Kaase Radical Y-block Makeover Wins Vintage V8 at Engine Masters

Jon Kaase’s wild Y-block has radically redesigned Mummert cylinder heads topped with an Edelbrock tunnel ram and a pair of 750 cfm Holleys. All photos from MSD Facebook page

Jon Kaase completely redesigned the Ford Y-block cylinder head and swept the Vintage V8 class on the fourth day of the Amsoil Engine Masters Challenge (EMC).

Taking second place was a “Poly” engine from the School of Automotive Machinists. The fuel-air mixture is fed through an EFI-converted Hilborn 8-stack originally developed for the LS7 but was modified to work with the Mopar iron heads.

“What Jon did–and it’s pure genius, as usual,” explains Jud Massingill, whose 402ci Chrysler “Poly” engine built at the School of Automotive Machinists’ took the runnerup spot. “He welded the head solid, then ported it to a conventional configuration and put a Chevy tunnel ram on it.”

The Kaase motor averaged 583 horsepower between 3,000 and 6,000 rpm over three pulls, and averaged 466 lb-ft of torque. After the displacement differential was factored into the formula, Kaase ended up with 2,586.5 points. That was better than the 2,454.2 points earned by the SAM Racing Poly engine, which pulled an average 547 horsepower and 566 lb-ft of torque over the three pulls. Finishing third with 2,389.5 points was the 362 ci Y-block entered by Eaton Balancing. Taking fourth was a 383ci Lincoln Y-block from RB Vintage that scored 2,125 points. A 363ci Packard (see video below) entered by Lynn Peterson and Kustom Kemps was fifth with 2,107 points.

Another view of the SAM Racing entry. Note the long runner lengths to help boost low- and mid-range torque.

Kaase, who has won numerous titles at Engine Masters in the past, started with a Mummert aluminum casting that retains the iconic stacked intake port design of the Ford Y-block engine, then spent a few hours with a welder and a shelf full of wire filling all holes. Since the rules are basically unlimited for this class, Kaase could design and shape the new ports to his liking. With the inlets to the intake port matched up with a traditional Chevy intake manifold gasket, all that was needed to mate an Edelbrock tunnel-ram topped with a pair of 750-cfm carbs was a couple of billet spacers. Other goodies in the Kaase engine include a Bryant billet crankshaft, Comp Cams flat-tappet camshaft, Carrillo rods, Diamond pistons and tri-Y headers.

“It was pretty awesome,” praises Massingill, noting that the Vintage V8 class drew the largest crowd of the week. “The Vintage class has really gone over well and it got a lot of response. Everyone wanted to see what was inside those engines. We took pictures for two hours after the teardown. A lot of people have never seen engines like these.”

Here’s a rear view of Kaase’s winning engine.

The Vintage V8 was new for 2015, part of a major restructuring of the Engine Masters that offers five different but small competitions over the week instead of a single division with more than 25 engine builders vying for the top prize. As usual, the competition is held on the dynos at the University of Northwestern Ohio.

Ted Eaton’s 362ci Y-block took third place in the Vintage V8 class.

The final competition on Friday’s pits big-block engines against each other. Over the first three days, Tony Bischoff of BES Racing Engines won the Hemi Shootout, the Almost Kaase team won the Spec Small Block division and teams from the School of Automotive Machinists placed 1-2 in the LS Shootout.

Still, the Vintage V8 engines stole the show.

“We did well and learned a lot with our Poly,” adds Massingill. (For a closer look, check out this EngineLabs story.) “What we know now is that you need an aftermarket aluminum head available for the engine, because you can do so much more with it.”

Massingill says he tried cutting the exhaust ports off the iron head and adding a steel plate to help direct flow, but there were leakage issues.

Big-block engines are in the spotlight on the final day of competition.

“That probably cost us 20 to 25 horsepower,” he sighs.

The one positive build point is that the later model Mopar LA engine family was built around the same cylinder block dimensions as the Poly, so aftermarket parts like the timing set, crankshaft and camshaft can be retrofitted with no problem.

“We may go with a different engine next year,” says Massingill. “We’re looking at some of the older Cadillacs.

For more results, check out the Amsoil Facebook page and the Hot Rod Engine Masters blog.

About the author

Mike Magda

Mike Magda is a veteran automotive writer with credits in publications such as Racecar Engineering, Hot Rod, Engine Technology International, Motor Trend, Automobile, Automotive Testing Technology and Professional Motorsport World.
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