You can build a clone of a rare, premium engine......

If you want the performance of an ultra-performance model-but haven't won the lottery you can build one pretty easy with the help of the aftermarket. It won't be original, but it will be lightning fast at a fraction of the cost of the "Real" thing. Here's how to do them. # 1. Ram Air IV 400 Pontiac. There were millions of 400 Pontiacs built from 1967-79 so finding a block isn't a problem. TRW offers flat-top forged pistons that give 10:1 compression with 72cc heads. Edelbrock's "Performer RPM" round-port heads are patterned after the legendary factory RAIV heads. ( The Edelbrocks actually breathe better ). Ames performance and NPD both offer replacement aluminum RAIV / 455HO intakes if you want the exact thing-or you could use an Edelbrock Performer or Performer RPM. The Edelbrock Performer RPM cam also has the exact same duration and lift as the factory cam-308 / 320 advertised duration / .470 lift with 1.5 rockers. You'll need round-port headers-but Hedman and Hooker offer them. Car Craft built one of these and it dyno'd at 440 hp and 460 lbs ft of torque. You'll need a 4-speed and at least 3.73:1 gears ( they were only available from the factory with 3.90s or 4.33s ). If you have an automatic you'll need 3.73:1 gears and a 2,500 rpm torque converter. In a GTO or Firebird with good tires this will easily put you in the 12s. Magazines flippantly talk about 500,or 600 hp or more-but in reality-440 honest hp will turn any car into a rocket. # 2. LS6 454 Chevy. Millions of MKIV 454's were built from 1970-1990 so it's easy enough to find a rebuildable core. Most heavy duty trucks had steel cranks anyway-but if you have to you can buy a forged crank,rods and pistons from Summitt Racing and various other sources reasonably. Now you have to decide how anal you want to be, Magazine research has shown that the "Hi-Performance" Rectangular port heads don't show a noticeable gain over the "standard" Oval-Port heads until 6,300 rpm. So you could use the standard heads if you want to. Or if you have to have rectangular port heads,GM Performance Parts, Merlin, and World Products all offer complete high-performance Iron rectangular port heads for Big-Block Chevys. Crane, Competition Cams and Lunati all offer exact replicas of the factory LS6 solid-lifter cam. GM Perfomance Parts offers the replacement aluminum intake-( The good, tall,'69 and earlier L78 / L88 style,that's good for 15-20 hp over the flat 1970-71 original,although you may have hood clearance problems on some Camaros and Corvettes without a scoop or domed hood ). You can buy a brand-new 3310 Holley carb from Summitt Racing. With good traction and an axle ratio between 3.23 and 3.73 this should put any Chevelle or Camaro in the very low 13s or very high 12s. 4.56s and drag radials will get low 12s or high 11s.  And nothing SOUNDS more badass than high-compression Rat motor with a solid-lifter cam and headers. # 3. Boss 302 Ford. Any 302 Ford Block will do, but if you can afford it I'd go with the Ford SVO 345 hp short-block. Edelbrock and Trick Flow both offer Cleveland style aluminum performance heads that will bolt up to the Windsor block. Edelbrock has the "E-Boss" Performer RPM manifold that will fit this unique combination ( Windsor engines have a different deck height than Cleveland engines, and different port locations so "Boss" style intakes are unique.) Crane and Lunati offer exact replicas of the solid-lifter cam, and 3310 Holleys with Ford throttle linkage are available new from Summitt. Or you could build a 347 stroker-( which would really pump up torque). You'll need a 4-speed and at least 3.73:1 gears. ( Factory versions were only available with 3.90s or 4.30s ). If you put one of these in a '69-'70 Mustang Fastback and buy the graphics-it won't be original but it'll have better performance than a "real" Boss, and won't cost you a mint. ( Try to touch a "Real" Boss 302 Mustang for under 50K )  # 4. Boss 351 Ford. Same deal. You can use any 351W block ( Although "Real" ones were 351C's ). Edelbrock and Trick Flow have the Boss style heads and Edelbrock offers an E-Boss manifold for the 351 as well. Lunati makes the cam, and I would use a 750 Holley or Edelbrock carb. ( The Autolite 4300 was The WORST carburator ever built, bar none ). I'd use a 4-speed and at least 3.50:1 gears or an automatic with a 2,500 rpm converter. ( Factory versions were only available with a 4-speed and 3.91s) Since only 1,806 Boss 351s were built in 1971 only, this gives any '69-73 Mustang, Cougar, Torino or Montego owner the chance to have "Boss" performance. How about a Montego painted like the Wood Brothers Mercury that David Pearson campaigned in NASCAR in the '70's?  # 5 Chrysler 360 "Six-Pack". Yes, I said 360. The reason being 340s were only built from 1968-73 and are pretty scarce, and thus pricey. However-the 360 was used from 1971-1991 in various Chrysler, Plymouth, and Dodge cars and trucks, so there's literally millions of them. ( I know you could get a 360 in a Dodge truck until 2003,but '92 and later "Magnum" engines can't use an old-style manifold. ) Anyhow-Edelbrock still sells the 3-2bbl manifold, Holley still sells the carbs, and Mopar performance sells the throttle linkage and air cleaner. Since it's not original anyway-some Edelbrock or Indy aluminum heads would make it really rock. Mopar Performance, Crane, and Lunati sell the Hi-Perf 340 cam, or you could go hotter if you wish. You can also get a stroker crank kit that yields 408 inches and REALLY pumps up the torque. I'd use a 4-speed an at least 3.55:1 gears or a Torqueflite with a 2,500 rpm converter and 3.55:1 or stiffer gears. A lot easier and cheaper than trying to find a one-year only ( 1970 ) 'Cuda AAR or Challenger T/A. # 6. L88 427 Chevy. I listed this one last because it's the most expensive to build, but it's still many thousands less than trying to buy or build a "real" L88. Forget trying to find a 427. Get a 1970-1990 454 MKIV block. GM performance, Lunati,Summitt Racing, and many other companies will sell you a 3.76 stroke cramk, rods and pistons. You'll also need the correct flywheel and damper. ( 454s are externally balanced, 427s are internally balanced, but the parts are readily available. 12:1 compression means running race-gas. In this instance, I would invest in the Merlin or World Products rectangular port heads. CRane and Lunati sell exact replicas of the solid-lifter cam. With the proper valvetrain, you could rev to 7,500 rpm safely. GMPP sells the intake manifold and I'd use an 850 Double-Pumper Holley instead of searching the Galaxy for an 830. You have to have headers and free-flowing exhaust. A magazine built one of these and it dyno'd at 529 hp and 544 lbs of torque!! You'll need a 4-speed and 4.11 or stiffer gears, or a TH400 with a 2,500 rpm converter and 4.11 or stiffer gears-but it will be a rocket. If you can get traction-your talking high 11s, easily in a Chevelle, and maybe low 11s in a lighter Corvette or Nova. Any of these would be a great alternaitve to spending bukoo bucks for an original, that you wouldn't race anyway because you'd be afraid of blowing it up!! At least with the "clone" you'd run it the way it was built to be run and not care if it blew up, 'cause it's not numbers-matching anyway. Mastermind