Started a thread on here a while back about which guy to buy Hemi parts from. Cant find the old thread, so i'll start a new one. Long story short i found both guys to be nice guys, but Tim was more forth coming with info and specs, flow numbers and such, so i decided Tim would be the guy. I called him up, real nice guy, he talked my ear off. I ordered a pair of Stage v castings and 2 weeks later i call to go over the specifics of the heads, what's springs, valves and locks etc i want to use. They should be done as we speak. I will call today about that. No issues with the heads yet. I have also spoke with Tim about the block and this is where i believe he is leading me astray. Has to be a KB block because according to him the BM block is junk(not what i have found talking to other hemi dealers) and it has to have a raised cam bore and 60mm. This combo is only a 850-900hp deal. I'm finding the 60mm cam is a total waste for my combo and hard to find plus a lot more money to buy. I have spoke to enough Hemi people now that are all on the same page, but Tim seems to be on another. Its seems throu my calls and searching Tim builds a lot of weird combos that cost a ton of money. Like the 590 he wanted me to build instead of the 572 i want to build. If i follow him with the rest of the combo he's gonna lead me straight into the poor house. I am not looking to build a $50,000 Hemi. I thought i might be able to get this done for something like $20,000 or a little more. I have also been lead to believe a KB block is only about a 1 month wait by Tim. Anyone else i speak to says they can't get a KB right now. So i'm turning the wheel here and have decided on the BM block as i found a dealer that has one on the way not spoken for yet. Tim is the only guy i spoke with that bad mouthed that block. Tim also wanted me to run a belt drive on the street, which i wasn't sure that would be a good idea or not. So, Tim is a nice guy and all, but i think he has me over building this combo, it's not a 4000hp deal, but he's building it like it is. I found several other things he wanted me to do too, that were way off a street build. Looks like i can get this BM block for $7800 fully machined and ready for assembly, will see. Don't mean for this to be a bad mouthing thread, Just an update on my experience.

Belt drive, raised cam block, 60 mm...all big money unnecessary parts for what you're building. All things I did NOT want to run on mine. I 100% agree w/ you.
You know my combo and what it makes. Keep it simple.

I would agree with you. I don't see the 60mm raised cam as being a big benefit to you. Yes, some guys think they are sexy, and I guess so do I, but it all has a cost. And it adds complexity to the build. Complexity adds time and alters the fit of other parts. Sometimes guys just like throwing money at something for fun. I use titanium studs and nuts to hold my carb on. Does that make sense? No. I just like to waste money on sexy stuff. I believe you are overthinking this. An engine like you are describing is something that Ray Barton has built hundreds of times. Hundreds of them on the dyno. He knows how to get where you are going. He makes it too easy. I bought a Neon with a Ray Barton 572 in it. 975HP (more cam than you want for your application). It was nice.

FWIW...I concur. 800-900 hp HEMI's have been built with less cubes and less exotic parts for years why would yours need to be different (exotic parts wise). It might be interesting to hear why he believes BM blocks are junk, and why the raised cam (although with a 4.5 stroke it gets tight in a std cam height) Keep us posted as its always interesting to hear different views.

+1 to what everyone else said. I'm in the 800-900 hp range with a lot less than what he's suggesting.

Keep it simple especially for a street build. You want to drive the car not work on it all the time.

As for a block being a month away I just laugh. My builder and me heard for almost 18 months that a block was a month away. Don't believe Tim. If I could have gotten a Indy or BM block during that time I would have. Thankfully my engine is almost done. Damn covid and lack of parts sure slowed down the build.

W/r/t "all big money unnecessary parts for what you're building."
I agree, the Pentagon calls this "mission creep".

The block is always later than they said.

Sent you a PM.....Sorry to hear your having some issues with your build so early on.

FYI ....I do not have a raised cam block, and I am running a tad larger crank than 4.5....at 604 cubes. I think he did that so he COULD run the 60mm cam....I would be curious to see what the HP loss is at .700" and then .800" lift without it.

Hemi's get expensive quick...

I think Tim will push the KB block because he owns part of the place. The owner discount helps with the builder profit margin. Lol If I had to guess, I suspect the overkill stuff is probably what is in the pipeline to make that quick delivery time happen.

Sheer speculation on my part.

Kevin

I have no experience with Hemis or either of those 2 guys. With that said I've dealt with some machine shop/engine builders that like to spend their customers money for them.

All those fancy parts and no mention of dry sump oiling or fuel injection?
Why go halfway?

(kidding)

Agree with you.

Why not finish the heads and intake manifold with Tim, pay him, get them in your hands, and
then do the rest of the project under the guidance of someone who doesn't assume you have an unlimited budget?

Maybe even someone more local, where you can get involved more, go visit your project in person and talk face to face.

Just a thought......

Personally: The minute someone refers to parts I'm going to provide as "Junk", my reaction is usually:
"I would never ask you to work with Junk" and that is the end of that transaction.

I think your dead on. 100% agree.

That is my thought as well. Called up Best Machine in Detroit and spoke with Pete extensively about the build. I had him tag the BM Hemi block that’s on the way. I can drive down and pick it up when it’s done. Told him I plan on using Molnar crank and rods and suggest a Callies rod instead. Not sure which Callies rod, so what are you guys using?

The HEMI piston is heavier than a wedge typically and the Callies rod can handle the weight - its an upgrade worth the money IMO

I played with HEMI's 30 years ago - when I wanted to step back in racing with a big HEMI I talked with BEST - no disappointments with the 572 build they did for me - we had a lot of discussions on parts choices and what would work best for what I was going to do - They have the experience!

I'm going to be building a KB 572 C.I. B1 headed wedge soon, hopefully this summer
I need to order the pistons and send a used solid roller cam core to Bullett for them to see if I can use it in this B1 pump gas motor or not based on what LSA it has now
My concerns over the Bill MItchell aluminum block is how good the casting and machine work are
I had Tim do all the finish machining on my block as I was not in a rush to get it and most of the machine shops around here in OR don't do many Hi Po aluminum block builds
I am going to use a used Jesel belt drive as I have two of them on my parts shelfs
I ended up buying a set of Scat steel rods as they where the only company that I could find that had a 7.100 long rod with stock Mopar rod journal sizes to work with the old used KB 4.500 stroke top fuel crank I have in stock. I tried a set of Carillo aluminum 6.860 long aluminum I beam top alcohol rods and the pin bosses hit he counterweight on the crank so out with them and in with longer steel rods
Some times it pays to buy the best parts you can get, especially if your going to race it
I got on Tim list to buy that block a long time ago before any cast iron blocks were available, I now have two cast iron 4.500 inch bore Hi Po blocks in stock so I'm going to sell the 572 aluminum motor to help buy parts for the other two iron builds.
I also want to see how much power I can make with a B1 head on a aluminum 572 C.I. pump gas motor

The Ultra I beam sure looks like a nice upgrade....maybe that is the one they are referring to?

I provided a K1 crank and Molnar H beam rods when Best balanced my 572.

I'd be lucky to start with 150-200HP less than yours and I am fine with that, as I currently wouldn't have a clue what to do with 850hp
and need/want to work my way up.

I have used best machine for my builds. They have done a lot of hemi's in the horsepower range you are talking. It doesn't need to be an exotic combo. My 604 with CNC ported old style MP heads small cam pump gas made 860hp with a sheet metal crossram. I would give them a serious look.

Don't know much about FHO, people seem to like him, i have talked to him about parts before and he sold me an EFI intake for a customer car, seemed alike a nice guy. Barton has been around, but i don't know if that is shop you absolutely need to go to, its not like you were building a superstock class motor.

Callies instead of Molnar because of increased reciprocating weight and/or higher RPM: good question.
Callies instead of Molnar because of increased power: not so much.

Things to avoid: using Molar, and still thinking about Callies...

Yep, with that big dome Hemi pistons can get heavy.

Pete tells me 13:1 is the sweet spot for these Hemi’s. My plan was 12:1 and I’m now thinking just build it with 13:1 and live with it. I don’t mind mixing fuel as I do it now with my 12.5:1 511 wedge. Looking like CP will be the piston if a can find a shelf piston for this. Once I get the heads I can cc the chambers and intake to get a better idea on the compression and cam.