Now let's get to the good part. On the day I was at Sonny's shop he had one of these 815 cid engines on the dyno, prepping it for John Montecalvo's Pro IHRA Pro Stocker. That engine made 1700+ hp and 1300+ foot lbs of torque at a peak rpm of 7500 on racing gas. (Bolt on four stages of nitrous or burn alky for fuel with a 'charger on top and 3,000 hp wouldn't be an unreasonable number.)

The Pro Stock version of the engine made enough power that for the rest of the 2003 IHRA season Montecalvo's Chevy was always close to the top if not at the top of the qualifying list, recording a best speed of 214.30 mph.

Since that visit Sonny has also built a smaller version (649 cid) for a Comp eliminator racer. That engine made over 1500 hp at 8400 rpm. So, you are asking, what is one of these bad boys going to set me back? Well, there is no mystery here. The 815-inch motor ready to bolt in will cost you about $88,000 and the 649 cid model is slightly cheaper at around $80,000.

While that may seem a little pricey, in the world of professional racing where $100-125,000 Pro Stock engines aren't unheard of, it could be a bargain. Especially for a real Chevy "Mystery Motor" that will run in front of the Hemi.