Performance Engine Building

JBA Performance Engines are custom-built to your desired specifications and performance levels.

“Originality, innovation, or a mass-produced crate engine? We won’t build it until you order it. This explains the popularity of our JBA AntiCrate program. Power engineered the way you want it and hand built for your application. No sitting under a heat lamp. . .just fresh horsepower!

~J. Bittle, President, JBA Performance Engines


JBA AntiCrate™ Engines

Custom engines specifically designed, built and tuned for your specific vehicle and application. While AntiCrate™ engines are made individually to your needs, crate engines are mass produced and built to be uniform. Get an engine built for your needs. We take decades of application experience combined with today's best components to create the best engine product for  meeting your unique needs. Applying modern cost effective parts allows for the perfect adjustment of vacuum, windage control, fuel requirements, camshaft power, timing curves, and more to go along with your desired power and torque. Don't just get the best on paper, build the best for your car. 

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3 Stages to Choose From

JBA Performance Engines are built to your specific needs and performance levels that you want to achieve. They are available in various stages that define various performance levels using factory and/or a combination of aftermarket parts. 

  • JBA PERFORMANCE ENGINE - STAGE I

    Stage I- Stock to mild street performance:

    Engines are built and machined with the classic resto-rodders in mind. The emphasis is on original design with modern horsepower. We use your original core parts and fill them with the latest performance hardware. A lot of the machining operations we utilize on our all out competition engines are applied to every stage engine to insure proper clearances, valve train geometry, and maximum functionality.

    Engine Block:

    • Factory Seasoned Block cleaned, Magnafluxed
    • De-burr casting flash to relive stress risers
    • Oil galleys and all holes drilled and tapped
    • Bored up to .060 off crankshaft centerline
    • Torque plate honed for proper ring sealing
    • Surface decked minimum for proper gasket sealing

    Cylinder Heads:

    • Stock Factory Heads cleaned, Magnafluxed
    • New bronze guide liners installed & sized
    • 3-angle valve job
    • New hardened seats installed (if required)
    • All bolt holes drilled and tapped

    Crankshaft:

    • Factory crank cleaned, Magnafluxed, check for cracks
    • Checked for straightness (straightened if needed)
    • Factory correct 427 Chevy big block with Tri-Power (3 two-barrels)Grind and micro polish

    Connecting Rods:

    • Factory Rods big and small ends re-sized for specific bearing clearance
    • Beam ground to relieve stress risers
    • Weight matched to within .5 grams

    Engine Assembly:

    • Balanced and blueprinted
    • Critical tolerances measured and documented
    • Camshafts degreed and installed
    • All bearings, gaskets, seals, internal parts measured,
    • documented and assembled
  • JBA PERFORMANCE ENGINE - STAGE II

    Stage II- High performance:

    Street engine packages built using our techniques in blueprinting, assembly and high-performance parts collection, to bring out the best in factory components. We start by using only the highest quality name brands such as ARP fasteners, SRP forged pistons, Manley stainless valves, Fel-Pro performance gaskets, Federal Mogul bearings, Edelbrock intake manifolds, Holley carburetors, Canton high performance oil pans, and Competition Cams roller camshafts, lifters and valve train assemblies.

    Engine Block:

    • Factory Seasoned block cleaned, Magnafluxed
    • De-burr casting flash to relive stress risers
    • Oil galleys and all holes drilled and tapped
    • Align-honed for straightness and specific bearing clearance
    • Bored up to .060 off crankshaft centerline
    • Torque plate honed for proper ring sealing
    • Square decked off of crankshaft centerline to exact deck height
    • Clearanced for stroker rod and crankshaft applications (if applicable)

    Cylinder Heads:

    • Stock Heads: Cleaned & Magnafluxed
    • Surfaced for maximum quench & compression
    • New bronze guide liners installed & sized
    • Performance 3-angle valve job
    • Includes top & bottom radius cuts w/ bowl blend
    • Street performance porting
    • Gasket matching, runner porting & chamber polish

    Aftermarket Heads

    • Dart, Trick Flow Heads or other popular brand
    • Surfaced for maximum quench and compression
    • Mild street port matching

    Crankshaft:

    • Aftermarket: Scat, Eagle, Crower or other popular brand
    • Micro-Polished
    • Performance Balanced, Heavy metal added if necessary

    Connecting Rods:

    • Aftermarket: Manley, Scat, Crower or other popular brand
    • Big & small ends checked for specific bearing clearance
    • Re-sized if necessary
    • Weight matched to within .5 grams

    Engine Assembly:

    • Balanced & Blueprinted
    • Critical tolerances measured & documented
    • Camshafts degreed & installed
    • All bearings, gaskets, seals, internal parts measured, documented, blueprinted & assembled.
  • JBA PERFORMANCE ENGINE - STAGE III

    Stage III: High performance street and strip packages:

    Designed and engineered to deliver race engine performance in a street friendly package. JBA Stage III engines are built for your specific application. Our engine packages utilize our machine shop’s capability to modify and test parts using a “whole engine” approach. Our racing experience enables us to select proven combinations, eliminating the guesswork. Stage III engines use only the highest quality, race-proven parts on the market. Some of these include Dart, Ford Racing, Shelby or World products engine blocks, AFR or Dart cylinder heads, Ross pistons, Total Seal Rings, Ferrea valves, Crower and Comp camshafts and valve train components, Scat, and Carillo crankshafts, Clevite bearings, Moroso or Aviad performance oil pans, and Holley, Fast, Vortech and Procharger induction systems are used specifically for our Stage III engine packages. JBA’s Stage III packages are built and tuned to give you unequalled performance for your hot street or weekend warrior.

    Engine Block:

    • Superior alloy factory block or aftermarket 4-bolt main block used.
    • Align-honed for straightness and exact main Bearing clearance
    • Bored 90 degrees off crankshaft centerline
    • Torque plate honed for proper ring sealing
    • Square decked to exact deck height 90 degrees Off crank centerline
    • Mocked up and clearanced for long stroke or rod
    • Combinations
    • ARP hardened bolts or stud kits
    • Custom detailed: de-burring of casting flash
    • Tap oil galleys and bolt holes
    • Painted to customer’s requested color

    Cylinder Heads:

    • Aftermarket: AFR, Edelbrock, Dart, Trick Flow or other popular brand
    • Performance 3-angle valve job
    • Valve guide sized to exact specs.
    • Mild porting
    • Intake-to-cylinder head match
    • Mild runner port work
    • Combustion chamber detailed
    • Valve is faced, back cut and hand lapped

    Crankshaft:

    • Aftermarket: Callies, Scat, Crower or other popular brand
    • Forged steel
    • Internally balanced
    • Micro-Polished

    Connecting Rods:

    • Aftermarket: Manley, Scat, Carillo, Crower or other popular brand
    • Forged steel
    • ARP or other hardened rod bolts
    • Big & small ends checked for specific bearing clearance and pin fit
    • Weight matched to within .5 grams

    Engine Assembly:

    • Balanced & Blueprinted
    • Critical tolerances measured & documented including:
    • Rod & main bearing clearance, paired rod side Clearance, valve-to-guide clearance, installed height and spring pressures, cylinder head flow numbers, Piston-to-bore clearance, installed ring gaps, Deck height, piston-to-valve clearance, balance and Bob weight Camshafts degreed & installed
    • Trial assembled to check clearances on long stroke Or rod combinations
    • Assembled and quality control checked
    • Engines broken in under load using JBA’s DTS Powermark Dynamometer
    • Engine tested and tuned for maximum performance Using JBA’s DTS Powermark Dynamometer
  • JBA PERFORMANCE ENGINE - STAGE IV

    Stage IV- Race Only:

    Please contact our Engineering Department to discuss your Stage 4 Engine

  • JBA PERFORMANCE ENGINES STAGE COMPARISON
    Engine Block Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
    Factory seasoned block cleaned, magnafluxed Yes    
    Superior alloy factory block or aftermarket 4-bolt main block used   Yes Yes
    Check for cracks Yes Yes Yes
    De-burr casting flash to relive stress risers Yes Yes Yes
    Oil galleys and all holes drilled and tapped Yes Yes Yes
    Bored up to .060, 90 degrees off crankshaft centerline Yes Yes Yes
    Torque plate honed for proper ring sealing Yes Yes Yes
    Surface decked minimum for proper gasket sealing Yes    
    Square decked to exact deck height 90 degrees off crank   Yes Yes
    Align-honed for straightness and specific bearing clearance Yes Yes Yes
    Clearanced for stroker rod and crankshaft applications (If Applicable)   Yes Yes
    ARP hardened head and main bolts Yes Yes  
    ARP hardened head and main studs     Yes
    Painted to customer’s requested color Yes Yes Yes
    Cylinder Heads Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
    Stock: cleaned & magnafluxed and checked for cracks Yes    
    Aftermarket: AFR, Edelbrock, Dart, Trick Flow or other popular brand   Yes Yes
    All bolt holes drilled and tapped Yes Yes Yes
    Surfaced for maximum quench & compression Yes Yes Yes
    New bronze guide liners installed & sized Yes Yes  
    Valve guide sized to exact specs Yes Yes Yes
    New hardened seats installed (if required) Yes    
    Performance 3-angle valve job includes top & bottom radius cuts w/ bowl blend Yes Yes  
    Performance 5-angle valve job includes top & bottom radius cuts w/ bowl blend     Yes
    Valve is faced, back cut and hand lapped   Yes Yes
    Mild street port matching Yes Yes  
    Street performance porting   Yes Yes
    Gasket matching, runner porting & chamber polish   Yes Yes
    Intake-to-cylinder head match   Yes Yes
    Combustion chamber detailed   Yes Yes
    Mild race porting     Yes
    Crankshaft Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
    Factory crank cleaned, Magnafluxed, check for cracks Yes    
    Aftermarket: Callies, Scat, Crower or other popular brand   Yes Yes
    Checked for straightness (straightened if needed) Yes Yes Yes
    Performance balanced Yes    
    Hi performance internally balanced   Yes Yes
    Heavy metal added if necessary   Yes Yes
    Grind and micro polish Yes    
    Micro-polished Yes Yes Yes
    Connecting Rods Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
    Factory rods big and small ends re-sized for specific bearing clearance Yes    
    Aftermarket: Manley, Scat, Eagle or Crower forged steel connecting rods   Yes Yes
    Beam ground to relieve stress risers Yes    
    Weight matched to within .5 grams Yes Yes Yes
    Big & small ends checked for specific bearring clearance & pin fit   Yes Yes
    ARP or other hardened rod bolts Yes Yes Yes
    Re-sized if necessary   Yes Yes
    Engine Assembly Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
    Balanced & Blueprinted Yes Yes Yes
    Critical tolerances measured & documented including: Yes Yes Yes
    Rod & main bearing clearance, paired rod side clearance Yes Yes Yes
    Valve-to-guide clearance and installed height Yes Yes Yes
    Spring pressures, cylinder head flow numbers Yes Yes Yes
    Piston-to-bore clearance, installed ring gaps, deck height Yes Yes Yes
    Piston-to-valve clearance, balance and bob weight Yes Yes Yes
    Camshafts degreed and installed Yes Yes Yes
    All bearings, gaskets, seals, internal parts measured, documented & assembled Yes Yes Yes
    Trial assembled to check clearances on long stroke or rod combos   Yes Yes
    Assembled and quality control checked Yes Yes Yes
    Engines broken in under load using DTS Powermark Dynamometer Yes Yes Yes
    Engine tested and tuned for maximum performance Yes Yes Yes


The JBA Performance Engines Design Team

With more than 30 years of experience, our team can blueprint, craft and combine the best components to create an engine that fits your particular application, make and model vehicle. Our Machine Shop crew knows more about engines than anyone, so let us design the perfect powerplant for your ride.  

Learn More About Our Elite Team » 

 


Dyno Tuning

An essential piece of every build is testing. Each engine built at JBA gets extensively tested and tuned on our in-house engine dyno. 

Read about our tuning experience here. 


Performance Engine Engineering Worksheet

Use our worksheet to let us know the details about your vehicle and work with us to outline the perfect build!

In an effort to provide you with the best fit for your project we need to understand what your goals are. Please take a few minutes to fill out our JBA Performance Engine Engineering Worksheet. This information will be reviewed by one of our engineering team specialists. They will contact you regarding your needs and follow up with information on a custom JBA Performance Engine that best suits your needs. 

JBA Performance Engine Engineering Worksheet »

Not sure where to start? Send us a message to get started.