a total of 10 cards with your order.  (opens in new tab) Mr. Gasket Bolt Caps 1/2″ 12mm – Chrome – Mr. Gasket #8904G 10 PACK. You now have all multiple sizes of the bolt caps to cover most every bolt on the engine and many others in the engine bay. (opens in new tab) Pictured below are some of our engines with the bolt cap covers on them. They can be easily painted to the color of your choice. The cap covers have a self adhesive material that will hold them on. We usually used a dab of engine sealant, (silicone) to prevent them from coming off. They really beautifies any engine in our opinion. Notice the head outer head bolts in the picture below. (opens in new tab) Pictured below is our company founder’s previous 406 engine that was in his Pro-Street Datsun 240Z car. The bolt caps really stand out on it.  (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) Paint the bolt caps any color you desire or leave them in chrome for a striking look of contrast against black components.   (opens in new tab)

Transmission Recommendations by Skip White

Your selection of what type transmission you’re going to use with your new engine is very important. I’m going to give you the real lowdown on what transmissions I recommend, as well as the ones I would stay away from. For those building a mild, (detuned) street rod, (small cam choice, dual plane intake) these recommendations are not as critical. We offer an excellent line of automatic performance rated transmissions built by TCI. The quality and cost are excellent.

700R4: Worst possible transmission choice when used with moderate to high horse power engines. 

Pros.

• Driving at 50 and above in overdrive certainly has its advantages such as increased fuel mileage, reduced wear and tear on the engine, less engine noise, reduced emissions/pollution.  
• Fuel injection/EFI does make this transmission operate much better providing the cam choice, intake manifold and final gearing are setup correctly.
• To setup an engine to operate properly with this transmission requires a detuning of the engine and top end horse power is greatly reduced. 

Cons

• Very wide first to second gear spread. First gear is a 3.06 ratio Second is a 1.62 ratio. This nearly equates to skipping from first to third gear with a manual trans. This kills acceleration when these trans go into second gear on a carbureted engine with a healthy cam and large runner intake manifold. Compare this to a TH350. First gear at 2.52 ratio and second gear is 1.52, do the math.
• The 3.06 first gear is so low that any final gear of above 3.55 or numerically higher will have you right at the  max rpm at around 35 mph, only to then have your car fall on its face when it hits second gear, feeling like it skipped a gear. Wheel spin is uncontrollable upon hard launches, unless you have a very tall final gear, and then you can for sure count on going nowhere quickly when second gear comes in. Overdrive would be totally useless at highway speed regardless of detuning with a tall final gear, unless you were cruising at around 100 mph.
• Huge cost to build up to a decent street rod level. Don’t even consider a stock rebuild to handle 500 hp or more. Under hard use, the 700R4 will fail quickly. 
• Limited as to what level these can be built up to. High performance transmission builders and parts suppliers don’t even recognize this as a serious transmission.
• More complex to build than a TH350 and far more expensive, especially when built up to handle high hp numbers.
• Having to run a cumbersome throttle value cable to the carb. linkage. This feature actually serves a good purpose, but if not set properly, it can destroy your transmission quickly. Very critical adjustment, and often overlooked. Our TCI built 700R4 transmissions do not require the throttle value cable should you decide to run this type trans. 
• The overdrive is actually useless with engines running decent size cams relative to the cubic inch, especially with large runner dual plane intakes, and single plane intakes are out of the question with this trans. The exception to this rule would be those running a Holley Sniper EFI system, and a low profile single plane intake. 
• Stall converters are double the cost of the one run in a TH350.
• This is  not a very reliable transmission in a street rod.
• Lowers the value of your vehicle to some degree, especially on high hp builds. These transmissions do not belong in most carbureted street rods. You must detune an engine considerably to operate the overdrive and be able to tolerate the first to second gear drop.
• Could be classified as the worst mismatch of parts known on a true street rod.
• As a side note, I would like to mention that most of us have owned a regular stock street car with a 700R4 trans, or its electronic likeness, a 4L60E, and didn’t find much of an issue with the way they operated, especially if the vehicle was fuel injected. This is because stock car engines are designed to operate totally different in the very low rpm range. They have huge amounts of off idle torque compared to the average carbureted street rod that makes 400 hp or more. This off idle instant torque allows the vehicle to keep its speed up decently when the 700R4 drops into second gear, and the same low rpm also allows the overdrive gear to operate normally at very low rpm. There are other factors that also allow these trans. to operate at low rpm, especially on fuel injected computer driven engines.

TH350: Best transmission choice, hands down.

Pros

• Excellent gear spread between all three gears.
• Very low cost to build up to various levels of power handling.
• Can be built up to extreme power handling capabilities.
• Most all transmission shops are capable of building these to at least level 1 or 2.
• No TV cable to deal with.
• Stall converters are low in cost, and the selection is broad. 
• Very reliable and simple to repair if needed.

Cons

• None, simply none! Select a final gear that will allow you the best overall performance and one that allows a decent off the line acceleration, and one that will be in a tolerable rpm range at highway speed. You must have the correct stall converter for optimal performance. This can make a huge difference in the way your vehicle accelerates.
• These are becoming scarce, but there are still plenty of them around, and high performance parts are easily obtained.
• You may have to go through this long story to your less than knowledgeable friends as to why you didn’t choose a 700R4, and when you explain it to them, they may still think you don’t know what you’re talking about.

TH400, Excellent choice for high powered engines in heavy cars or trucks.

 Pros

• Excellent gear spread. Very similar to a TH350.
• Very strong internal parts.
• Reliable.
• Simple and inexpensive to rebuild or repair.
• Best suited when running high powered big block engines in medium to heavy vehicles.

Cons

• Somewhat expensive to build up to higher power handling levels, as compared to a TH350. The TH350 has far more high performance parts available at reasonable costs. The 400 trans is not best suited for racing.
• Internal rotating parts (cast iron drum) are very heavy and create a drag compared to most any other trans. The TH400 is well known to be a heavier duty trans. than a TH350 but this heavy duty factor was designed more for heavy vehicles coupled with high powered engines that may encounter pulling heavy loads or vehicles with tall gearing. Only the largest of the GM cars weighing around 5000 lbs had these trans. in them, along with heavy duty pickups, usually 3/4 ton or larger trucks. Even the half ton Chevy trucks didn’t come with these in them.
• They will certainly hold up better than a stock built TH350, but they are not a desirable trans. light weight street rod with a small block engine in it. You can build a TH350 to level two or three that would be superior to any stock TH400 in every way for about the same cost. We offer the TH400 trans built to level 3 and this trans. is best suited in high powered big block engines, in cars that are medium to heavy weight.
• You will seldom see this trans in a true light weight Pro-Street car.

Powerglide.

 Pros

• Excellent transmission to build up to just about any power handling level.
• Most trans. shops are able to build this trans with ease.
• Very reliable, and simple to work on. Not much to go wrong.
• Decent first to second gear spread.
• Rotational drag is very low with this trans., more so than any automatic on the market. Very efficient trans.
• Stall converters are not expensive and many choices available.
• Often used in 1/8 mile drag racing. 

Cons

• Two gears, that’s the problem. This trans. can only be run in cars that have a very high hp to weight ratio. It would be fair to say a vehicle weighing approx. 3400 lbs would require an engine output of 1000 hp or more to make it a rational choice, and even then, you would still need a decent final gear to get things moving off the line. The first gear in these is somewhat tall. Those running a T-Bucket roadster weighing around 1800 lbs. with a 500 hp or higher engine could make great use of a Powerglide trans.
• Having only two gears limits having the best of both worlds when it comes to off the line acceleration and cruising at highway speed. The final gear choice limits the general use of your car greatly. 
• This trans. will not allow a car to be setup for the best of both worlds, such as street cruising, racing, or highway driving, unless the car is extremely light, and the engine has very high HP numbers.

GM METRIC 200

 Pros

• Has a better gear spread than the 700R4 but not as optimal as the TH350.
• Not much good to say about this trans. It certainly has a place in some special late model applications, but old school Chevy engines is not one of them.

Cons

• This transmission can cost up to three times more to build up to a decent power handling level compared to a built up TH350.
• Cannot hold up to high torque engine builds unless an enormous amount of money, (Art Carr) is spent on this trans.
• Most all the cons you see for the 700R4 exist within this trans.
• This trans is not a reliable trans. compared to any of the early GM trans unless a great amount of money is spent building it.

4L60E Electronically controlled trans.

 Pros

• No TV cable to deal with or shifting linkage. It has pump pressure control and shifting via electronics.
• Not much good to say about this expensive trans. It is virtually a 700R4 with a modern twist. The same “pros” mentioned with the 700R4 would apply to this trans. also. The 4L80E trans. is a better choice due to the fact it has a proper gear spread, and is a much heavier duty trans vs the 4L60E.  

Cons

• Most of the same issues as the 700R4. Terrible choice to run in an old school carbureted engine.
• Very expensive to build up to a high power handling level. Can cost up to $4,000 to build this trans up to a decent level. Computer controlled engines may require this unless you bypass the car’s computer system.
• Complex. Very complex!
• Pointless to run such a terrible transmission.
• If you insist on such a trans, the 4L80E is a better choice, as it has a normal gear spread, and is a much stronger trans. Still pointless to use with an old school carbureted engine in my opinion.

Four and five speed Manual Trans.

 Pros

• Excellent acceleration at any speed due to many selective gear ratios. Finding a gear at any cruising speed to hit it hard is easily accomplished with a manual compared to an automatic.
• More efficient delivery of horse power to the rear wheels with a manual trans. versus an automatic. In other words, less loss of power due to slippage as encountered with an automatic trans.
• For some people, the fun factor of shifting gears is one of the high points of owning a street rod. 
• Very reliable, long lasting. Low maintenance. Simple to change out a clutch if needed.

Cons

• Can be very expensive to purchase a high quality modern manual trans. and high performance clutch and flywheel, especially the Tremec Series.
• Can be somewhat complex to change over from an auto to a manual trans.
• If you think your car is going to run faster with a manual versus an auto, you will be greatly disappointed. The automatic transmission can not only shift much faster, but off line acceleration can be controlled to a much greater degree. This is why most drag cars have automatic transmissions. All things equal, a car equipped with an auto trans will outrun one equipped with a regular street rod manual with great ease.
• Missing gears when racing can cause damage to your engine, and loss of control of your vehicle should you drop into the previous gear during an aggressive run. Been there a couple times, dropped a valve in brand new Lotus Esprit shifting out of second into first rather than third, and locked up the back wheels on a Dodge Viper shifting into second rather than fourth at high speed. Nearly lost control of the car at around 80 mph.
• If you’re deciding to run a 5 or 6 speed manual trans because of the overdrive gear, be aware that most engines built with large lopey cams, and single plane intakes running a carb will usually not allow effective use of the overdrive gear.
• Tremec T56 transmissions are very popular and highly advanced. They are expensive. They tend to be very notchy to shift when new. Takes many miles before they become easy to shift. They can be difficult to install in some early model classic cars, as they are huge compared to early model transmissions. They can cost a great deal of money to rebuild if needed. Still about the best manual trans out there, and can handle very high hp levels. The 6th gear in these transmissions is a double overdrive and will never be useful when running any old school street rod engine unless you are running a very deep final gear. 
• If your engine is built in the upper horsepower range, then you must run a level two or three clutch kit. These clutches are notchy and lack a smooth engagement like a stock clutch. This is very noticeable, and you will adjust to this after a while. A stock clutch can not be used on any engine in the 500+ hp range. 
• Sadly, your wife may not be able to drive your car with a manual(opens in new tab) trans. This could be a plus in some cases.

A final note.

Our eBay user id is: skipwhite, and our eBay store name is whiteperformance1. You may have noticed other sellers using a similar name offering similar products. These other sellers have capitalized on our name as we see it, and many customers searching for us will inadvertently find them, thinking we are one in the same company. There is only one “Skip White.” We are the original premier eBay seller under this name since approximately 2003. We have no other eBay names, nor are we associated with any other company regardless of the similarity in the name or location. Our official company name is Skip White Performance. Please see the article below for a more detailed explanation.

The real story…Skip White Performance vs. White Performance & Machine

I’m sure many of you have noticed there are two high performance engine builders in Kingsport, TN with similar names, and this has led to a great amount of confusion.

We are Skip White Performance, NOT White Performance and Machine or Marine or any other similar name. Many customers looking for us online inadvertently find them, thinking we are the same company. Definitely not…there is no connection between the two companies. We don’t have a problem with free enterprise (competition). However, when the competition builds their foundation on such things as a name similarity and their supposedly long history of being in business, then we think it’s about time we set the record straight.

FAST FORWARD TO 2026…We have become the largest street rod engine builder and supplier of rotating assemblies in the nation. Our engines, rotating assemblies, and cylinder heads are built to very high standards and shipped to our customers in a timely manner. We are a premier seller on eBay with a 100% positive feedback score of well over 212,000.

Our engines are custom-built to our customers’ specifications and are shipped, in general, in 2-3 weeks, perhaps sooner, depending on the season. Our rotating assemblies ship out in about one week, and our heads ship in about a week or less.

Our machinists each have many years of experience in building racing engines. This very critical work is done to exacting specs and with great care. Many vendors do not have machinists with the experience or the proper equipment that we are fortunate to have. We have built engines that cost upwards of $50,000. All of our engine builders have been in the engine machining and engine building line of work for their entire working lives. Their ages range from 38 to 65. We have a total of seven machinists/engine builders.

Now you know the real story, and we hope this helps with the confusion.

 

OUR COMPANY FOUNDERS PRO STREET HYBRID 240Z CAR. IT HAS ONE OUR BRAND NEW SBC 427 ENGINES IN IT AND ONE OF OUR TCI SUPER STREET FIGHTER TURBO 350 TRANSMISSIONS. THE CAR IS IN FULL PRO STREET TRIM. SKIP HAS THE CAR UP FOR SALE NOW. HAVE NOT HAD IT TO THE TRACK YET, BUT WE ESTIMATE IT WILL RUN A 9.5 GIVE OR TAKE. RUNS ON PUMP GAS. HE HAS OWNED IN FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS.

 

(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)

(opens in new tab)