At what point does an engine cease being an engine, and become something more? Is it when said engine breaks horsepower barriers or long-standing speed records? Perhaps an engine transcends itself when it is covered in chrome, and resembles more a piece of art than of machinery. Then again, maybe an engine is always an engine, no matter what. But not all engines are created equal.
We stumbled across this video from the famous Nelson Racing Engines, makers of high-performance machinery like this twin-turbo 2,200 horsepower, 632 cubic inch (10.3 liters for you metric monkeys) big block Chevrolet powerplant.
Beyond making enormous amounts of power, this engine is a pleasure to behold. It looks so clean, so perfect, that it is hard to imagine all the tug boat-worthy power that lurks beneath those shiny valve covers. Indeed, this might be the prettiest engine we’ve ever seen, and thanks to twin turbochargers pushing over 27 lbs. of boost through this massive beast, it makes over 2,200 horsepower on the engine dyno.
In fact, if you pay attention at the very beginning of the video, you can actually see water squirting out of the head because of all the power and boost. The headers glow red, the whole engine dyno shakes, but worry not. This is a fully-forged, 632 cubic inch engine with all the best components, built by some of the best mechanics in the country, if not the world. Best of all? It’s totally streetable. These engines can be detuned with a touch of the button, so you can go out and get yourself some fast food in between your 8-second drag strip runs. The only downside? You’ll have to take a mortgage out against your house to afford it. Nobody ever said racing was cheap!