Scott Shafiroff Racing Engines 427CI Small-Block Crate Engine - Stacked And Packed

1 SSRE relies on a Dart SHP block, which has been bored to 4.125 inches. The SHP block is designed to be an affordable option for consumers who'd like to have a new rather than used foundation for their engine.

1 SSRE relies on a Dart SHP block, which has been bored to 4.125 inches. The SHP block is

Unique and easy are two words that are rarely combined in this great hobby we call hot rodding. This month, however, is one of those situations where they come together and co-exist. This cohesion happened with a 427ci small-block package from Scott Shafiroff Racing Engines (SSRE) and the latest EZ-EFI induction from Inglese. The small-block comes from the popular Real Street line-up, while the fuel injection is truly an easy bolt-on thanks to the FAST EZ-EFI system that’s included in the package. It’s a self-learning fuel injection system that doesn’t require tuning experience or a laptop. And the Inglese intake manifold features a set of eight stacks to mimic the old school Weber carburetor setup.

The SSRE Real Street lineup was designed to provide reliable power, but come in at a reasonable price tag. The base Real Street 427/525 hp goes for just $8,795 and adding the HHR (Hot Hydraulic Roller) package bumps the price tag up by $995. That includes a larger hydraulic roller camshaft (SSRE specs), upgraded valvetrain, and CNC-ported AFR 210cc cylinder heads to bring power up to 565 hp. Adding the uniqueness of the Inglese EFI system will then add another $5,200, bringing the total cost to $14,990. That includes an MSD EFI compatible ignition and a full day’s worth of shop labor installing, adjusting, and final tuning on the dyno. Unique and easy do come at a price, but that’s a cheaper than what EFI used to cost just a few years ago.

Inside the Real Street 427 is a parts list that starts with a Dart SHP block for a foundation. Said block is designed to keep costs in check, but still offer a solid starting point. It’s reassuring to know that you start with a brand new iron block instead of a used one you found in a junkyard. SSRE then fills it with an Eagle 4340 forged crankshaft, Eagle 4340 forged connecting rods, Mahle pistons (SSRE design), AFR heads (CNC-ported, 210cc intake ports), and a SSRE hydraulic roller camshaft. The engine is designed to run on 91-octane fuel and that’s what they use to dial-in the engine on the dyno--making the power results applicable in all 50 states. Higher octane will allow for more timing and higher power results.

2 The SHP block is touted as a reasonably cost block, but Dart didn't skimp on the features.

2 The SHP block is touted as a reasonably cost block, but Dart didn't skimp on the featur

The EFI system was engineered for easy installation and the self-tuning option of the FAST electronic fuel injection makes it the perfect solution for those who are not comfortable with computers. The SSRE staff ship the engines fully tuned and calibrated on the dyno and ready to bolt in your muscle car. The stacks are unique and don’t degrade the easiness of this package--it’s truly a drop-in-and-go combination.

Inglese partnered with its sister company, FAST, to incorporate its EZ-EFI system with the popular stack induction. The name says it all; it’s designed to be easy, and with the Shafiroff expertise it helps to make the conversion to modern EFI as effortless as possible. Those with computerphobia should have no fear because this system is targeted at you.

3 It has four-bolt mains for the center caps while the front and back caps are two-bolt mains.

3 It has four-bolt mains for the center caps while the front and back caps are two-bolt m

FAST introduced EZ-EFI in 2009, and it has been a popular upgrade since then. The hand-held programmer requires a few basic questions to be answered about the engine and once you fire it up, the ECU learns on its own. No tuning experience is required or necessary to get the EZ-EFI up and running. That’s what made it so attractive to Shafiroff.

After talking with the FAST guys for a little bit, I knew this was a system we could offer at SSRE and be reliable and easy for our customers, he says. If the Inglese stacks aren’t for you, SSRE also offers the system with a single throttle body on top of a carb-style intake and with the same EZ-EFI system.

The Inglese induction system offers some great features other than the looks. The stacks measure 50mm IDA each for unrestricted flow and the company reports its good until 1,000 hp. One look at the intake and you’d think it might hinder torque production down low. That wasn’t the case at all and the power curve was consistent and healthy as evident by the 588 lb-ft result.

4 Red Goldstein of SSRE slides in the hydraulic roller camshaft, which is part of the HHR upgrade package. It also includes hi-rev roller lifters, Comp 1.6:1 roller rocker arms, and AFR 210 aluminum heads (with springs to match the hydraulic roller cam profile). No amount of pleading could convince Shafiroff to reveal any of his cam specs.

4 Red Goldstein of SSRE slides in the hydraulic roller camshaft, which is part of the HHR

One thing that separates the Inglese system from other individual runner setups is the common plenum, which dramatically improves the driveability and torque. For those who want an even cooler looking Inglese setup, we saw one manifold in the company’s SEMA booth that had a direct port nitrous system plumbed into it. We asked SSRE about adding some juice and they said a little hit wouldn’t hurt the engine and custom setups can be built in-house.

Every engine that leaves SSRE is run on dyno and all Real Street engines make within one or two horsepower of the advertised ratings. This setup spun the DTS dyno to a peak of 566.5 hp, right on the 565hp rating as advertised by SSRE with the HHR upgrade option. That’s within one horsepower of the carburetor version that uses an Edelbrock dual-plane intake manifold and Quick Fuel carburetor. Scott Shafiroff credits the near identical results of the packages to getting the most from the cylinder heads and camshaft design.

5 A major part of the SSRE process is to double-check all measurements and Goldstein will verify all specs of the block and rotating assembly before it is goes together.

5 A major part of the SSRE process is to double-check all measurements and Goldstein will

The Real Street EFI had a peak reading of 586 lb-ft while the carburetor version typically cranks out 585 to 588 lb-ft.

Reliable, simple, and unique are the perfect adjectives to describe the SSRE Real Street EFI crate engine and it all fits in nicely with that familiar term--powerful.

6 The crankshaft is also measured to ensure any problem is caught before assembly. The Eagle crankshaft is a forged-steel unit with a 4.00-inch stroke, bringing the cubic inches to 427 when combined with the 4.125-inch bore.

6 The crankshaft is also measured to ensure any problem is caught before assembly. The Ea

Shafiroff 427 with Inglese EFI Pump Gas 34 degrees of timing