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Mark Jones Built Me A KILLER 496 BBC

43K views 107 replies 50 participants last post by  Pat_McNeil 
#1 ·
Hi all from Australia

I am new to the forum and I recently bought a motor from the US.

I wanted a new motor and decided that the US was the best place to buy it from.

I have a mate over here in Australia that recently bought a motor of Mark Jones it was one of his 468 BBC Motors

He could not stop talking about his motor and how good it was and his experience with Mark was great and after sales support was there if he ever needed anything.

Anyway I called Mark at Vortec Pro Engines and told him that I wanted to buy a motor from him.

I wanted Mark to build me one of his 496 BBC Engine Combo's with some changes eg Cam , Intake, Heads, Carby

Mark was straight forward with me and said the motor's power and torque will change from his original combo which I knew would happen.

He was mainly concerned with lose of torque with the Intake Manifold

Mark said that the results would be unknown and on me, which I agreed to 100% as I am the one changing his combo. I said no problem I understand.

He said I will build you want ever you like, he was open to that which I thank him for.

So I had some figures in my head which Mark did not know and I was hoping my new motor along with Mark's Amazing Ability to make it happen.

BOY DID HE DELIVER.

My numbers were

750HP & 700 FT LBS OF TORQUE

MARK BUILT ME A KILLER MOTOR

POWER

747.5 HP @ 6,500 RPM

693.2 FT LBS OF TORQUE @ 4,500 RPM

496 BBC

454 Block 4 Bolt

Holley 950 HP Ultra Carby

Brodix Race Rite Oval Heads Hand Ported by Mark

Edelbrock Victor Jr Single Plane Intake Hand Ported by Mark

MSD Pro Billet Distributor

Scat Crank, Mahle Pistons etc etc

Solid Roller Cam

254/260/108 LSA .660 Intake Lift, 667 Exhaust Lift @.50

Compression

10.4:1



A huge thanks to Mark Jones from Vortec Pro Engines for building me a Killer Motor which I look forward to getting hopefully real soon.

Dealing with Mark was a pleasure and easy via e-mail and phone straight up no bull****.

Considering how busy he is I received reply's on same day via e-mail and kept me up to date with his schedule and my build.

Mark if you are out there feel free to comment.

Thanks Again Mark

John
 
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1
#3 ·
I was wondering what Mark could do with a bit more cam and a single plane.
Still makes killer tq, and 1.5hp/cube on pump gas with no fancy parts,
just shows the quality of his work.
 
#6 ·
<grinning from ear to ear> a few more cubes, a little more cam, a little more compression, a little more carb, I might hang with that 40Coupe guy :D if I went on a diet ;) Nice build, bet you can't wait to get that stuffed into something!
Thanks Bob

Sure am grinning from ear to ear. Can't wait to fit it into my engine bay

I wanted 11.4:1 but Mark said no need and it would be alot nicer and safer for what I want if for Street / Strip Car. The results speak for themself. Plenty of power for both Street & Strip

Here is what my car looks like it's a Holden HQ GTS Monaro Coupe it shares alot of design things with your Camaro







Current Engine Bay in need of my New 496






I was wondering what Mark could do with a bit more cam and a single plane.
Still makes killer tq, and 1.5hp/cube on pump gas with no fancy parts,
just shows the quality of his work.
What can I say the MAN'S GOT SKILLS.

I bet you are happy:D
**** Yeah
 
#5 ·
Outstanding :beers:
I talked to Mark about this before it was dynoed
It exceeded either of our best "guesses" by a bunch :cool:

The torque is insane for a pump gas deal,, 1.4lb/ft per inch is normally considered 13 to 1 race gas territory not pump gas territory
Great job Mark :thumbsup:
 
#9 ·
John
nice car. your going surprise alot of people once you get that motor under the hood. Mark does excellent work & is a pleasure to deal with. I know I'm ready for another 100 or so more hp:D. your car is sharp, what year is it ? what was the biggest engine, tranny & rear combo available when ordered ? pictures will be nice when your done to. Happy Holiday's over in Australia.
Carlo
 
#11 ·
John
nice car. your going surprise alot of people once you get that motor under the hood. Mark does excellent work & is a pleasure to deal with. I know I'm ready for another 100 or so more hp:D. your car is sharp, what year is it ? what was the biggest engine, tranny & rear combo available when ordered ? pictures will be nice when your done to. Happy Holiday's over in Australia.
Carlo
Hi Carlo

"Mark does excellent work" he sure does

When ordered new from factory

Year Model: 1971 - 1974

Mines a 1973 Model which came with the Stripes on the Bonnet & Boot or Trunk as you would call it

Motor: 350 Chev was the largest

Transmission: Manual 4 Speed or Turbo 400

Diff Gears Varied on Transmission Type

4 Speed Manual 3.08:1 or 3.55:1

Turbo 400 2.78:1 or 3.08:1

Cheers

John
 
#13 ·
Congrats on a great pump gas build with stupid power...

Frankly....these days... I would expect no less from Mark.

My only problem with him is he is not in Texas......

No better place to get a "crate" engine...:yes:
 
#17 ·
That is going to be a hand full!!! Welcome to TC.

I was out your way a few years back. I was at a small hot rod shop, and there was a Holdon racing sine hanging from the cealing over the counter. The guy had no T-shirts or anything else I could purchase, to say I was there. We started talking about the old sine hanging over the counter for a long time. It has 10 race cars on it, and says 10 yers of Holdon Racing 1969-1979. He said the local dealer ship, his brother in law, and many others, keep asking for the old metal sign. After talking cars and life for about an hour, he got a ladder, and cut the sign dow. He gave it to me for no charge. He explained that he was so torn on who would get the sign, all the others would hate him. So he gave it to a complete stranger. It was a verry cool day. Now I have it on a wall in my garage in Arizona.

Good luck, and have fun with the project!!!
 
#22 ·
To the OP very cool car, looks like a cross between a GTO, Lemans and a Skylark. I like the way you have it set-up, very nice job!




^^^ That is a great story and shows that "real" car guys are the same all over the world. How about a picture of that sign?
 
#28 ·
Thanks to all for the nice comments and for making me feel welcome.

If I did not buy my Monaro I would have bought a Camaro which I love the shape of.

Yeah the Monaro has a Killer shape, it looks tuff and my old motor looks tuff but it's not lol, soon it will have a motor to suit the car.

I know there are some very very good Engine Builders over here in Australia, however the price they want to charge to build you a motor is crazy.

I also believe you can't go past the knowledge that you guys have over there for the Chevy motor damn you guys designed it therefore would get the most out of it.

Which Mark as proven with my motor Small Cubes, Power, Price make me a very happy customer.

The Aussie Dollar also made it easier for me to buy from the US.

He was mainly concerned with lose of torque with the Intake Manifold
Mark wanted to use the Dual Plane Edelbrock Air Gap Intake, as most of you know he loves that intake why not he has great success with it with his engine combo's.

Mark said straight up I'd loose torque going from dual to single, but after seeing the results I think I have lost nothing and that Mark made it work and work very well with my engine combo.

I mainly wanted a Single Plane Intake because I like the look of them they make a motor look tuff lol.

I was happy to loose a bit of torque down low, I just wanted a Single Plane Intake for my motor.

It would be interesting to find out for sure just out of curiosity how much torque I lost if any by going with a Single Intake Manifold

When talking with Mark over the phone about my build he said the motor went together very well from Start to Finish, which put a smile on my face.

I loved the positive feedback that the motor went together very well and you could sense that it also made Mark Happy and that he enjoyed building me my motor.

I was very excited to find out the power it made, he knew it would make power but not sure how much and I think Mark himself was quiet surprised.

Thanks

John


John, I see you chose the Vic Jr; what intake did Mark want to use on the combo?

Very impressive engine and cool car. I've never seen one like it before.
 
#21 ·
very good numbers for such " little cubic inches " :yes:
 
#24 ·
Enjoy :thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
#25 ·
WOW!!!!!!

Thats quite a motor Mark built you though it doesn't surpirse me comming from Mark!

Mark's seem's to have best reliable perfromance crate motor on the market esp for the money spent.

You can't go wrong when dealing with honest (in the know!) guys like Mark Jones/Mike Wolfplace that build great performance motors for guys here in T/Chevelle and other people in & out of the US too.

Scott
 
#29 ·
Mark as asked me to put the dyno sheets up for all to see.

Sorry about the image as Mark sent it to me as a pdf file.

I do not know how to save the sheets individually from a pdf file, so I took a photo with my Iphone.

My 496 Dyno Sheets







Cheers

John
 
#36 ·
Mark as asked me to put the dyno sheets up for all to see.

Sorry about the image as Mark sent it to me as a pdf file.

I do not know how to save the sheets individually from a pdf file, so I took a photo with my Iphone.

My 496 Dyno Sheets







Cheers

John
Really great results, A/F is really lean, are you gonna run it like that?
 
#31 ·
I think Mark made a pull from 3,000rpm to 4,500rpm and quote me some numbers over the phone on the dyno day which I have forgotten how much but it was some crazy torque figures.

Yeah I think i'd better start saving hard for a new tranny.

I'd love to put the motor in with my tranny the way it is so I can enjoy driving it for now, will see.

By the way my wife bought me this motor thanks hun, so I should be able to save up for the tranny.

If I did not have to pay GST here in OZ when I get the motor in, i'd have most of the money for a new tranny to be built.
 
#33 ·
awesome numbers John :cool: :thumbsup:
I remember seeing the "Nightrider" in "Mad Max" driving a Monaro! Thought they where cool looking rides!
Yeah that right in Mad Max

I have always loved the HQ Monaro Coupe a few mates owned them back in the day.

One day I was at my brother in laws place and he took me over to his neighbours house to show me a customers car that he had restored it was a Camaro and I asked what motor it had he said a worked 383 Chev.

I said cool can you kick it over he said sure, I heard that sweet sound and knew I had to sell my current car.

Which sounded nice with Heads, Cam, Exhaust etc etc but not that kind of sound which put a big smile on my face.

I have that sound in a ZD Cobra 18ft Ex Ski Race Boat Rear Mount 383 Chev with 500HP, but it's in a boat not a car, I think the hull was originally from the US imported over here by someone in Melbourne.

My LS2 had over 400RWHP with Auto Trans, 3.9's and 22" 295/25/22's Pirelli P Zero Nero tyres and it would fry the **** out of them

I went from this car which was my Daily Driver it's a VE HSV GTS with a 6.0 Litre LS2 Motor in it.





Which I believe is your GTO Pontiac or G8

To this





You just can't beat OLD SCHOOL Cars which look PHAT.
 
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