Late-Model Stock Chevy 350 Engine - Engine Builder Magazine

Late-Model Stock Chevy 350 Engine

Banks Racing Engines specializes in late-model stock engines for the Whelen All-American series, which recently made rule changes that require engine rebuilds. Shop owner Billy Banks is updating one engine at a time to get his customers ready for race season.

Banks Racing Engines in Stoneville, NC specializes in late-model stock race engines. The shop’s customers race in the NASCAR Whelen All-American series, which features 350 Chevy engines, and is currently changing its rules for the 2017 season. That means Billy Banks, owner of the shop, has to get his racer’s engines up to ‘code’ before the start of the season at the end of this month.

“Among the rule changes is a switch from a cast iron cylinder head to an aluminum cylinder head,” Banks says. “They’re also switching from a dual-plane intake to a single-plane intake. So I’ve been switching all the engines over.”

The Whelen All-American series is a lower division within NASCAR, and it follows the NASCAR rulebook. They run a 350 Chevy engine with flat top pistons, which have to have three rings and the pistons can’t stick out of the block anywhere. This year, they are switching from the flat tappet cam to a roller camshaft, and from a cast iron bow tie cylinder head to a Dart Pro 1 aluminum cylinder head and an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake.

“We have been spending a lot of time getting the engine switched over and doing a lot of R&D on the dyno trying to find the right camshaft for it,” he says.

Aside from having to make changes due to new rules, Banks makes sure his engines are fresh for a new season too. “Internally, I use Molnar crankshafts in all of my new engines. It’s a 3.480” stroke. I use Molnar rods, which are 6.250” rod length. Diamond Custom makes all of my pistons for me. I typically run either an Engle camshaft or Isky camshaft. I’ve been working with both of those companies trying to pinpoint exactly what this new combination likes best. I use REV intake and exhaust valves. Most of the time I use Crown stainless steel rocker arms.”

Banks Racing Engines has both an engine dyno and a chassis dyno, so the shop does a lot of testing on both systems in order to get ahead of the game before the season starts.

“So far we’ve been seeing mid-480 hp and 465 ft.-lbs. of torque,” he says. “It typically peaks around 4800-5000 RPMs on torque, and it will peak for horsepower around 6400 RPMs. We have to run a 4412 two-barrel carb on this particular engine combination.”

Most of the time, Banks says the shop can finish one engine a week with these new changes. The racing season starts at the end of March and that will be the first race on this particular engine package. Only then will we know if Banks has a winning combination, or if it’s back to the dyno for more testing.

Engine of the Week is sponsored by Cometic Gasket

To see one of your engines highlighted in this special feature and newsletter, please email Engine Builder managing editor, Greg Jones at [email protected]

 

You May Also Like

Supercharged 388 cid LS Engine

Hoping to reach new heights in the mile, this Cadillac customer brought his car and engine in for the School of Automotive Machinists & Technology to work their magic on. See what went into the supercharged LS engine platform.

Cadillac Supercharged LS engine

During our week in Houston last fall, we got the chance to visit several engine shops in the area, and we also wanted to spend some time seeing where many up-and-coming engine builders get their start and hone their skills, so we stopped by the School of Automotive Machinists & Technology, also known as SAM Tech.

Supercharged 521 cid Brad Anderson Hemi Engine

Amanda Hoover and Eddie Rogers have been campaigning their Chevelle from Hell for nearly a decade. Helping give the car its name is a screw-blown 521 cubic inch Hemi engine. Check out the details of this build done by Chris Duncan Race Cars!

408 cid Nitrous LS Engine

During a tour of SAM Tech, we also got a chance to speak to a few students. One in particular, Jaylon Victorian, was nearing completion of a 408 cid nitrous LS engine. He applied his new engine building knowledge and skill set to the build, and it shines through in our latest Engine of the Week.

408 cid nitrous LS engine
760 cid Billet Big Block Chevy Nitrous Engine

Despite what you may think about nitrous engines, and those that are stock big block Chevy bore spacing, these 4.840″ bore space big block Chevy engines have some significant R&D in them. Just check out this 760 cubic inch billet version done at TRE Racing Engines.

Naturally Aspirated 440 cid LT1 Engine

The folks at Late Model Engines in Houston, TX run a top-notch engine and machine shop. You don’t have to look much further than this naturally aspirated 440 cid LT1 engine build to see what we mean. It’s our Engine of the Week!

Other Posts

Steve Morris Engines’ Twin-Supercharged 454 Big Block Chevy Engine

It had been 26 years since the last time Val Morris, Steve Morris’ wife, was behind the wheel of a drag car. The shop had been working on this project car named Sugar Momma, and got it done in time for Sick Week 2024. When it came time to figure out who’d drive it, Steve

B&B Performance Adjustable Billet Timing Pointers

Available for SBC, BBC and SBF, pointers come with stainless steel pointer, fasteners and a black anodized finish.

timing pointers
Bullet Racing Engines’ 5.000″ Bore Space Billet Big Block Chevy Engine

We love when we get a chance to catch up with Nick Bacalis of Bullet Racing Engines. As the in-house engine shop for Larry Jeffers Race Cars, Nick is always working on high-horsepower, high-dollar builds for race customers, and this big block Chevy engine that we saw at the 2023 PRI Show is no exception.

Bullet Racing Engines Big Block Chevy engine
Summit Racing Forged Pro Pistons

Made in the USA, Summit Racing Forged Pro Pistons are made using ultra-modern technology and materials so they’re stronger and lighter.