How long is a piece of string? Race engines

[David.H]

Any ideas what a competitive hill climb or sprint VSCC compliant engine would cost these days? Ready to install....ball park price.

[Alan]

Depends what you mean by competitive. You could put together an engine that isn’t going to fall apart and which is fast enough to have fun with for maybe 5 grand. Less if you can do it yourself. However a race winning engine could easily double that.

[DavidB]

Pigsty engines seem to dominate VSCC races. Set up with carb and manifolds, probably not a lot of change from £10k, if Alex is still producing them for new customers. That said, they are very, very quick.
David B.

[David.H]

Not unsurprising. A Cortina Lotus rally engine was about £6000 15 years ago, and that had good innards!
I was asked about a Rawson built engine, built in the 90's that needs an overhaul (& probably a block!)
D

[Charles P]

Any ideas what a competitive hill climb or sprint VSCC compliant engine would cost these days? Ready to install....ball park price.

I suppose it depends if you want to be competitive with yourself and some mates and have the satisfaction of doing it yourself or if you want to be a chequebook racer.
My performance clearly demonstrates where I sit, but I do have enormous fun.

Charles

[Steve Jones]

This is really a 'how long's apiece of string' question. First thing is whereabouts in the VSCC do you want to be competitive? Standard & Modified Sports Class 1, Special Sports Class 8 or as a Class 13 Racing Car? Their are other options for supercharged cars but I don't think you're considering those.

I compete in S & M Class 1 and my car is not the best but it's not that far off. It's won a reasonable haul of pots over the last 6 years double driven by myself and my Grandson. I built a new engine up about 12 months ago and just in parts and labours I've got around £4000 in it. I started out with an existing engine so already had the basic components. I do all the work myself with the exception of cylinder boring, valve seat cutting, general engine machining, white metalling and balancing. Add in the price of a crankcase, block etc. etc. if you haven't got those already and you're past the £5k mark. At that point all you've got is a pile of bits. If you have the ability to put it together yourself then the labour costs are nil. Have someone do that for you (and remember, it's not just bolting bits together - there's a lot more involved if you want it done properly) and it's not difficult to see that amount double.

Steve

[Chris Garner]

A competitive engine is only part of it. There's the rest of the power train to consider + brakes and handling etc.

[David.H]

Thanks for all that. A friend in the USA is considering a really nice single seater built here in 1993 when exported to the US.. It was raced until 2008 when it developed engine problems. Didnt want to rev over4000 etc. Diagnosed crack in the block,.low oil pressure etc. Not resolved &car became a show queen,just pottering around.  Lots of US and build history. ......Offset rear axle, good brakes steel crank 3 bearing engine, pretty state of the art 28 years ago.Up on a US auction site apparently. 
Are there any Seven racing  engine builders in the States?

[Nick Salmon]

Bidding is at just $4,000

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1932-austin-seven/


  racer.JPG (Size: 114.63 KB / Downloads: 675)

[David.H]

That's the one!
Bring it back cost...say~ £1000shipping & duty, ...plus what it costs to get to the port. ThenVAT payable on the landed cost.
D