AMC Crate Motors!!

[Cliff]

From the AMC-List:

There is someone offering Hi-po AMC Crate
motors. INDY Cylinder Heads just sent me info on their new offerings. They have 360 and 401 Crate Motors for sale. Price is not cheap but all
of these are built with priemum aftermarket parts and fully equipped from Carb to Pan, SFI balancers etc. All engines are dynoed and run in
before shipment. Prices are aroung $7500.00 on 360 engines, $10,500.00 on 401 engines. I don't have time line on delivery or shipping prices as
yet but this is GREAT news.

The engines come complete with Indy Street heads , intakes, deep sump external oil pans and pick-ups, Demon carbs, Custom forged pistons,
[401 uses aftermarket rods] , Indy's own Comp Cam profile custom gring cams, ETC. Advertised H.P rates are around 400 for 360, and over 500 H.P
on 401. [I have the correct advertised ratings but I loaned out the info before making a copy, sorry. however I will soon have it back and will
post advertised H.P. ratings.] These are lower compression engines , not all super high compression Race only pieces.

Yes, I KNOW!!! The up front money may look high but go price a 400 Chevy Crate engine with 235 C.C. Intake ports, The quality of the rest of the
parts and I believe you will find that INDYS' offering is not too bad. These are not run of the mill quality pieces like on the $3500.00 or so
priced regular Small Block Chevy offerings that everyone will harp about being so much cheaper than AMC stuff.

Indy is also in full swing working on the new Aluminum AMC blocks which will be able to be built to over 500 Cu.In. Indy is tight lipped about progress [as thay always are on their projects until they are ready to sell] But this is no rumor, it is FACT, The parts are indeed being done.

So, folks it won't be long before us AMCers will have just as much Cu.In as most other makes have available to them. That means Stroker Cranks,
Aftermarket rods, Big Inch blocks, etc . are soon going to be a phone call away just as the Mopar, Chevy, Ford hobby has available.

A Big THANK YOU INDY needs to go out, They got guts, they stepped up to the plate and Made us parts.

Also I heard a rumor that Edelbrock is now concidering building an AMC aluminum head. Fine, WHY did it take so long to get off their butts and
do it?? They have been having folks BEG for years now and nothing but excuses. My prediction [if it really happens] is that they will be close
the the air flow of the other makes they build, not a High Po as the Indy stuff. Fine, I am sure there is room for that product as well.
BUT... Speaking of Edelbrock, I would personally much rather see them invest in building an AMC Port injection system wich uses every single
part that they already have spent time and money on development. ALL they would need do is invest in an intake and then use the same electronics they already have. Smart move if they could see the light of day to do this, and CHEAP for them as well since they already have everything worked out but the manifold. If Edelbrock would jump on it I bet they could have us a complete Port system ready before the year is over. Heck, it took from 1974 till 2002 to build us a more modern intake, How long will it take to engineer a set of heads?? Too long, Build us the Complete F.I. system the hobby NEEDS now.

Thanks,

Happy AMC New Year,
Later,

Performance American Style [img]tongue.gif[/img]

--
http://www.performanceamstyle.com/

[Sundowner]

I could buy a Ramjet 502 for that much.
you'd either have to be a total whackjob AMC loon or a moron to pay that much for an AMC motor.

[James 007]

I do admire Indy's commitment to AMC enthusiasts. From what I hear, Edlebrock AMC heads will be more "streetable" than the offerings from Indy. I do like the ability of choices... rather from only one vendor. I must say tho.... those prices (crate motors) are steep. If anyone's ever seen the "HorsePower TV" AMC build-up on a 401.... dynoed 492HP @ a cost of $3600!!! There's also an article....

Granted some parts are "used" on the build-up, but you can't beat the price for end result! I'd spend the $6400 I'll be saving & drop in for a custom MPI EFI setup & also an Overdrive tranny. Hmmm.... I think I'll still have some money for gas too!!!

Over-all... the more manufacturers making quality AMC parts, the better for all of us! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Matty]

7500?! i don't think my entire jeep will ever be worth that much...lol

[derf]

Maybe we could get them to build up a mild crate engine instead of a hopped up one like they are selling. It could be cheaper that way.

[RWC]

But I've also heard it's not really an AMC-style motor anymore, but just a big Mopar with an AMC bolt-pattern for the heads and bellhousing.

RWC

[tomd]

OK, me and Robber80 have decided to start a "Buy Tom (74 Wag) a Crate 401 so i can give my current 401 to Robber80 fund"

So, e-mail me with all you donations, now be kind, i know your all in the giving spirit since you got all those neat things for christmas, right?

[pdspeh]

for me....
that would be like putting a 2 carat diamond on a tranished, rusted brass 25 cent bubble gum machine ring.

I'll do it.

[Bryan]

Well it's nice to see someone building performance motors for AMC, and yes the price is high. But from the brief description given these motors aren't really for the average FSJ'er, or Jeeper in general, they are for AMC Hipo applications (generaly speaking-no offense to anyone considering one in their Jeep). And yes Sundowner you could buy a BBC crate hipo motor for that much but what about those who dont want one? I'll never criticize anyone building one-off hipo parts, they are filling a niche that few others are filling. It's all relative and depends on your situation. That being said, It would be nice if they would build one that is more streetable or more for offroad/4x4 duty.

[tomd]

I agree, its probably not optimal for off road, but who can resist that kind of power??? not me!!!

[SFFSJ]

I'd like to second the notion of a "mild" crate motor...

I'd pay $3000, maybe even $4000, for a complete, turn-key, all-new, warranty-covered, kick-a** 360 built by pros who *know* AMC stuff.

Certainly a better idea than spending potentially that much to have a rebuild done by a shop who might claim, at best, "yeah, I built an amc once."

The only catch, and this is only a concern if the "mopar with an amc pattern" rumor is true: It *has* to look *just* like a stock 360, so there's no chance at all of any trouble with the Smog Nazis....

As for the "diamond on a $0.25 ring" analogy - I agree! But, in this case, I can move the diamond from one $0.25 ring to another for quite a while, if I have to. : )

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed...

[Bluesky4x4]

I guess if you were building an outlaw class race car that would be a descent price.

I agree that it's nice that someone is committed enough to AMC to produce new crate engines, and yes I can understand the high price for said motors.

"Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?" is a seldom heard quote, anymore, but it still applies, and very well in this case.

The engine they are building is for all out speed, meaning high HP, a very narrow torque band, a bear to keep tuned, all in all, a very high strung, touchy motor. I'd be more interested in seeing parts and add-ons that will allow the avg mechanic (which a great many of us are, and more than our share of great mechs, too) to build a reliable, high-torque engine, that doesn't need to be "stroked" just to run and do the everyday grind.

Those kind of parts are going to be, for the most part, a multi-port FI system, mild roller cams, 1.6 ratio roller rockers that are closer to being bolt in. Things like that, that will help the longevity, reliability and survivability of the engine under the harsh, stressful strain of pulling 4000-6000 lb trucks up, down, over and through the terrain that we subject them to.

A racing engine simply put, won't do this, day in and day out, it's too fragile for the abuse. There are exceptions, and I won't deny it, but the avg race engine will not serve in a 4x4.

[Elliott]

For the best stroked 302 on an A2 block running 500hp you'd be paying the same as the AMC. Sounds like a hot motor considering the folk building it. Prefer to build my own cheaper though.
When I start seeing the aluminum blocks come out then I'll start droolin'

[chrism]

These guys are local to me and build a couple crate 360's (300HP, 350HP). I have had machine work done there. Its a huge machine shop. They do very nice work.

http://www.golensengineservice.com/

[kyjman]

For my money I think I'll just keep on running my old 258 until it dies and then buy another old 258 and run it till it dies and so on and so on...I dont want power and speed I just want to get to work and then back home. I don't off road Bumpy so I dont tear things up that way. Just a stock Jeep truck doing what it was made to do.

[SFFSJ]

chrism -- thanks for the tip on the engine builders... looks like a good site - I'm definitely gonna investigate!

[chrism]

If you talk to them (Golen) you might want to ask if they still build their "RV/Truck" engines. On their old website they used to have a listing for them in addition to the street/strip and competition engines.
I think they had a 360 with a lower HP rating but built for torque. They were also cheaper.

[Joe J-Truck]

These might be the guys to send your heads to if anyone is looking to have porting done by someone who has a clue about AMC intake and exhaust runner design. Most typical machinists are chevy oriented. They may not know what to cut and what to leave when porting an AMC head... Sounds like these fellas have done their homework when it comes to American Motors.

[Joe J-Truck]

Originally posted by Cliff:
Speaking of Edelbrock, I would personally much rather see them invest in building an AMC Port injection system wich uses every single
part that they already have spent time and money on development. ALL they would need do is invest in an intake and then use the same electronics they already have. Smart move if they could see the light of day to do this, and CHEAP for them as well since they already have everything worked out but the manifold. If Edelbrock would jump on it I bet they could have us a complete Port system ready before the year is over. Heck, it took from 1974 till 2002 to build us a more modern intake, How long will it take to engineer a set of heads?? Too long, Build us the Complete F.I. system the hobby NEEDS now.
[/url]

That's what every jeeper out there wants!!! Edelbrock needs to do it already. They're stupid if they don't. A complete TPI setup for AMC would sell alot more than trick cylinder heads!!!