What do I need to do to build a 1000hp turbo small block

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maca

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Hey guys
My son has brought himself an Australian Mopar and wants me to build him and engine that will give him around 800 at the tires so I'm guessing I'll be pushing high 900s at the flywheel. I have built engines up to 650 at the wheels so only 150 HP short of the goal. I have used a magnum engine and used standard crank and standard rods with forged pistons. I run a solid roller cam and turbo. But I haven't built an engine the HP he wants. Has anyone here built one and run it reliably. I don't know if I may need to step up to forged rods and what the magnum block can handle. Will I need to run a girdle etc.
Anyone here had any experience at 800 horsepower at the wheels and what is needed to survive.
 
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I would maybe start with a stroker motor to around 408. No replacement for displacement. And a super strong block. I usually build big blocks, and I hear that when you get above 700 horsepower, you start to have block problems. Like separation of the block near the cam area. May not be true for the stronger blocks such as the 230. From there, build a Hi Output motor, roller cam, Trick Flow heads, etc. Then boost it. There is a thread on here of a small block pushing 700 plus horsepower. Check it out. Without supercharging!
 
I would maybe start with a stroker motor to around 408. No replacement for displacement. And a super strong block. I usually build big blocks, and I hear that when you get above 700 horsepower, you start to have block problems. Like separation of the block near the cam area. May not be true for the stronger blocks such as the 230. From there, build a Hi Output motor, roller cam, Trick Flow heads, etc. Then boost it. There is a thread on here of a small block pushing 700 plus horsepower. Check it out. Without supercharging!
Thanks for your reply
I've read some threads on here about boosted small blocks but haven't seen the one called without supercharging. Thanks I'll look it up.
What is the 230 block
Is that an aftermarket made block
 
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Thanks for your reply
I've read some threads on here about boosted small blocks but haven't seen the one called without supercharging. Thanks I'll look it up.
What is the 230 block
Is that an aftermarket made block
The 3614230 block is a big block 400, produced in the early 70s. Sought after for it's large main bearing supports. Widely used for building big block stroker motors. Only castings produced before 10 10 71 had the super large supports around the mains. The rest were stronger than the 383/440s.
 
Mopar R3 block if you can find one. Or a new Ritter block. $3000+ and the machine shop bill afterwards. OE block "might" take 1000 HP...at least once before the ka-boom.

At your proposed power level, go Gen 3 Hemi and don't look back. Many G3 OE blocks can take that abuse and survive.
 
At that power level, I would use all forged internals. Crank, rods, pistons and fasten everything with ARP bolts. Pay close attention to your piston ring end gap clearances. This won't be a "budget" build.
Having said all that, I'll also say that if this is going to be a street car, you'll have a hard time using much more than about 600 RWHP on the street unless you have all wheel drive. Even drag radials don't hook on the street very well above 600 HP. Maybe you can adjust the target HP goal down a bit and save some money.
 
Mopar R3 block if you can find one. Or a new Ritter block. $3000+ and the machine shop bill afterwards. OE block "might" take 1000 HP...at least once before the ka-boom.

At your proposed power level, go Gen 3 Hemi and don't look back. Many G3 OE blocks can take that abuse and survive.


This comment is the best so far. You’re standard LA and Magnum engines won’t take you anywhere near 1000 hp. Build a gen 3 hemi and even then you will still need deep pockets.
 
Thanks for the reply's guys. Yes he is ready for the power. He has been brought up on these huge HP rice burners where they get big numbers out of the modern engines. This is his 1st old school car so he is wanting the same but I'm working with old technology. Im not familiar with the gen 3 hemi. Not sure if it was released in Australia. What year and litre size are they. We have a 6.1 and a 6.4 hemi that I know of.
I'm trying to convince him to bring his target down. My charger is 650 at the wheels and on the street its crazy fast on boost and beats most things at the track days. So hopefully I can do something like that. He was willing to spend 15,000 just on the motor but if it goes bang it would be a sad moment lol.
I have to say as much as I don't like the rice burning engines he used to run, they did make awesome power and copped so much abuse it was absolutely amazing to watch. And to hear them rev on the dyno was nerve racking but they just kept going.
 
Thanks for the reply's guys. Yes he is ready for the power. He has been brought up on these huge HP rice burners where they get big numbers out of the modern engines. This is his 1st old school car so he is wanting the same but I'm working with old technology. Im not familiar with the gen 3 hemi. Not sure if it was released in Australia. What year and litre size are they. We have a 6.1 and a 6.4 hemi that I know of.
I'm trying to convince him to bring his target down. My charger is 650 at the wheels and on the street its crazy fast on boost and beats most things at the track days. So hopefully I can do something like that. He was willing to spend 15,000 just on the motor but if it goes bang it would be a sad moment lol.
I have to say as much as I don't like the rice burning engines he used to run, they did make awesome power and copped so much abuse it was absolutely amazing to watch. And to hear them rev on the dyno was nerve racking but they just kept going.

Not sure if 15 grand is going to cut it for 1000 hp unless it’s an LS.

MIGHT be able to get it done with a gen 3 hemi but to be honest I don’t know a ton about them. Usually that means some pretty trick stuff.

There is a guy on here with a twin turbo hemi that is 1000+ hp but I can’t remeber his name. Maybe dusterdj??
 
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Jason Digbys limited drag radial Dart is putting down closer to 2000 hp but he is running heads from Indy that are nearly $20,000 I believe.

It can certainly be done...just not sure I would do it with a small block.
 
Are you guys suggesting a big block will make the power more easily with less risk?
To be honest I've never had much to do with big blocks. But ivI' read if you stroke them, they make a ton of torque so you don't need all the horsepower. That's about my limited knowledge of them.
 
Are you guys suggesting a big block will make the power more easily with less risk?
To be honest I've never had much to do with big blocks. But ivI' read if you stroke them, they make a ton of torque so you don't need all the horsepower. That's about my limited knowledge of them.

If there was ever an engine built for making insane horsepower it is the hemi.

I hear there’s some guys in the NHRA making a little more than 1000 hp with an aftemarket
Hemi block and a blower :)
 
I think a big block will provide all the torque and power you need, if built right. And what is an Austrailian Mopar? Is it an A body or B Body? Or C maybe? What does the car weigh?
 
I'm not 100% sure. Google says
(based on the US Chrysler A-body platform)
Mine with a V8 weighs 3250lbs but 4 door A body's weigh more. I'll post a pic
 
Very nice car! The 15K budget won't build a 1000HP motor here in the U.S., so I doubt it will down there either. For 15 grand if you build it yourself and don't have to spend a ton on machine shop work, you can likely build a very strong and reliable 550-600HP MOPAR motor. Then throw a 150 shot of nitrous at it if you need more.
 
Im not familiar with the gen 3 hemi.
Gen3 Hemi is what you called a 6.1 or 6.4... the new generation of hemis in new Challengers, Chargers etc.
You can buy them as crate engines but then your son's budget is gone. In the US you can already find them
in wrecking yards... (I read, since I live in Europe :))
What is he going to do with his car... occasional street racing, an occasional trip to the track or burnout contests
with extended high rpm's?
 
1000 HP ? Most purposely built door slammer race cars don't have 1000 horse. You have to be able to get it to the ground or it's a waste. Kind of a death wish.
 
You can get there on a 15,000 buget in the states. I'm not sure in Australia . I have a 416 with two 66 mm turbo's that will hit 1000 hp. My motor was around 15 , motor only . But remember everything has to handle it. So your going to need a lot more.
 
You can get there on a 15,000 buget in the states. I'm not sure in Australia . I have a 416 with two 66 mm turbo's that will hit 1000 hp. My motor was around 15 , motor only . But remember everything has to handle it. So your going to need a lot more.
Thanks for your reply. Finally somebody whose hit the thousand horsepower Mark. You guys are hard to find
We have built thousand horsepower engines before but they are six cylinder rice burners we call 1.5J and it takes a lot of RPM and boost to do it. I just don't know how the small blocks or big blocks hold up to that sort of horsepower and just trying to put up this post to find out more info before we invest money into something that could end in tears. We would much rather prefer to have an old school muscle car with that V8 sound. So apart from intake, turbos and heads etc is anything done to the block and in the Chrysler what is a 416. Is it a destroked 440 or a stroked 400 or small block. Thanks
 
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