Lil IHRA classification help please!! Newbie Alert!

Originally Posted by KennyAnderson

"Yeah, pretty much they have. I have "most" of the pieces to put a SBC crate car together. Lack of time and motivation have kept me from pursuing it. I have a set of Parson's heads and the matching intake. Comp Cam and new Sherman lifters. Ross Pistons and a couple sets of good rods both stock and super stock. A legal carb that I got from Jeff Ross, built by a reputable person. The car already has a prepped rear with all Strange parts. Cal tracs and mono leafs. Have the pucks in the front subframe, need to rebuild the rest. Got the wheels and tires. Roll bar and frame connectors, just need to get them set up and welded in. Got a good 4 bolt main block with a steel crank, a donor from an old truck to build the engine from. They'll probably abolish the class before I finish the car.

Bruce told us we could expect to have $1600 or so in the block and crank work. I imagine with extras that figure will close to double. I gave him my modest expectations of what I expected the car to run. He laughed and said, if the car was set up at all, he didn't feel we'd have to worry about going that slow!"

Robert forgive me for being naïve but exactly what is "crate motor" about this build? If I was going to this trouble it would be a legal motor.

I think the original intent of Crate Motor Kenny was to actually buy a crate motor from GM, Ford, etc. and then do the necessary modifications on that long block to get it to run under the index. However, the only thing necessary on a "crate motor" to be legal ... let's say a Fast Burn for instance, would be the legal heads. When you buy a complete engine from GM you change the rods, put in a Stocker cam, add a single plane intake, etc. Everyone has access to a SBC block, crank, and then can add aftermarket rods, legal pistons, intake, etc. for well under what the factory charges for the long block ... most of which you won't use if you really want to be fast. He'll still be legal but is just gathering parts instead of buying the engine complete.