New Aluminum Blocks /// Where Are They?

I have an aluminum block on order from KB since this last November and have not seen it yet. I understand the whole 8 month thing so no need to rehash that.

I was talking to people at the Iola show and seems that there are NO new 426 hemi blocks available anywhere. No World, Mopar Perfomance, HP, and of course KB.

Does anyone have some insider information why this is? Or is it just an alignment of the planets kind of thing with no conspiracy theory need apply?

Any tips would be great!!!

Just give in, bolt in a BBC and be done with it . Half the money and way more power .

I hate to say it, but the older I get, the more aggravating the parts become, the easier it is to put together a Brand X and the better their parts get, the more tempting it becomes. Just saying.

I always look back at a buddy of mine who sold his super gas Challenger and bought a pipe rack.... and on the heals of some GM based rainbow chasers was buying up used parts and engines for pennies on the dollar. It was sickening on the hp to dollar ratio.

None of the stuff is really Mopar built anymore anyway. It just doesn't matter anymore.

Sheldon

Or BAE..



Chris. .

It's crazy the mopar guys who want a heads up combo but NEVER think HEMI.

HEMI with a screw is STILL king of the mountain.



I have an alum. Indy block.

Anyone know how long it takes to get a block from Brad Anderson?
The Forged BAE block is $7200 bux. This will be my next build.

I think most new aluminum blocks are billet now? Why make a cast one?

BAE used to be able to supply a block within a few days or less, definitely by the next weekend. I imagine others are making billets now also?

BAE blocks are Forged. That's a stronger block then cast or billet.

You ever think about sticking that in a door car?
Want to partner up, I have a road runner that thing would be fast in. I just got to build it lol.

All aluminum is pored into some sort of a mold from the mill, some of those blanks are then stamped into forging, some, in block form, is machined into "billet" parts I would be more concerned on the alloy and heat treat on race parts

glad I just purchaced a keith black used block,and I have a old iron hemi pro stock block at the machine shop ready to pick up,when I see them at a reseaonable price and I know there not out there ill by it,will be putting a hemi in the dart next spring

If i had the cash i would build a big hemi with a couple of turbos on it

I was just asking about the KB blocks and Indy cast because for a road car that is a great plenty as far as strength goes. Obviously the cast blocks are cheaper, and for an engine in the 750 horsepower range, a forged block is way overkill.

But it's good to know if the forged blocks are readily available, right? That's what it sounds like at least.

Very little is available from anyone, all depends on their individual status with quality employees, suppliers and so forth. It's all part of a general withdrawal in American manufacturing. Shop I part time at was repairing a windowed New Century recently and it was a rush because there's no/very few new (serious) blocks available, and that's a BBC.

Good stuff will always be in demand and always be relatively scarce. S/F.....Ken M

Have you called KB and asked about your block?
Ken always returned all my calls if he didn't answer.

Funny, after near 28 years racing Mopars I quit for a long while. When I came back I built a Nostalgia front engine dragster --outfitted it with Hilborn alky injection on a SBC. First test pass dipped way down in the 5's with an engine that I built from Craigslist leftovers --that engine cost less than a set of nice Hemi valve covers. Being used to the Need to hoard Mopar parts I set about the same with the Chevy stuff--Big Mistake! I have more sweet blocks and parts than I could use in two lifetimes--all collected in less than a year --average block price $50-$100, same with nice steel cranks, and the internal parts bought new in the box for 20 to 30 cents on the dollar is just plain amazing- new in box aluminum rods $175 last week-I have three pro built 8 inch converters I have a total of about $250 in--the list goes on.
HP is HP and racing is racing--I can no longer afford the "Mopar Tax"
I still build mean Mopars for folks around the nation--I use my experience to make folks smile and melt rubber with a Mopar but for me --I have a new found Love for racing again and it is AFFORDABLE with the GM stuff and...after all....Mopar never even gave me a set of valve cover gaskets--they also have decided to destroy the Mopar Performance/ Direct Connection line of once affordable parts in favor of some Italian ideas about car making
so....I owe them nothing.
I can get a race block delivered Free to my shop from local warehouse distributor that actually STOCKS parts. Ahh...life is so much easier this way.

Doesn't take much to get a dragster in the 5's. Just sayin.

Indy blocks are 3 to 6 weeks

Another issue seems to be quality......

The only block you don't hear nightmares about is the KB. I've only used the KB block along with an R3 and have no complaints, but I've read a number of posts about the troubles with World, Indy and the Ritter small block deal, which is a shame since the list of available/affordable blocks is limited.

The last few Indy blocks I saw ( recently) all needed going over from one end to the other --this means buy a finished block then spend $$$$ to correct everything you can find--build it--have issues --all to find the stupid stuff you did not see.
Then..you can go have fun.
Wait on the KB and be happy.
I think the closer Indy gets to retirement the worse stuff gets--