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#1 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Fishers, IN
Posts: 809
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I thought I would write a few words about the effort and time required to build a custom, large displacement LT5 engine. There are only a few guys building these, and some members have them in process or are thinking about it for the future.
These are unique engines. Virtually all of the components in a high-end build are custom. We all wish it was as easy as the LS-platform, with a menu of off the shelf parts readily available. Here's what a typical build looks like for me, the other guys are probably similar. 1) Crankshaft. Anything more than a 3.750" stroke has to be a new billet piece. Moldex and Bryant are the two main suppliers. Moldex is 26-week leadtime from order placement. Bryant is even longer, and slightly more expensive, but good. The price of these are so high, I don't know any of the builders who keep them in stock, on the shelf. All of the above is (obviously) after a complete disassembly, cleaning, and inspection of the base components. That, and the re-assembly is all within the builder's control. But, as you can tell, a lot of the other work is usually not. I don't know if Marc or Graham have their own in-house machine shops to prioritize their work on their schedule, but most do not. If only we did, timelines would be easier to control. I don't commit to a firm completion date for any build for those very reasons. The old saying goes something like, "you can have it cheap, fast, or good", but not all three! Clearly some of the items above can be done in parallel, so it's not purely a sequential timeline, but a lot of it is. This isn't meant to discourage anybody. The LT5 at 650-700 hp is an experience like few other. There are probably less than a dozen examples out there at close to 700hp. My purpose here is to articulate the best I can how involved these custom builds are, so folks can form reasonable expectations if they are thinking about going this route. Todd
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Todd ____________________________________ *** our email address has changed! info@pepmeierengines.com pepmeierengines.com Friend us on Facebook too: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011443683384 Pepmeier Engine Development Last edited by tpepmeie; 07-15-2024 at 03:44 PM. |
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#2 |
Join Date: Jun 2024
Location: Huntsville, AL
Posts: 8
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Good summary of the complications in building a unique engine.
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#3 |
![]() Join Date: May 2010
Location: Japan
Posts: 3,571
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Thank you for the great explanation. Much respect! [emoji1360]🤙🏼
Sent from my iPhone using ZR-1 Net Registry
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Craig "ZR-1 NO KA 'OI" "ZR-1 ICHIBAN" 1995 #228 Black/Black with Dunn Heads ZR-1 owner since September 2003 ZR-1 Net Registry Founding Member #0074 NCM Lifetime Member #2048 ![]() |
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#4 |
![]() Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Dunbarton NH
Posts: 7,363
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That was an informative read. Thanks Todd
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#5 |
![]() Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Sudbury, Ontario. Canada
Posts: 1,541
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Very interesting, thanks for sharing this info.
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1991 #1516 Black/Black davidmkelly.com "Speed is often confused with insight." - Johan Cruijff |
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#6 |
![]() Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Ocala, FL
Posts: 889
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I think I remember hearing it took Phil W some 5 years to complete his 427.
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Steve Young 1991 ZR-1 Quasar Blue Metallic/Black #729 Second Owner 1991 ZR-1 Dark Red Metallic/Black #2040 SOLD 1990 ZR-1 Dark Red Metallic/Saddle #1670 SOLD Double your happiness.....complain half as much. |
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