You've all heard of the Engine Masters competition where the some of the best engine builders in motorsports build the most powerful single four-barrel, gas-burning, small-block Ford, Chevy, Mopar or whatever for a pretty significant cash prize. Some pretty famous engine builders (like Sonny Leonard and Jon Kaase, just to name two) built engines for this year's competition, which paid the winner $70,000.

So, as it was told to the Agent, everybody brought their bullet to the dyno room and starting making pulls. They got three shots on the dyno to get their best number. Chevy after Chevy went across the dyno and the best numbers that came up were around 680 hp! Then the last engine was bolted on the stand and that was the Ford of the legendary Kaase, who was the only builder in the competition that didn't bring a Chevy.

They fired the Ford up and made a pull. The numbers came up as 709 hp. They handed Kaase the check and the party was over. One of the perks for the builders was that they tore the Ford apart so that everyone got to see what Kaase did to the engine. The Bow-tie brigade cried and the Ford faithful rejoiced! [12-22-2004]

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Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,& '04
First SS/MA in the TENS!
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28

The Barry of BarrysGrrl

http://popularhotrodding.com/enginemasters/challenge/2004/

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Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,& '04
First SS/MA in the TENS!
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28

The Barry of BarrysGrrl

The winner was awarded contingency money based upon how many sponsors parts
they ran. Kaase was awarded something like $77,500. Kaase won last year,
also.

> Then the last engine was bolted on the stand and that was the Ford of the
> legendary Kaase, who was the only builder in the competition that didn't
> bring a Chevy.

Of the 50 entrants selected for the dyno competition, only 20 were Chevrolets.
There were also 14 Fords, 7 Pontiacs, 5 Oldsmobiles, 3 Chryslers, and an AMC.
Of the top six finalists, 4 were Fords: 1st-Kaase, 3rd-BES (Tony Bischoff),
5th-Scott Main (MPG Heads), and 6th-Coast High Performance. Chevrolets took
2nd and 4th.

Of the Fords, there were several 351C-based entries:

Jon Kaase - CHI head, 351C XE block, Sonny Bryant crank
Dave Mclain, Scott Johnson, Brian Adams - CHI heads, SCAT crank, stock block
Tony Bischoff - 351C with Blue Thunder heads, 4.06" bore x 3.95" stroke
Jeff Lawrence - iron 4V heads and 351C block, 4.035" bore x 4.0" stroke
Scott Main and Bob Moore - CHI "Boss 302" heads on big-bore Dart 302 block

While Bischoff entered a 351C, he switched to a Windsor, possibly because
someone figured out the Blue Thunder heads weren't legal for the competition.

> They fired the Ford up and made a pull. The numbers came up as 709 hp. They
> handed Kaase the check and the party was over.

Kaase's best pull was just shy of 700 HP at 698.2 HP but the contest wasn't
awarded on peak horsepower. It was based on average horsepower between 2500
and 6500 RPM.

> One of the perks for the builders was that they tore the Ford apart so that
> everyone got to see what Kaase did to the engine.

If they follow the same format as last year, the top three engines will
be torn apart and the heads flow bench tested and the results published
in the next month or two's issue of PHR. Previously, PHR published the
Speed-o-Motive Windsor-based entry (build up prior to the competition).
I think they also intend to do an article on Main's Boss 302.

> what size was the engine that he built an what was in it?

Briefly, this year's rules were:

- small block engines
- 410 cubic inches maximum
- solid roller cam
- 92 octane pump gas
- street-type cylinder heads (not dedicated race heads)
- no canted valve heads on 351W blocks
- production intake manifolds and exhaust headers (no fabricated items)
- the winner is the one who makes the most average power from 2500-6500 RPM
- prize money is contigency based on how many PHR advertiser parts are used

PHR reserved the right to make up the rules as they go along. They didn't
allow 351C's to use aftermarket blocks though Chevys and Windsors were
allowed to use race blocks, Oldsmobiles were allowed to use Olds diesel blocks
and 403 big blocks, Pontiacs were allowed to use 455 blocks, AMC could use
Trans Am blocks, etc.. They wouldn't even let the 351C guys use a 351M or
400 block (Kaase originally wanted to run a 351M/400 block for the deck height
advantage). I sold Kaase my XE Autralian 4-bolt main 351C block but the rest
of the Cleveland entries used production blocks. At one point, it was feared
that PHR wouldn't allow the Aussie block, restricting the competition to
U.S. blocks. However, it was pointed out that Windsor blocks come from
Windsor, Canada. Also, no canted valve heads were allowed on Windsor blocks.
To get around that rule and still be able to run the Cleveland heads, Scott
Main went so far as building a Boss 302 using a Dart 8.2" deck block and
CHI "Boss 302" heads (Cleveland heads with water passages for Windsor blocks).
The bore was 4.250" and the stroke was 3.60" so displacement was 408.6 cubic
inches. That's a lot of cubes to pack in a 302 block. Kaase ran a set of
Australian CHI Cleveland heads, as did a couple of other entrants (Mclain
and Main). There was also a entry using iron 4V Cleveland heads.

> Dave Mclain of McLain Automotive also showed well with a Cleveland, but
> didn't qualify for the final.

Yup. Dave had one of the top horsepower pulls but his average between
2500 and 6500 RPM wasn't in the top six for the finals. He asked Kaase
what he did wrong and Kaase's response was that he didn't run enough
compression. Mclain ran about a point lower compression than Kaase.
To win, you had to be on the hairy edge of compression given the 92 octane
pump gas.

Kaase knows Fords!

35 year old head design that still rocks!

Still the best bang for the buck there is.

KAASE'S EMC WINNER SBF TO BE AUCTIONED FOR CHARITY

Woody Woodruff from the Jegs organization called the Agent to let him know that after Jon Kaase picked up his check for wining the EMC with his 700+ hp small block Ford, he graciously decided to send the engine out to the Barrett-Jackson auction that takes place in Phoenix, AZ sometime in January to be auctioned off. All of the proceeds from the sale will go to the Jegs Foundation for Cancer Research.

Always wanted a 700hp, Kaase-built small block Ford? See you at the Barrett-Jackson. [1-4-2005]

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Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,& '04
First SS/MA in the TENS!
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28

The Barry of BarrysGrrl

------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,& '04
First SS/MA in the TENS!
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28

The Barry of BarrysGrrl

quote:

---

Originally posted by Moneymaker:
Allowed cylinder head issues as I understand it.

---

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Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator

NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,& '04
First SS/MA in the TENS!
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28

The Barry of BarrysGrrl

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1982 Ford F100 2wd Shortbox. Powered by a 357 Cleveland w/ closed chamber 4v's and a Funnelweb. Full Roller c-6 trans with Gear Vendors Overdrive and 4.86 geared Detroit Locker equipped 9" rear.

1982 F100 351c 4v