Skip White Performance - We have the best prices you will ever find for aluminum heads, rotating assemblies and strokers
Skip White Performance
3349 E. Stone Dr.
Kingsport, TN 37660

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 423-722-5152

BBC CHEVY 555 DART SHORT BLOCK FORGED PISTONS SCAT CRANK & RODS +12.5CC DOME

Available

$5,995.00



Product Information

UPC353414764348
Product TypeShipped Product
Shipping Cost $375
Number of reviews 0

BBC CHEVY 555 CUBIC INCH COMPLETE DART SHORT BLOCK KIT. 4.560 bore x 4.250 STROKE, SCAT CRANK & SCAT COMPETITION RODS. WISECO 2618 AIRCRAFT ALLOY FORGED +12.5cc DOME PISTONS.

This short block kit is not assembled.

*** IMPORTANT NOTE ***

You may add items into your shopping cart but in order to check out you will have to call us. Our check out feature on our website is being upgraded at this time. We can take your order over the phone and answer any technical questions you may have. We accept all major credit cards, cash, check, and money orders. Just give us a call at 423-722-5152 and we can process your order promptly. In the event you attempt to reach us outside of our operating hours, please leave us a detailed message and we will return your call at our earliest opportunity.

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The photo above and below are file photos. Actual appearance may vary. This picture is to give you an idea of what all is included. All parts are brand new, first line, unblemished, and balanced. This short block kit is not assembled. See our other listings for the assembled version of this short block. We will update our pictures soon. 

THIS KIT INCLUDES:

A brand new Generation Dart block that has been decked, bored and honed to specs, coated cam bearings, Scat crankshaft and 4340 Scat rods, high performance rings, King bearings, and a heavy duty 168 or 153 tooth flexplate and a Pro-Race brand Pro-Sport Series SFI damper. The assembly is fully balanced. See details for all the actual specs. In the lower section of this ad is information on the various upgrades we offer in our other listings. 

Our short block kits are custom built to your specifications (e.g., piston configurations, compression ratio, and upgrades). 

 

 BBC NEW GENERATION DART BLOCK BORE 9.800" STD DECK HEIGHT

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We now use the New Generation Dart blocks in our BBC 572 engine builds. The New Generation Dart block is light years ahead in overall construction as compared to any of the other blocks on the market. Dimensional specs are spot on, and this has been an issue with other blocks we have used in the past. Many of the top engine builders, ourselves included, have found the new Dart block to be superior to the earlier generation Big M series Dart block in many ways. 

Dart Machinery has completely redesigned the Big M series Block. They have incorporated numerous improvements and new features to virtually every area of the block. 

 

SBC BBC CHEVY OIL FILTER ADAPTER AND HIGH PERFORMANCE CAM BEARINGS FOR DART SHP BLOCK
These items are both included, but not installed.

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The block is bored to size with our new Centroid touch probe machine. Few machine shops have a machine of this accuracy.

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We also deck the blocks to an RA finish of approx. 15 or better. The decking procedure is also done by our Centroid CNC machine. 

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We often find many brand new blocks to have a sloping deck of up to 4 thous. When we're finished decking the block it is within approx. .001 accuracy from end to end. Many machine shops fail to catch this as the machinery they use does not allow for such accuracy.

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We then plate hone the block with our new Sunnen SV10 diamond hone machine. This is also a very advanced machine that hones the block with a finish unlike conventional machines.

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 The final step is to clean the block in our high pressure block washer. You should always re-wash your block before assembly. This is to assure that the block is free of contaminants.

Pictured below is the rotating assembly that comes with the short block kit.

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READ THIS LISTING COMPLETELY BEFORE YOU BUY ELSEWHERE! 

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Crankshaft Specs. 

  • Crankshaft: Genuine Scat
  • Crankshaft Stroke: 4.250" 
  • Crankshaft Material : Cast Nodular Steel
  • Journal Diameter: STD BBC 
  • Rear Main Seal: 2pc RMS
Connecting Rod Specs.
  • Rods: Genuine Scat 
  • Rod Type: Scat Pro-Competition, I-beam, Bronze Bushed.
  • Rod Length: 6.385"
  • Rod Material: Forged 4340 Alloy.
  • Rod Bolt/Cap Screw: ARP 8740 Cap Screws.
Piston & Ring Specs. 
  • Pistons: Wiseco Fully Forged. High Performance for street/strip use.
  • Piston Size: 4.560"
  • Dome Volume: +12.5cc Dome Top
  • Compression Height: 1.280
  • Piston Material: Forged 2618 Aircraft Alloy
  • Piston Rings: Mahle High Performance, Moly, Standard Tension.
  • Ring Size and Fit: 1/16 1/16 3/16 File Fit.
  • Ring Material: Ductile Iron/Cast/Stainless/Moly
Bearing, Damper, and Flexplate Specs.
  • Main Bearings: King MB557SI
  • Rod Bearings:  King CR807SI
  • Balance: In House on CWT balancer.
  • Damper: Pro-Race brand Pro-Sport Series SFI 7.0" 
  • Flexplate: Heavy Duty 168 tooth or 153 tooth. Manual Trans. flywheels available.  

Compression Ratio Chart

The calculations below were done with pistons at zero deck. We usually deck the bbc blocks down to allow the pistons to sit .003-005 below the deck. Zero deck is most optimal on sbc engines, but bbc pistons tend to have a bit more piston rock than the sbc pistons. We used a 4.560 head gasket diameter, and a .040 head gasket thickness in our calculations to come up with our comp. ratio values.

 

Piston Family

Cylinder Head Volume

117cc

119cc

121cc

555

Static Compression Ratio

4.560 Bore

10.84

10.68 10.52
WISECO FULLY FORGED PISTONS, RATED AT 800+ HP. WISECO PISTONS ARE 100% MANUFACTURED IN THE USA. THEY ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED PISTON BUILDERS IN THE COUNTRY.

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Our custom made Wiseco pistons are rated very high in the street/strip performance industry. Wiseco normally offer several grades of pistons, starting with the lower grade Pro-Tru Street version made with 4032 forged alloy. The next level up would be the professional series that are much more expensive and made from 2618 aircraft alloy and have fully machined crowns rather than the as cast crowns that are on the Pro-Tru series. Our Wiseco pistons are custom made for us, and have both of these premium features, 2618 Alloy, and fully machined crowns. All premium grade forged pistons on the market have these two unique features and usually cost around $800-$1100 per set.

 

We prefer the 2618 alloy over the lower cost 4032 alloy. The 4032 alloy may fragment from the effects of detonation and if this happens, it can be very destructive to the engine. 
Those types of pistons are fine for stock or mild engine builds, but should never be used in  carbureted engines built to high horse power levels. 
 
The forged 2618 alloy piston is much more resistant to the effects of detonation and heat.

 

 

We have built approximately 8000 engines using the Wiseco pistons over the past 10 years. The engines have been for street rod and strip use. We have seen no problems, nor have there been any complaints. They are an excellent product in every respect.

Important note

Many customers have asked us what size they should bore their block at to allow for a proper piston to wall clearance. The required clearance is built into the piston already. For example if these pistons show a given size such as 4.030 then that is exactly what you will bore the block to. The actual size of the pistons when measured at the skirt, 1/2 inch above the tang will show to be approx. 4.026. The needed clearance is built in. Should you be using these pistons in a marine app. where the boat receives it's water from the lake, then an additional 1.5-2.0 thous. would be added to your final bore size, and some forced induction apps may also require a slight increase in bore size. 

These pistons are totally suitable for use with mid level nitrous or blower setups. Extreme level builds that are making hp numbers in the 1000 hp range will require a set of custom made extreme duty pistons.

Our Wiseco Forged pistons are custom designed with an increase in compression height. This has many advantages. Here are a few facts about compression height and deck height.

Our custom made pistons have a compression height that is .010 taller on bbc pistons, and .015 taller on sbc pistons, as compared to most all of the catalog pistons on the market. We find this to be a very valuable feature. 

Since our pistons sit at a taller than normal compression height, we only have to remove approx. .005-.010 off the deck surface of the block. Our goal is set the piston at zero deck (flush with the deck surface). This maintains the deck's thickness, making it much stronger than a block that has been cut down .025. The engine will also run a bit cooler with a thicker deck. It's well known that the deck dissipates much of the built up heat an engine generates. This also allows for future deck re-surfacing without compromising the integrity of the block. On our bbc engines, we actually leave the piston about .003 to .005 in the hole to allow for possible piston rock. Our sbc engines will have the pistons setting right at zero with the deck.

 
You may have noticed that our Wiseco custom made forged pistons are referred to as Racing Pistons on the package. This does not mean that the pistons are for racing only. This is a generic term, referring to their ability to be used in high performance applications as well as for street rod use. These pistons are perfectly designed for use on the street, as well as for medium to upper level drag racing. 

The pictures below are file photos of our Wiseco pistons.    

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Scat Crankshaft.

The picture below is a generic file photo of a Scat crankshaft. You will receive the correct model packaged in the original Scat box.

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Some of the benefits of the Scat crankshaft supplied with this assembly: 

The material used in this crankshaft is manufactured from an exclusive Space Age material that was designed for high strength and fatigue resistance. The Scat cranks are the best value you will ever find. The Scat crankshafts are the best way to build a strong bottom end for, street rods, dirt and circle track racing, and drag strip racing. This crank is suitable for use up to approx. 600-650 hp. 

We recommend that you check the thrust clearance on the crank before assembling the engine. This is recommended on any crankshaft, regardless of brand or cost. Also be sure to check your main and rod journal size.

Our choice of rods are the SCAT COMPETITION SERIES rods with ARP-8740 cap screws. 

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The Scat Pro-Comp extreme duty I-beam rods should not be mistaken for ProComp rods. These rods are made exclusively by Scat, and have nothing to do with the ProComp company. The critical sizing and installation of the ARP cap screws is performed on a Sunnen machine in the USA by Scat Industries. These rods are excellent for those wanting the extra security offered by a rod with 7/16 ARP cap screws. 

Take notice of the design of these rods. They are far superior to conventional style I-beam rods. We are now using this rod in all of our Stage 4 and up SBC engines. We also use this rod in our big block 540/555 engines, making approx. 700+hp 

If you do a search on the Scat Pro-Comp rods, you will find a vast amount of info on many car forums. All of the info is 100% positive. These rods are run in engines that not only produce high horsepower levels, but also run at continuous RPM. Notice the general appearance in the pictures. These rods do look impressive. The style is reminiscent of a steel billet rod.

The fact that these rods are incredibly strong and well made, coupled with the fact they are light weight and offer better clearance than any H-Beam rod on the market, made it an easy decision to use them in all of our high horsepower street/strip engines. 

The Scat rods do have genuine ARP 8740 Series 12 point cap screws. These rods offer excellent block clearance in the lower end of the cylinders.

Genuine ARP 8740 cap screws.

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The Scat rods do have genuine ARP 8740 Series 12 point cap screws. Some cams may require slight clearancing of the rods. Be sure to do a roll over test after installing each rod. 

We have noticed some engine builders using low cost generic rods and crankshafts in their engines. These non-branded, (no-name) products are often poor quality in many ways. You will notice many of the low end engine builders fail to mention the actual brand of the rods or cranks used in their engines. Upon further investigation you will find such parts not to be a branded name product. They may label these parts with a name, but one that is totally unrecognizable in the industry. Our experience in years past with such rods and cranks has been disappointing to say the least. Besides the obvious issues such as incorrect sizing and machining that is difficult to correct, the questionable alloy these items may be produced from and the potentially incorrect heat treating methods used, could prove to be disastrous. Little can be done to verify this and nothing can be done to correct it. Failures of such critical parts will usually result in catastrophic damage to the engine. As you may have noticed, this is why we specify the brand name and series of every part used in our engines.

Many of the inferior "no-name" rods on the market will also have "no-name" rod bolts in them. We have seen these bolts before, and they are very low quality. They don't have ARP's rolled thread design, and they don't torque down with the same characteristics as a genuine ARP bolt. It's not just a matter of having a different brand bolt in the rods; these bolts are low quality in many ways. They have been known to fail in engines to a much greater degree than a high quality rod bolt, and this failure usually causes catastrophic damage in the engine. Beware of rods that don't mention the rod bolt brand. As far as we're concerned, ARP bolts are the only brand we would ever use or accept in a set of rods.

Before the engine is assembled, we strongly suggest checking the rods on a Sunnen machine for sizing on both ends. We recommend this with any rod regardless of cost or brand. It is not uncommon to find some of the rods requiring a slight bump through the hone for perfection in sizing and roundness. We also offer this kit with a proofed set of rods. This is an excellent choice for those wanting to build the engine on their own. 

Mahle High Performance Rings.

 

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  KING MAIN AND ROD BEARINGS INCLUDED.

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Pro-Sport harmonic SFI damper, 7.0 diameter, included.
 
The SFI Pro-Sport damper Offers an extreme level of safety against breakage, and is very resistant against slippage of the elastomer damping material. SFI dampers are not only made from a better grade of steel, they are also constructed differently and have a much better appearance. They usually last much longer than a non-SFI damper. Many drag strips require this on engines producing high horse power levels. The SFI certification is laser etched into the side. Damper failure rates are much higher on engines using a non-sfi damper coupled with hp ratings exceeding 450 and turn 5600 rpm or higher.

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We have noticed others using a low grade knockoff brand damper/balancer, and we have encountered them in the past. They are substandard in appearance, and are often out of spec. The timing marks were also poorly marked on some of the balancers we have come across. You don't want a balancer coming off or one that is improperly weighted. Another problem with low grade dampers is the elastomer bonding can lose its adherence to the inner and outer structure. This problem is referred to as a slipped damper. We have only encountered this once in 10 years with the Pro-Race brand dampers. Damper failure rates are much higher on engines using a non-sfi damper coupled with hp ratings exceeding 450 and turn 5600 rpm or higher. We strongly recommend our upgrade SFI damper. See our upgrade list below.

We know of several competitors including these balancers with rotating assemblies. The Pro-Sport SFI is far superior to most any we have ever seen. They were once known as a knockoff product, and have become one the best values on the market, without comprising quality whatsoever.

HEAVY DUTY FLEXPLATE INCLUDED. 

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HEAVY DUTY FLEXPLATE. This flexplate will resist cracking. One good telltale in identifying a low quality flexplate is the lack of welding on each side where the plate mates to the ring gear. They usually have a pale grey color to them, as they are not coated, and will rust quickly. Ours are welded on both sides, and are much thicker than an OE plate, and are either zinc dichromate or black powder coated. We would never use the thinner OE style plate on an assembly like this. 

We do offer this assembly with a manual flywheel. See our other listings. In most cases we do have both sizes, 153 and 168 tooth, available.

WARNING: the flexplate and crank have a dowel pin hole. You must align the flexplate and crank dowel pin holes, but do not use a dowel pin. The flexplate was aligned to the crank when we balanced the assembly, and must be installed the same way. 

 Our CWT 5500 Balancer.

We do our own balancing with our new state of the art CWT 5500 Series balancers. The CWT 5500 is the ultimate for precision balancing. We now have three of these in our machine shop. We consider this machine to be highly advanced compared to the Hines balancer we once used. We balance every rotating assembly we sell within 2 grams or less at no extra charge. A balance sheet is included with your assembly. 

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Three CWT balance machines under one roof is a rare sight. 

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Our crew wrapping up for the day. Pardon the mess.

Rust warning.

If you are going to store your rotating assembly or short block kit for any length of time, it is very important that you protect these parts by spraying a light coat of rust preventive substance on all bare metal parts. This is especially important for those storing these parts in a high moisture or humid environment. Very light surface rust is easily removable and will cause no harm, but heavy rust can damage these parts and be very costly to fix.

Our thoughts on what the competition has to offer.

Many short block kits we see on the market are not using the most suitable parts. We hope you can value the fact that we have put together an above average short block kit. The failure rate with the parts we use is near non-existent. It was through trial and error in years past that taught us where to draw the line with low cost parts. We are out-priced by many others selling short block kits that include parts with high failure rates. Many of these parts also pose a great problem due to the fact they require additional machining and can end up costing you a great deal more money and time. If you're going to have a machine shop build your engine, we strongly advise you get an opinion from them on the parts you're going to be bringing to them. Rest assured they will find no problem with the quality of our parts. We have also seen sellers offering parts that are not compatible with what most people are building. We have seen several sellers offering no-name brand rods with an assembly. These type of rods also have no-name bolts in them. It is our strong advice to avoid this grade of rods. The low grade dampers and flexplates are also another problem. Another area of concern would be balancing. Not sure how much attention these sellers are giving in this area. We spend up to two hours balancing an assembly, and using the very best up to date balancing equipment on the market. If the assembly is not balanced properly, it will hammer the bearings out of the engine, not to mention there is nothing worse than an engine that lacks a smooth feel and sound when under load.

We offer this short block kit with selected upgrades. Listed below are some of the most requested ones. Many not only improve performance, but further enhance the reliability and longevity of your engine, along with resale value.

Note: The upgrade prices below are subject to change. Refer to the actual ugrade listing for the exact price of these upgrades. The changes are usually very small if any.

SFI Certified Flexplate: This is a very low cost upgrade and may be required when racing your car at certain tracks. The flexplate that comes with this assembly is a heavy duty plate, but the SFI certified plate is one step up in quality and safety. This SFI plate is made in North America. We noticed these have much less run-out and warpage than we see with many other plates on the market. Plates with too much run-out and warpage can cause a host of problems for your transmission and starter, and affect balancing. The low cost to upgrade to this is well worth, it in our opinion.

Cost of this upgrade is $24.50 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

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SFI Rated Billet Steel flywheel upgrade/option for manual transmission. Upgrade to a SFI billet steel flywheel 168-tooth or 153-tooth for manual transmissions. We highly recommend the SFI billet steel flywheel for those running hard. These are fully cnc'd and far superior in many ways compared to the regular cast iron flywheel.

Cost for the SFI billet flywheel option can vary depending on availability. We carry two lines of the SFI plates, PRW and Ram. The Ram plates are a much higher grade product. We have this upgrade/option featured in our other listings. There will be a Chevy 153 tooth and a Chevy 168 tooth size available. Be sure you know the size you need. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.

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Crank polishing: Extends bearing life, reduces oil temp, frees up a slight amount of average horsepower. This is a very low cost upgrade, and in the world of mass production, most cranks do not come with a true polished finish. This is why most machine shops have a machine to do this. The difference is dramatic between a crank right out of the box and one that we have polished. Bearing companies claim that cranks that have better finishes on the journals will survive the break-in better, and have much longer bearing life. We do a two-step process and bring the RA numbers down in the single digit range. We have the most advanced crank polishing machine on the market. 

Cost for the crank polishing upgrade is $39.50 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

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Rod sizing:  Sizing the big end and wrist pin bushing on the Sunnen machine saves a trip to the machine shop. All rods, regardless of brand, should be checked for sizing on a Sunnen machine, and corrected if needed. You will seldom see a complete set of rods that have  perfect sizing on both ends right out of the box.

Cost of this rod sizing upgrade is $89.50 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

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Race balancing: This is for those who want the engine to operate virtually vibration free at high rpm. Extends engine life and frees up a few more horse power. This is a somewhat labor intensive procedure and is not required, but the feel of an absolutely vibration free engine at high rpm is desirable by many. The standard balance job that is included with this assembly at no extra charge is certainly sufficient. With a race balance job, all pistons and rods are match weighed to within 2/10's of a gram or less, and the final balance is brought down to around 1 gram plus or minus. An ultra smooth engine at high rpm has a noticeable feel and sound to it. If you do not opt for this upgrade, the assembly will still be fully balanced. We spend a good hour and a half doing the regular balance work, and it will certainly meet your needs.

Cost of this race balancing upgrade is $125.00 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

 

Scat H-Beam Rods: Recommended for those running hard. The Scat Competition rods that come with this assembly are sufficient for most street rod uses, but the Scat H-beam rods will most likely offer more security against rod breakage under hard use. The H-beam rods have a 750+ HP rating.

Cost of this Scat H-beam rod upgrade is $89.50 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

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ARP-2000 rod bolts: This is one upgrade that we find to be very valuable. The rod bolts are most likely to fail under hard use, moreso than the rod itself. When a rod bolt fails during high RPM, total engine destruction is usually the result. The ARP-2000 rod bolts are a very good upgrade, in our opinion. We actually have few, if any, problems with the regular ARP-8740 bolts, but those who run hard always upgrade to the ARP-2000 rod bolts. The ARP-2000 rod bolts also torque at a higher number, and this increased clamping force is also a factor in keeping the big end of the rod stable and true to size. The ARP-2000 bolts are installed in the rods and this upgrade is only available with the Competition rod upgrade. 

Cost of this ARP 2000 rod bolt upgrade is $89.50 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

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Scat 4340 Forged Crank: The forged crank has a rating of 800+ HP. This is the ultimate upgrade for those wanting to run hard. Nos, blowers, turbos, are not an issue with this crank. Even without such power adders, this Crank offers great protection under the most severe conditions. This upgrade also comes with the high Performance King bearings. Should you decide to run power adders in the future, this would be essential. The fatigue life of the 4340 crank over the cast nodular is also greatly extended. We do offer this upgrade as part of many of our assemblies in our other listings. They have the key words, "fully forged," in the title.

Cost of this forged crank upgrade is $585.00 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this assembly you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

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Block prep package: This upgrade includes notching the block on our Centroid cnc machine to allow additional clearance for the crank if necessary. We also de-burr the block, hone the lifter bores to spec, chamfer the top of the cylinders, and lifter bores, and install the special cam bearings and freeze plugs. The block is then thoroughly cleaned in our block washing machine. We find this upgrade essential for those lacking the proper equipment or knowledge to perform this correctly.

Cost of this block prep package is $265.00 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this short block kit, you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

BBC Short Block Kit Assembly upgrade: This upgrade includes everything in the Block Prep Package plus assembling the short block kit. If you choose this upgrade, DO NOT also include the block prep package in your cart.

Cost of this BBC Short Block Kit Assembly upgrade is $595.00 We have this upgrade featured in our other listings. You can see this and other upgrade options in our ebay store under the "UPGRADES" category, or simply do a search with the key word, "Upgrade" in the search bar when shopping in our ebay store. Before you finalize your purchase of this short block kit, you may add any of these upgrades to your shopping cart.  

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Preparing the block in our Centroid cnc machine for precise notching, if necessary.

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The blocks are washed in a dedicated block cleaning machine.

Pictured above is the final rinsing and drying to remove the cleaning solvents.

The upgrades above are all available in our other listings. Some of these are often requested by those building an engine without a machine shop. We find most of these upgrades very valuable for those wanting to take longevity and durability to the next level. They are all bottom end related, and that's an area worth investing a few more dollars into, in our opinion, especially if you're planning on running long and/or hard. These upgrades are also valuable for your build history on your engine, and would certainly increase the resale value of your engine, should you ever sell it. 

Transmission Recommendations by Skip White

Your selection of what type transmission you're going to use with your new engine is very important. I'm going to give you the real lowdown on what transmissions I recommend, as well as the ones I would stay away from. For those building a mild, (detuned) street rod, (small cam choice, dual plane intake) these recommendations are not as critical. We offer an excellent line of automatic performance rated transmissions built by TCI. The quality and cost are excellent.

700R4: Worst possible transmission choice when used with moderate to high horse power engines. 

Pros.

  • Driving at 50 and above in overdrive certainly has its advantages such as increased fuel mileage, reduced wear and tear on the engine, less engine noise, reduced emissions/pollution.  
  • Fuel injection/EFI does make this transmission operate much better providing the cam choice, intake manifold and final gearing are setup correctly.
  • To setup an engine to operate properly with this transmission requires a detuning of the engine and top end horse power is greatly reduced. 

Cons

  • Very wide first to second gear spread. First gear is a 3.06 ratio Second is a 1.62 ratio. This nearly equates to skipping from first to third gear with a manual trans. This kills acceleration when these trans go into second gear on a carbureted engine with a healthy cam and large runner intake manifold. Compare this to a TH350. First gear at 2.52 ratio and second gear is 1.52, do the math.
  • The 3.06 first gear is so low that any final gear of above 3.55 or numerically higher will have you right at the  max rpm at around 35 mph, only to then have your car fall on its face when it hits second gear, feeling like it skipped a gear. Wheel spin is uncontrollable upon hard launches, unless you have a very tall final gear, and then you can for sure count on going nowhere quickly when second gear comes in. Overdrive would be totally useless at highway speed regardless of detuning with a tall final gear, unless you were cruising at around 100 mph.
  • Huge cost to build up to a decent street rod level. Don't even consider a stock rebuild to handle 500 hp or more. Under hard use, the 700R4 will fail quickly. 
  • Limited as to what level these can be built up to. High performance transmission builders and parts suppliers don't even recognize this as a serious transmission.
  • More complex to build than a TH350 and far more expensive, especially when built up to handle high hp numbers.
  • Having to run a cumbersome throttle value cable to the carb. linkage. This feature actually serves a good purpose, but if not set properly, it can destroy your transmission quickly. Very critical adjustment, and often overlooked. Our TCI built 700R4 transmissions do not require the throttle value cable should you decide to run this type trans. 
  • The overdrive is actually useless with engines running decent size cams relative to the cubic inch, especially with large runner dual plane intakes, and single plane intakes are out of the question with this trans. The exception to this rule would be those running a Holley Sniper EFI system, and a low profile single plane intake. 
  • Stall converters are double the cost of the one run in a TH350.
  • This is  not a very reliable transmission in a street rod.
  • Lowers the value of your vehicle to some degree, especially on high hp builds. These transmissions do not belong in most carbureted street rods. You must detune an engine considerably to operate the overdrive and be able to tolerate the first to second gear drop.
  • Could be classified as the worst mismatch of parts known on a true street rod.
  • As a side note, I would like to mention that most of us have owned a regular stock street car with a 700R4 trans, or its electronic likeness, a 4L60E, and didn't find much of an issue with the way they operated, especially if the vehicle was fuel injected. This is because stock car engines are designed to operate totally different in the very low rpm range. They have huge amounts of off idle torque compared to the average carbureted street rod that makes 400 hp or more. This off idle instant torque allows the vehicle to keep its speed up decently when the 700R4 drops into second gear, and the same low rpm also allows the overdrive gear to operate normally at very low rpm. There are other factors that also allow these trans. to operate at low rpm, especially on fuel injected computer driven engines.

TH350: Best transmission choice, hands down.

Pros

  • Excellent gear spread between all three gears.
  • Very low cost to build up to various levels of power handling.
  • Can be built up to extreme power handling capabilities.
  • Most all transmission shops are capable of building these to at least level 1 or 2.
  • No TV cable to deal with.
  • Stall converters are low in cost, and the selection is broad. 
  • Very reliable and simple to repair if needed.

Cons

  • None, simply none! Select a final gear that will allow you the best overall performance and one that allows a decent off the line acceleration, and one that will be in a tolerable rpm range at highway speed. You must have the correct stall converter for optimal performance. This can make a huge difference in the way your vehicle accelerates.
  • These are becoming scarce, but there are still plenty of them around, and high performance parts are easily obtained.
  • You may have to go through this long story to your less than knowledgeable friends as to why you didn't choose a 700R4, and when you explain it to them, they may still think you don't know what you're talking about.

TH400, Excellent choice for high powered engines in heavy cars or trucks.

 Pros

  • Excellent gear spread. Very similar to a TH350.
  • Very strong internal parts.
  • Reliable.
  • Simple and inexpensive to rebuild or repair.
  • Best suited when running high powered big block engines in medium to heavy vehicles.

Cons

  • Somewhat expensive to build up to higher power handling levels, as compared to a TH350. The TH350 has far more high performance parts available at reasonable costs. The 400 trans is not best suited for racing.
  • Internal rotating parts (cast iron drum) are very heavy and create a drag compared to most any other trans. The TH400 is well known to be a heavier duty trans. than a TH350 but this heavy duty factor was designed more for heavy vehicles coupled with high powered engines that may encounter pulling heavy loads or vehicles with tall gearing. Only the largest of the GM cars weighing around 5000 lbs had these trans. in them, along with heavy duty pickups, usually 3/4 ton or larger trucks. Even the half ton Chevy trucks didn't come with these in them.
  • They will certainly hold up better than a stock built TH350, but they are not a desirable trans. light weight street rod with a small block engine in it. You can build a TH350 to level two or three that would be superior to any stock TH400 in every way for about the same cost. We offer the TH400 trans built to level 3 and this trans. is best suited in high powered big block engines, in cars that are medium to heavy weight.
  • You will seldom see this trans in a true light weight Pro-Street car.

Powerglide.

 Pros

  • Excellent transmission to build up to just about any power handling level.
  • Most trans. shops are able to build this trans with ease.
  • Very reliable, and simple to work on. Not much to go wrong.
  • Decent first to second gear spread.
  • Rotational drag is very low with this trans., more so than any automatic on the market. Very efficient trans.
  • Stall converters are not expensive and many choices available.
  • Often used in 1/8 mile drag racing. 

Cons

  • Two gears, that's the problem. This trans. can only be run in cars that have a very high hp to weight ratio. It would be fair to say a vehicle weighing approx. 3400 lbs would require an engine output of 1000 hp or more to make it a rational choice, and even then, you would still need a decent final gear to get things moving off the line. The first gear in these is somewhat tall. Those running a T-Bucket roadster weighing around 1800 lbs. with a 500 hp or higher engine could make great use of a Powerglide trans.
  • Having only two gears limits having the best of both worlds when it comes to off the line acceleration and cruising at highway speed. The final gear choice limits the general use of your car greatly. 
  • This trans. will not allow a car to be setup for the best of both worlds, such as street cruising, racing, or highway driving, unless the car is extremely light, and the engine has very high HP numbers.

GM METRIC 200

 Pros

  • Has a better gear spread than the 700R4 but not as optimal as the TH350.
  • Not much good to say about this trans. It certainly has a place in some special late model applications, but old school Chevy engines is not one of them.

Cons

  • This transmission can cost up to three times more to build up to a decent power handling level compared to a built up TH350.
  • Cannot hold up to high torque engine builds unless an enormous amount of money, (Art Carr) is spent on this trans.
  • Most all the cons you see for the 700R4 exist within this trans.
  • This trans is not a reliable trans. compared to any of the early GM trans unless a great amount of money is spent building it.

4L60E Electronically controlled trans.

 Pros

  • No TV cable to deal with or shifting linkage. It has pump pressure control and shifting via electronics.
  • Not much good to say about this expensive trans. It is virtually a 700R4 with a modern twist. The same "pros" mentioned with the 700R4 would apply to this trans. also. The 4L80E trans. is a better choice due to the fact it has a proper gear spread, and is a much heavier duty trans vs the 4L60E.  

Cons

  • Most of the same issues as the 700R4. Terrible choice to run in an old school carbureted engine.
  • Very expensive to build up to a high power handling level. Can cost up to $4,000 to build this trans up to a decent level. Computer controlled engines may require this unless you bypass the car's computer system.
  • Complex. Very complex!
  • Pointless to run such a terrible transmission.
  • If you insist on such a trans, the 4L80E is a better choice, as it has a normal gear spread, and is a much stronger trans. Still pointless to use with an old school carbureted engine in my opinion.

Four and five speed Manual Trans.

 Pros

  • Excellent acceleration at any speed due to many selective gear ratios. Finding a gear at any cruising speed to hit it hard is easily accomplished with a manual compared to an automatic.
  • More efficient delivery of horse power to the rear wheels with a manual trans. versus an automatic. In other words, less loss of power due to slippage as encountered with an automatic trans.
  • For some people, the fun factor of shifting gears is one of the high points of owning a street rod. 
  • Very reliable, long lasting. Low maintenance. Simple to change out a clutch if needed.

Cons

  • Can be very expensive to purchase a high quality modern manual trans. and high performance clutch and flywheel, especially the Tremec Series.
  • Can be somewhat complex to change over from an auto to a manual trans.
  • If you think your car is going to run faster with a manual versus an auto, you will be greatly disappointed. The automatic transmission can not only shift much faster, but off line acceleration can be controlled to a much greater degree. This is why most drag cars have automatic transmissions. All things equal, a car equipped with an auto trans will outrun one equipped with a regular street rod manual with great ease.
  • Missing gears when racing can cause damage to your engine, and loss of control of your vehicle should you drop into the previous gear during an aggressive run. Been there a couple times, dropped a valve in brand new Lotus Esprit shifting out of second into first rather than third, and locked up the back wheels on a Dodge Viper shifting into second rather than fourth at high speed. Nearly lost control of the car at around 80 mph.
  • If you're deciding to run a 5 or 6 speed manual trans because of the overdrive gear, be aware that most engines built with large lopey cams, and single plane intakes running a carb will usually not allow effective use of the overdrive gear.
  • Tremec T56 transmissions are very popular and highly advanced. They are expensive. They tend to be very notchy to shift when new. Takes many miles before they become easy to shift. They can be difficult to install in some early model classic cars, as they are huge compared to early model transmissions. They can cost a great deal of money to rebuild if needed. Still about the best manual trans out there, and can handle very high hp levels. The 6th gear in these transmissions is a double overdrive and will never be useful when running any old school street rod engine unless you are running a very deep final gear. 
  • If your engine is built in the upper horsepower range, then you must run a level two or three clutch kit. These clutches are notchy and lack a smooth engagement like a stock clutch. This is very noticeable, and you will adjust to this after a while. A stock clutch can not be used on any engine in the 500+ hp range. 
  • Sadly, your wife may not be able to drive your car with a manual trans. This could be a plus in some cases.

 

A final note.

Our eBay user id is: skipwhite, and our eBay store name is whiteperformance1. You may have noticed other sellers using a similar name offering similar products. These other sellers have capitalized on our name as we see it, and many customers searching for us will inadvertently find them, thinking we are one in the same company. There is only one "Skip White." We are the original premier eBay seller under this name since approximately 2003. We have no other eBay names, nor are we associated with any other company regardless of the similarity in the name or location. Our official company name is Skip White Performance. Please see the article below for a more detailed explanation.

The real story...Skip White Performance vs. White Performance & Machine

I'm sure many of you have noticed there are two high performance engine builders in Kingsport, TN with similar names, and this has led to a great amount of confusion.

We are Skip White Performance, NOT White Performance and Machine or Marine or any other similar name. Many customers looking for us online inadvertently find them, thinking we are the same company. Definitely not...there is no connection between the two companies. We don't have a problem with free enterprise (competition). However, when the competition builds their foundation on such things as a name similarity and their supposedly long history of being in business, then we think it's about time we set the record straight.

We have owned White Performance since 2003, with the exception of the machine shop, which was owned by Fred White at the time. He continued to operate the machine shop and build engines for us while we continued selling online under the eBay user ID of skipwhite and the eBay store name of whiteperformance1.

Due to their limited production capability and many disagreements about the engine building process and workmanship, we opted to open a full scale machine shop of our own. Fred White began competing against us even though our contract had a no compete clause in it. Fred White sold his machine shop in 2016.

 As our business grew over the years, we expanded our operation, and have become the number one street rod engine building in the nation. Due to the name similarity, many people looking for us mistakenly contacted Fred's shop. The problem continues to this day and the new owners of Fred's shop reap the benefits from this confusion between the two shops. Fortunately we stay plenty busy throughout the year, but a new problem has come up. We’re getting calls nearly on a daily basis from people that realize there are two shops in this town with very similar names and complain of serious problems in getting their engine in a timely manner from them. They think they purchased their engine or rotating assembly from us. Due to the confusion, there was an increasing amount of negative talk that is starting to reflect on our reputation within the street rod community, when in fact we have a near perfect reputation in this industry.

All in all, we have been in this business for going on 21 years. By putting heart and soul in this company, we have become the number one street rod engine builder in the country. Skip White's passion has been owning and building street rods for 51 years on a personal level. The knowledge he has gained over time has allowed him to venture into this business and succeed to a very high level.

As mentioned above Fred White sold his machine shop to an investor in early 2016. This investor lacks any knowledge of this industry. They continue to use the White Performance & Machine name. Fred White is no longer associated with the company in any way. Their main spiel in advertising is, "In business since 1979," when in fact, we purchased the White Performance company in 2003, with the exception of the machine shop. The great pretenders continued capitalizing from our success, but as mentioned, have been degrading our reputation. (Update, The people that took over Fred Whites machine shop are no longer in business as of the past couple years.) 

FAST FORWARD TO 2023...We have become the largest street rod engine builder and supplier of rotating assemblies in the nation. Our engines, rotating assemblies, and cylinder heads are built to very high standards and shipped to our customers in a timely manner. We are a premier seller on eBay with a 100% positive feedback score of well over 212,000.

 

Our engines are custom-built to our customers' specifications and are shipped, in general, in 2-5 weeks, perhaps sooner, depending on the season. Our rotating assemblies ship out in about one week, and our heads ship in about a week or less.

Now you know the real story, and we hope this helps with the confusion.
 
OUR COMPANY FOUNDERS PRO STREET HYBRID 240Z CAR. IT HAS ONE OUR BRAND NEW SBC 427 ENGINES IN IT AND ONE OF OUR TCI SUPER STREET FIGHTER TURBO 350 TRANSMISSIONS. THE CAR IS IN FULL PRO STREET TRIM. SKIP HAS THE CAR UP FOR SALE NOW. HAVE NOT HAD IT TO THE TRACK YET, BUT WE ESTIMATE IT WILL RUN A 9.5 GIVE OR TAKE. RUNS ON PUMP GAS. HE HAS OWNED IN FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS.
 
DATSUN Z CAR (2)

DATSUN Z CAR (1)

DATSUN HYBRID Z CAR (2)

DATSUN Z CAR (4)

DATSUN Z CAR (3)

 

    • We are not responsible for collateral damage caused by the use of this product.

       

RETURN POLICY

 

Should a problem occur, please contact us. If a return is necessary, please contact us for an RGA number and return authorization. The RGA number must be included on the return label. If an item is returned without an RGA number, it will not be processed. A full description of what the problem is needs to be included with any returned product with your contact info, and proof of purchase. Even though you may have explained the problem to us, and been granted permission to return the product, we must have a written explanation and a contact number included with the product. It is also recommended that you include the name of the person from our company that you have been in contact with. You must send the item back to us in a trackable manner (USPS Priority Mail, FedEx, etc.) and keep the tracking info of the returned product. Please give ample time for returns to be processed. Following these guidelines will make the return process work as it should. 

 

PAYMENT AND SHIPPING DETAILS.

 

Contact us for shipping cost for overseas delivery. We have excellent sources for low cost shipping anywhere in the world.

*Important note

Any short block kit shipped from us to California, Washington, and Oregon will be charged a surcharge of $100.00 in addition to the regular shipping fee. We are located in Eastern Tn. and our shipping fees to those three states are much greater than any of the other states. 

We have now included a flat rate shipping fee on this short block kit when shipped within the continental USA with the exception of the three states mentioned above. This rate only applies to delivery to a business with the capability to unload the short block kit without the use of a lift gate. You must have a dock or fork lift. We can have the short block kit delivered to a residence with lift gate service but at an additional cost.*

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