Aluminum Big Blocks Chevy and Special Big Block Chevy Camshafts
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In the heyday of the Big Block Chevy engines, GM produced the special ZL1 aluminum big blocks chevy engines. These were built for CanAm racing, and used by the Chapparal and McLaren sports racing cars. These engines were about 75 lb lighter than the stock engines thanks to the aluminum cylinder blocks, but retained the pushrod valve gear and just two valves per cylinder. The power output was in the 450-525 bhp range with carburetors and big block chevy camshafts with high lift profiles.
Chevy ZL1 and ZLX aluminum engines
These were excellent racing engines, despite the retention of pushrods, and in later years, with the addition of more extreme big block chevy camshafts chevy big block oil pans and fuel injection, the power outputs was lifted to 600 bhp, which was pretty good in those days for a 7.0 liter engine.
Subsequently, GM introduced the ZLX big block engine with an aluminum block, which was developed from the ZL1. GM then started to produce a whole set of racing engines to go with the aluminum big blocks chevy units, including aluminum cylinder heads, chevy big block oil pans and big block chevy camshafts. These were based on the 396 cu in engine, but the capacity could be increased.
In 2007, the tooling for the ZL1 blocks was found and refurbished. GM decided to get a limited run of these blocks produced, and build some engines for sale at $20,000 each. I’m not sure how many were built, but that would make a really hot racing engine even today.
Nowadays, many specialist manufacturers produce aluminum cylinder blocks for the Chevy big block engine. Most are cast aluminum, like the Brodix aluminum big block chevrolet units, but some are machined from aluminum billets, and so are very expensive.
Aluminum cylinder blocks with 4.48 or 4.59 in bores
Brodix aluminum big block chevrolet blocks come with a 4.48 or 4.59 in bore, and different block heights from 9.8 to 11.625 in. You can even specify a high-mounted camshaft to reduce the mass of the valve train if you wish. Cast iron cylinder liners are pressed into these blocks, as with most of the aftermarket aluminum big blocks Chevy units you can buy. The main bearing caps are steel, with splayed bolt spacing for more strength.
Merlin-X is another company that produces aluminum blocks for Chevy engines, with similar specification to the Brodix units, including the variety of block heights and splayed bolt steel main beodern high-performance engines, they produce loads of torque and so make good racing engines, or hot street car engines.
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Posted on: Monday, April 6, 2009 at 8:56 am 
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