Who builds the best late model motor???

[In The Gas]

Rumley! Maybe the others in previous years.

[HoosierDirtFan]

Rhyne Engines

[dlm25jr]

Rumley! Maybe the others in previous years.

I don't think you can qualify Mr. Leroy as a builder. If its true what some are saying, he is just an assembler. No doubt it takes special skills to assemble a race engine, but that's only a part of what a real engine builder does!

[Highside Hustler25]

Ford - Andy Durham

Was wondering when someone was gonna mention him.

[In The Gas]

I don't think you can qualify Mr. Leroy as a builder. If its true what some are saying, he is just an assembler. No doubt it takes special skills to assemble a race engine, but that's only a part of what a real engine builder does!

Assembler is defined as a person who assembles a machine or its parts. Obviously Rumley knows what parts he needs to build a motor.

[dlm25jr]

Assembler is defined as a person who assembles a machine or its parts. Obviously Rumley knows what parts he needs to build a motor.

Probly......but I bet it has more to do with Mr. Clements parts list!

[Bubstr]

Well, there are machinists and there are assemblers, then there are engine designers. Unless your developing your own port profiles and matching them to the other parts to make a predictable torque curve, your not a full fledged designer, machinist, assembler. I'm not sure, but I believe some so called engine builders work with a head profiler. I know some of the NASCAR teams do. It's just hard to be good at everything. There is a lot of tech in every part of a racing engine, they pick these parts from specialists with expertise. That would make all of them, so called assemblers.

[Barbecueboy]

Calling Leroy just an " assembler" is like calling Van Gogh just a painter...........

[cdustyr1]

Calling Leroy just an " assembler" is like calling Van Gogh just a painter...........

A lot of time the local builders are at the tracks if there are problems they can help get them fixed during a night of racing, also they have access to other business partners to help track down a needed part that can sometimes keep a night going that would otherwise ended early.

[Bubstr]

Calling Leroy just an " assembler" is like calling Van Gogh just a painter...........

I don't know Leroy, but I'm guessing he farms out the machining, as the cost of owning that equipment for just your own engines, would be expensive. He is probably working with a head porter as a 5 angle CNC machine costs more than several years of engines and is worthless without a flow bench. He is old enough, that he could know what he wants for a profile and flow and dictates what he wants, but even people like Hendricks have people do their R/D work. He is probably buying pistons, valve train components, crank, rods and blocks. So at most he would be a designer / assembler.

This is not bad mouthing him. There just aren't any engine builders since the 50s. Tech put them out of business. The last time, I saw someone make their own pistons, was 1958.

[hucktyson]

With the amount of time and money Clements spends to develop their clyinder heads do you think the old man is really reinventing that wheel ?? I could maybe see a slightly different cam since Davensnort runs a narrower rpm range than most with his wide open hammer the cushion every lap style ...

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

The engine is still much less important than the chassis setup. It isn't that big of a deal...

[Barbecueboy]

The engine is still much less important than the chassis setup. It isn't that big of a deal...

True.............

[dirtracer99]

Vic Hill Racing Engines

[Barbecueboy]

With the amount of time and money Clements spends to develop their clyinder heads do you think the old man is really reinventing that wheel ?? I could maybe see a slightly different cam since Davensnort runs a narrower rpm range than most with his wide open hammer the cushion every lap style ...

No, but with you and serge as the dynamic reach around duo I think you have re invented a bad clone of Freddy Mercury,David Bowie and Rob halford racing team.

#therealrainbowwarriors

[Barbecueboy]

I don't know Leroy, but I'm guessing he farms out the machining, as the cost of owning that equipment for just your own engines, would be expensive. He is probably working with a head porter as a 5 angle CNC machine costs more than several years of engines and is worthless without a flow bench. He is old enough, that he could know what he wants for a profile and flow and dictates what he wants, but even people like Hendricks have people do their R/D work. He is probably buying pistons, valve train components, crank, rods and blocks. So at most he would be a designer / assembler.

This is not bad mouthing him. There just aren't any engine builders since the 50s. Tech put them out of business. The last time, I saw someone make their own pistons, was 1958.

So your saying the term engine builders doesn't apply to anyone these days???

Home builders don't make any of the components the build with( or 99.99 percent don't), they outsource everything too , yet are still called home builders.

I see where your going , but it's all semantics.

[fastford]

I assemble my engines, do 90% of the machine work in house and experiment a lot,( I was probably the first person to put Honda civic rods in a 302 ford engine) just wandering how I would be classified now? I have been calling myself a builder, but could be wrong.

[t.nie]

I think some people are confusing "parts design and manufacture" with "engine builder." If a guy has to fabricate his own piston, crank, block, etc to be a bona fide "engine builder", its been a long time since anyone could do that and make a better component than what a good manufacturer can sell you.

These days a builder is really more of an assembly engineer. He has to determine, based on your preferences, what he can build that will do what you want it to do at the price you can afford.

So you go to the guy and say "I want 850 hp, so many ft lbs of torque, it has to last 3000 laps between freshens..etc... for this much money" and the builder has to pick all the ingredients to bake that cake and make it work. Or tell you he can't do it for your budget but here is what I can do for you in that price range, or here is the compromise. I can get you 790 at that ft lbs of torque but it won't last more than 1500 laps, etc...

Good builders really know their stuff and can put together a package of components for you that will meet your goals, but you first have to tell them what it is you want or just ask them what packages they have. I would still say a local guy trying to make a living with local racers is probably going to offer you a lot more added value in terms of cooperation, information and weekly support than some big name builder already overflowing with work from the major league racers. The local dude may not have the same level of resources in his shop as the big names, but he does have the advantage of being available and in a price range you can probably afford.

[Barbecueboy]

I think some people are confusing "parts design and manufacture" with "engine builder." If a guy has to fabricate his own piston, crank, block, etc to be a bona fide "engine builder", its been a long time since anyone could do that and make a better component than what a good manufacturer can sell you.

These days a builder is really more of an assembly engineer. He has to determine, based on your preferences, what he can build that will do what you want it to do at the price you can afford.

So you go to the guy and say "I want 850 hp, so many ft lbs of torque, it has to last 3000 laps between freshens..etc... for this much money" and the builder has to pick all the ingredients to bake that cake and make it work. Or tell you he can't do it for your budget but here is what I can do for you in that price range, or here is the compromise. I can get you 790 at that ft lbs of torque but it won't last more than 1500 laps, etc...

Good builders really know their stuff and can put together a package of components for you that will meet your goals, but you first have to tell them what it is you want or just ask them what packages they have. I would still say a local guy trying to make a living with local racers is probably going to offer you a lot more added value in terms of cooperation, information and weekly support than some big name builder already overflowing with work from the major league racers. The local dude may not have the same level of resources in his shop as the big names, but he does have the advantage of being available and in a price range you can probably afford.

Another excellent post by t.nie.........

[deez lug nuts]

Ain't no true engine builders if you have to make your own bolts and zip ties to be called one.