If Dart commits to it, I expect it will get done and the parts will be good. Plenty of people have talked about it. But here we are. I will be watching this development.

Reasonable (for the buyer): you like the price.
Reasonable (for the seller): completely pays off all R&D time, molds, destructive testing, CNC programs, ads, distributor network requirements, etc. and gives a good ROI (25% annual?).
Even this assumes no failures, delays, strikes, embargoes, recalls.
My dad used to say "Want to sell light bulbs? The first one is $10 million, the 10 millionth one is $1.".

If they can only sell 10 - they won't (doesn't begin to pay for the start-up costs).
If they can only sell 100 they will be $6,000 - and they won't (no buyers).
If they sell 1,000 they will be $1,999 - and they won't (900 will still be on the shelf in a year).

See the problem? There isn't enough volume to permit a low price, and no buyers at all if it's not.

Commits to it?
You think that their principals and stockholders will let them chase $50,000 R&D down a rathole because they had a press conference?
If it won't make money (2 years and no product, costs = projection X 2, only 50 deposits) they eat the losses, and call it off.

I think you guys may be surprised how many of these could sell.

Since the R3 well has basically dried up, class racers and those who want to make more HP than a stock block provides have not had many options. Is it going to blow anyone away from a volume perspective no, but if its reasonable there is a market.

If they're $1999 I'll put my deposit down tomorrow.

Bravo to Book and Mason for getting us this far.

You are NEVER going to pay SBC prices for Chrysler stuff.

Poly laid out the math in fairly clear numbers. A Chrysler block costs about the same to found and machine as a Chevy. Since there are 40:1 Chevy over Chrysler that's an in sue right there.

My bet is at 2k if they require anything but assembly guys are going to [censored]. Can't tell you how many guys bitched at me because the X and R blocks came rough bored and I charged extra to get the block to hone size. Virtually everyone.

Want to know how many Chevy guys bitched about rough bored blocks???? A big fat ZERO.

Katie bar the door if it needs a line hone...and it SHOULD and if it has to be decked (and it SHOULD) the Chrysler guys will [censored] for YEARS.

Fact. I've lived through it.


God knows I want this to happen. Look how bad it was for Ritter to get one up and running.

They need to have one be legal and approved for Stock/Super Stock.

Priblem with Ritter though is he didnt bring a viable product to market. He brought a product that immediately had a bad name. Bad news travels way faster than good news

IF Dart does produce them I don't see them having the problems that Ritter had/has. I hope it happens, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Speaking of class racing, how much more trouble/cost might there be to offer 360 crank journal size blocks once the 340 size is ready? (For Stock classes.)

I wouldn't expect 2k for a block. I figure Dart will have at least $1 million from design to release. $3500 a block means about 285 blocks sold to break even.

Dart will show us how to design, manufacture, and release a quality product. If only Ritter would have done as Dart will, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

This seems the most reasonable and likely scenario posted so far.

If Dart makes it I have ZERO doubt it will be a good piece. Also would not expect then to be under $3K

Hummmmm

4.220 bore
4.25 stroke
475 cubes

Heck i could race it at night, use it to help bailing hay in the daytime

I get it. I knew Kent when he was running the Ritter-Webber record holding Comp car. IIRC the car went 7.77 at 167 or something like that, which for 2000-2001 was impressive.

Ritter didn't have the backing that he needed. So yes, he did release the block too early. What I don't get is how do guys not know what's coming?

Evidently, Ritter has it cleaned up and no body is beating the door down to get them. I don't recall the issues with the first blocks but like I said, Chrysler guys get exactly what they deserve. Very few are willing to pay, be the first, work through the kinks and do some testing.

I've been around way too long to say otherwise. If this deal does happen, the only thing to keep it going is the down under Pro Stock guys.

Now, if you want to rehash the Pro Stock truck debacle we can do that. Because that was the beginning of the end of N/A racing in NHRA. Killing the truck class was not only stupid it was short sighted.

Or...maybe this is what NHRA really wanted. Killing PST certainly hastened the downfall of PS.

I don't think many people have looked at the cost of a Dart block, most of the Big and Little M, or Iron Eagle blocks are closer to the $3K mark, if not over. World blocks aren't any different. I don't imagine they'll be a SHP style block, which is less expensive.

What about at $3,000? $5,000?

I'm stepping out on a flimsy limb but my Ritter block will be coming home next week and QMP said it machined up real nice.

I know all the guys will say "it's not tested, how many problems?, how much more did you spend, ect...

All I can say is it is a real nice piece, I stepped up to the plate and took a swing because I wanted to make some serious steam in a small block.

Kent was up front and very honest,that being said he sold 7 that's right 7 new ones that I know of. I haven't heard a bad word yet on one of the 7 new blocks.

Under 3k and I'm not sure what the machine bill will be but you have to have any new block machined.

Bored to 4.185"
Decked to 9.580"
Line honed
Extra was I had the cam tunnel opened up to 60mm roller

Yea we’re not all cheap asses that’s for sure we stepped out on that limb and worked through the kinks with the old Ritter block. So I’m right there with you man now if we can ever get our damn lifters back from Jesel I’ll start a post to really get everyone talking lol

Jason

Some wont mind one bit paying good money for a good product without alot of the BS and waiting that has plagued the mopar world for far too long.

I feel for the ritter block guys, he couldnt even make a quality R5 to 727 adapter plate, a nice $700 shot in the dark still hanging on my shop wall for the last maybe 8-9 years.

Look
I am routing for any manufacturer that is willing to step up to the plate with their time and money to build us parts. BUT having been in this business for almost 20 years, you can count the bad [censored] small blocks on one hand. Sure the 408 eddie Motors are pretty common but as far as W7,W8 or W9 dang few like one hand few. I have customers all over the planet and other than the Aussies there is dang little demand. Go to the tracks and look around. NOT the mopar only events> I can count the R blocks we sold on one hand and like has been noted most of those went to OZ. Roundy round, and some of the outlaw stuff was pretty hot when they ran but even the most ardent supporters all eventually threw in the towel. I hope they make it and heck build some BB and hemis to while your at it. Todd