...and takes $5000 worth of stuff with it, and maybe the whole car. Not me.

I prefer the $2K and change I paid for my R3 brand new on the crate at work... toward the end of my build they still showed an identical block (P4876671AD) in warehouse. I had some extra $$ and ordered it, but the number was spit back and the availability went to -1. Either somebody pulled the trigger a bit before me, or they discovered they were out in their count.

So true.....and it isn't only the Olds crowd. The Pontiac folks have plenty to choose from in the block department, too.

Over the last couple years, 2 of my Pontiac friends have ordered and received very useable race blocks. They came in short order and were competiively priced...especially considering the market.


F'ing SICKENING.

I know plenty of Ford/GM/etc racers who band-aid crap together and (try to) run it.

I'm sure most of us know the guys who run used up scrap just to try and make another pass. The A-hole who oils down the track holding everyone up, etc etc. It's not just mopar people. You know the schmucks I'm talking about: welded heads, welded blocks, f**kers would, and sometimes have, tried to weld pistons just so they could make another pass. They're idiots, true, but they are "racers."

Olds MUST have an aftermarket block because those stupid factory blocks have freaking windows in the main web. They can't even pretend to themselves that they can hold power.

I think that's the real problem, false hope. We can convince ourselves that a 400 block will be enough, or aluminum main caps will be enough, or whatever. And for some guys, it's true. But there's not enough guys who want to make "real power" and KNOW that they have to buy a good block to sustain the market, at least not for wedge stuff. And since fuel stuff is all/mostly solid billet block now, we can't piggyback off the fueler guys. S/F...Ken M

Heck, they even make an aftermarket 409 block, in aluminum.

I think it's also compounded by the amount of people moving to late model drivetrains.

Few...nothing has changed from 10 years ago when an ebay listing of an all new 540 Mega Block shortblock (built for truck pulling with Callies crank, o-ringed block) couldn't get any bids (other than mine) over $4500. Parts were easier find 10 years ago, but it was a steal even back then. The MoPar crowd frugalness is legendary.

There are Mopar guys willing to pay for good parts. I suspect its plenty more than the number of Olds guys willing to pony up $5K for a cast iron block. I think some here loose perspective that Moparts is only a very small percentage of the Mopar racers out there. While there are plenty who are tight with tier money there are also plenty that will spend money to build HP...

Guys, I pose the question one more time.....

Because casting problems have wrecked many aftermarket block plans, why isn't someone producing a WELDED steel block?

Even though most people think cast iron is more rigid than steel, it just isn't so. Only CGI and Nodular Iron are as rigid as good old 1020, or any other steel for that matter.

Main bearing bulkheads are mainly plates, cylinders are pipe, the externals like sides are formed plates. Maybe it's a better risk to weld a block together out of parts than try to get one cast. Hydroturbines are welded together out of parts, for example.

R.

Im in. Love to try it. Thought of this many times when I didn’t have a lot of the resources I have now. Just need more time to play with stuff like this.

This guy made a 4 cylinder http://www.hotrod.com/articles/how-to-build-your-own-sheetmetal-engine/ , Just have to weld 2 of them in a V right?

And this is the reason many are moving to the G3 platform.
Stock block will hold 99% of what guys here can throw at it.
For the one percenters there is the billet G3.
I love my W9 R3 but I have nothing to replace it with if it breaks.
Matt

I agree with the sentiments on the G3 deal. It appears to be a platform easily able to handle what most people here will throw at it. I have not done one personally but have been toying with the idea. I am interested to see what is available and the NA HP potential of the platform for sure.

Wow the Aardema welded block engine is exactly what I was talking about. Throw a 5-axis CNC machine into the mix and it is thoroughly doable.

If you want pushrods, move the camshaft up like the GIII so they are out of the way of the rotating stuff. The cam and lifters could be in a separate block machined out of a billet so every lifter is precisely located.

He used a channel to base the engine around, that was a new idea for me. But everything else is about how I imagined it.

BTW, this is not a new idea. The first Crosley car had an engine that was furnace-brazed out of pieces. It, however, was not a success and after a little while the block was replaced with cast iron.

R.

We have two customer Mopar Wedge Mega blocks here that are windowed. With the shortage of supply & demand for good aftermarket blocks I have been thinking about making him some sort of low ball offer to try to buy them as is, repair them, re-sleeve them and re-use them someday? I have no idea what they might be worth blown up. Any ideas?

Ad me to the list of guys with a broken Mega Block..Bought a car and it was in the car when purchased. Well it windowed itself a few passes later..Pre World block with lifter bushings.

This is the good side the other side is missing about 11" of skirt

These are both worse than that side of your block. About the same size hole in both of these but it goes all the way down & took out the pan rails. One is on the driver side & the other block is the passenger side.

That block is BOTH sides. The other side is far worse missing about 11" of pan rail and skirt. Also took out 5 cylinders into the bottom water jacket on three of them. Anyone want it feel free to come and get it.

Part of it..It is actually broken across the next cross bolt up to the oil pump area

I will tell you guys HIMES CASTING REPAIR in Indy is the best I have ever used--guy is a master of the universe and honest as they come--I have had him fix worse than that --worth shipping to him or whatever
He worked for INDY in the way back days--he stayed busy all day every day welding up cast iron Hemi heads when we had no other choice--he fixed a matching numbers six pack block for me that had two jugs GONE up across the deck and number one main pulled out--It runs and lives today truly a miracle!
He used to work round the clock at INDY Heads when the NHRA was in town and Force and all the others would bring in the blocks they busted that day to have ready next morning--and they were always ready! That is before they could afford a dozen new units each wk end if needed
I would buy every broke Mega I could find and call HIMES
What is the alternative?????

What is an estimate of the cost of his repairs?