Who builds sbm motors

[clunker58]

I’ve called a few builders and can’t find a derby motor builder for a sbm Does anyone have a builder that is willing to build a derby motor. I’ve tried local shop but they just build motors and not really up on what’s needed for a derby motor. Also what’s better to start with 318/360 what’s the best year? Or should I just switched to Chevy motors? Any help be great thanks

[settleit]

Just my opinion, when a sbc can run for 2 hours without water... I know what I would look into.

[demoboy333]

Sept 27, 2021 11:18:24 GMT -5 settleit said:

Just my opinion, when a sbc can run for 2 hours without water... I know what I would look into.

I couldn't agree more but the sound of a Mopar on the track is way better but yet to see a Mopar take the heat like a chevy. Plus you spend about three times as much in Mopar that you could spend for a chevy. Im slowly leaning to e85 5.3 ls on ecm over sbc but for personal reasons.

[owen11x]

I will agree to an extent.. I'm all mopar I run a 318 with 340 heads hughes whiplash camshaft .030 over stock bottom end 3.55 and 4.56 gear 727 no stall converter and it rips I've ran mine on no water for about 17 min (after lost water) and it still drove off track after and didnt replace anything. Ive had headers glowing from flange to tip of collector.. with all that being said the mid 80s blocks have been good to me but the 68&69 318s have 340 bottom ends. I have a few magnums but have yet to run them but from what I hear a camshaft and intake and your good togo, instant 320hp. Each to there own on that
I prefer the 80s blocks but have seen many nasty magnums. for my gm I always ran a 305 .020 over RV cam and fuel Injected Corvette heads she was a runner to.

[owen11x]

And more importantly it takes WAY less work to make a mopar have power than it takes to make power with GM

[noser23x]

Baldwin did for a while, I know a few of their earlier motors had some kinks but believe they were worked out. That is of the derby builders, most don't because it's a niche market.

Other then that, it's mostly just a local machine shop you can trust. In my experience, throw a decent cam in, get a set of good swirl port heads and have them gone through, lap valves and some minor port work, update valve train, fuel, and I liked Mopar HEI, and send it. Not the biggest power house, but as long as it runs and works.

On the debate of SBC vs Mopar vs LS, mopar is an uphill battle. Aftermarket support isn't there really like it is for a SBC or LS, and once you get into cradles, tranny braces, etc. They are there but few and far between, cost more, and just from the stand point of the design to fit around the components, they are imo inferior, and that's not a knock on the manufacturers, hell I have worked on them myself. There is just less to work with.

SBC will always be king in this sport for people that take it seriously, for both reliability, power, after market support, the list goes on and on.

LS stuff is great, people are getting more successful with them, initial investment is a little more then say a SBC, but they work and stay cheap after that.

This comes from a guy that spent most of his childhood working on 318 and 360s.

[owen11x]

You make a good point, when I ran full weld and full protectors I was running my SBC now that I only run "stock" classes I'll run my mopars over anything. Definitely the derby world favors crown vics and SBC

[backwoodsboys707]

We only run mopar motors and honestly every run I've lost a rad and never had a problem. I mean there's a reason guys used to only want mopar engines they take heat better but the reason most have quit is because gm is just cheaper to work on plain and simple but thats jmo

[backwoodsboys707]

If I were to actually have a motor built it'd probably be a gm of some sort but like I've said and others have said parts are cheaper and easier to find especially derby related parts haha. But I don't see me ever doing that my stock mopars haven't let me down yet. My 360 is peaced together with used parts from like 3 different motors and still just hums right along like a champ with the rest of them lol

[Punisher 66J]

Gropp himself has said to me personally that one of his first successful engines was a 360 mopar, it just came down to cost.

[martin113]

Colyer built my 360 and my 5.9 magnum run amazing

[x13mopar]

Late to the party, but my 318 Magnum has only died once when the frame on a 98-02 went up and the distributor kissed the dash bar. IMO, a carb converted magnum is more bang for your buck than anything produced by GM. To make a 305/350 to make comparable power, you have to start swapping parts. I also run plastic tanked radiators because I know the engine will handle no water.