By Larry Carley
Technical Editor

The foundation of every engine is the cylinder block. Whether you are rebuilding a stock engine or building up a street performance engine, a circle track engine, drag engine, marine engine or whatever, you have to start with a good, solid block that’s machinable and free from cracks and other defects. That’s becoming more and more of a challenge in recent years because good cores for popular domestic engines are getting harder and harder to find as time goes on. That’s one reason why the demand for aftermarket engine blocks has grown in recent years.

Good cores for popular domestic engines are getting harder and harder to find as time goes on. That’s one reason why the demand for aftermarket engine blocks has grown in recent years. The ever-popular small block Chevy V8 was introduced way back in 1955. Millions of these engines were produced over the following half century, but time and attrition have severely depl...