I have recently bought a stage 2.5 383 stroker from Skip White Performance for my C3. But after reading some negative comments about the company, idk if I made a good decision. Here's the link

http://www.skipwhiteperformance.com/detail.aspx?Item=STAGE2%20383

I read a lot about the "chinese parts" they used. I was kind of wondering whether people had bad failures with them? I plan on using a 100 shot for the strip. But again, all the negative comments got me worried. So what should I change in the motor? Or what can I do?

I'd like to add that I understand the whole, "you get what you paid for." But thing is for me, this isn't a monster motor, so to me top end parts aren't really necessary. I keep reading people saying "get a local machine shop to do it." And to me I totally disagree. Chances are it's some shmuck that doesn't know what he's doing. Furthermore I was quoted around 5g for a 383 build. No thanks. Considering they said the hp would be around 450. Not worth 5 grand for what's "to me" low hp. (Sorry for the rant) But to me Skip stands by his products and seems pretty knowledgable.

I know there are other threads about Skip White. But I didn't want to bring back a 2 year old thread that wasn't exactly about my applications anyhow. And I'd like to apologize if I posted this in an incorrect thread topic. Thought it would be suitable.

Blake.

 

not the parts so much its the final machinig and assy thats important.
If they put it together you and run it youll probably be Ok.

Lots of performance parts are made in china hard to avoid really.

 

I have done a lot of business with Skip over the years and have found him and his company to be honest in their dealings with the public.
They do race their own engines. Their machine shop has been around for a long time.

I do not have any experience with buying a completed engine from them but if I was looking for a crate motor, I would give them a serious look.

IMHO

Dennis (Bman)

 

Agreed. I just think part of the reason they are cheap is because they have machines to do most of the work, unlike shops who hand grind it, which we all know labor + time = money. I was just wondering what's everyones thoughts on these engines? I got the engine that is undressed. I have my own carb, pullies, etc. He seems honest. I'd rather get a engine from him than a mass producted gm crate motor made in mexico. (Heard a rumor).

 

I totally agree with you Dennis. He seems very straight forward and stands by his products. I think with the applications I'm running I should be fine. I never go to the drag strip. Especially with the vette. Only 2 passes. Probably same with this engine as well. Just want to get a trap speed.

But like I said above I bought an undressed engine. Putting my own carb and etc on the engine. Might change cam and heads later on depending if getting dart heads and a slightly bigger cam would even give me a huge hp bump, 30-35hp range. But hopefully all goes well so I can give my personal opinion on them through experience. Had nothing but great service so far.

 

Glad to hear that.
Hope you continue to have success with your engine.
Keep us updated as sharing info is part of the greatness of this site.
Dennis

 

Id take a GM crate with a warranty ANY day over an aftermarket build.

FWIW Im using a Mexican made GM block stock caps holds 550hp all day no problem. All those high nickel a must myths are just that. Myths

 

This block can handle more hp than that as well. But, then again your entitled to your own opinion. I'm sure there are plenty of people with gm crate motors that are happy. I thought about getting one once too, till I noticed once you start modding it voids the warrenty. And I tend to mod quite a lot. Am I saying gm crate motors are a terrible thing? No. I might've came off as being anti-gm crate motor, that's not the case. They are priced very affordable and are reliable with warrenty. Nothing wrong with that. If you find gm crate motors to be the best thing, more power to you. but I plan on having more hp in the future. Not from this engine, going to need all forged interals and stuff for two turbo's.

 

Thanks Dennis much appreciated. I couldn't agree with ya more, this site has a lot of good information, I'm hoping with my setup I could help others as well , I'll be sure to make a thread on it and I'll post pics and vids hopefully. Thanks for the help.

 

There are 2 White Performance Shops. Skip is the nephew of Fred White. Fred White has owned, built, and raced his engines out of his shop for 40 years.

 

I got my 383 "kit" from Keith Black a while back, then put it away until I was ready. I just finished putting together the short block this weekend and only ran into one little place on the counterweight that kissed the bottom of the piston and polished it out (less than the tip of your little finger).

One of his components was a crank in a box marked "made in China". It just goes to prove that the practice has been around awhile, at least 15-20 years or so. I'm sure it will be fine if a reputable engine builder will use such parts.

So unless you're pumping NOS or copious amounts of boost on a drag strip, everything should be fine.

 

So far, So good with my Skip White 383 Super Stroker kit. Although I'm still working out some oil leaking issues from my recently rebuilt engine. I was curious if their parts were knock-offs, especially when I noticed that the part number of their pistons from one of their kits could not be found on Probe's website. I emailed Probe the link to Skip White's website and asked them if he was selling their pistons. Here is how Probe answered my email:

*************************************
From: <customerservice@probeindustries.com>
Greetings,

Thank you for contacting us with your questions.
Those are our piston’s. We make those as a privat label piston just for Skip White.
So you wont see it anywhere but with skip white performance..

Please feel free to contact us with any additional inquiries.


Thank you,

cid:7FB96FB7-E0FC-4440-BF04-9A9C094B3794
WEB: www.probeindustries.com YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/ProbeINDRacing FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/probeindustries



From: customerservice@probeindustries.com [mailto:customerservice@probeindustries.c om]
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2014 9:50 PM
To: customerservice@probeindustries.com
Subject: Customer Service

Company Name
none
Name
Erik
Email Address
erolson@uwalumni.com

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Email
Message
I was wondering if you recognized these parts from the seller below, or if he is an authorized Probe dealer. He lists Probe SRS pistons in the ad, P/N 14912-030, but this part number is not recognized by your website. Do you think that he is selling real Probe Pistons? http://www.skipwhiteperformance.com/...?Item=406SBKFT thanks
Verification_Code
SZDB

 

Bleiveable its very common...heads pushrods rockers springs you never really know where they are coming from.


On crate motors, if youre happy how they come go for it. Modding sure youll void the warranty so as said may not make much sense at that point.

 

In the next week or so I am going to be ordering an engine from Skip. After getting quotes from local engine building shops on rebuilding stock engine and converting it to a roller came and then wondering how much the cost would escalate if something was found in the engine durring the rebuild that was bad.
After looking at scores of crate engine I had decided on the zz5 turnkey. After going to local Chevy dealer and them telling me that unless I purchased it from them ( I was getting it from Summit ) they would not honer the GM warranty. I contacted GM and was told that the dealer has the option of refusing to do this.
What a crock of bull, no way am I going to spend $6,800 on an engine with no warranty.
I took a real good look at Skips and it's really a good deal for what I am going to get.
For $5,800 I get the turn key 383 stroker stage 2 with rev limiter and a matched and balanced flywheel for a 4 speed, delivered to my door and dollied into my garage. Plus a two year warranty with the 1st year including pre paid shipping . It is also put on a Dyno with results added to the package.
Back to their facility and back to your house after the repair if you need it.

 

I bought a 434 (should have went bigger) from White Performance Racing. (basically Skip White) They were great to deal with. Not much to talk about for the motor so far.

They were honest and also said they have a Chinese block that is a Dart M copy and they said other people race that block with huge HP. I bought the real dart but they were honest so far and their prices reflected it.

I have not got the car back yet but I hope it goes well obviously.

One thing I did not like is they lost the build sheet for it and could not answer which pistons they used.

 

I just wanted to comment here that I have had an excellent experience with Skip and his crew. And am about to stoke a 302 roller to 347 for my '65 Mustang (sorry). I was a little skeptical about the Chinese fake ARP rod bolts (as ARP does not make this length) BUT... I had a drag engine builder build this motor as I did not have the time, the rods definitely need to be sized but Skip states that... other than that all is well. .040 over so approx 390, built to LT4 spec as close as possible, CompCam and all the go fast goodies, CAI, Vette MAF and 32lb injectors, Borla headers, ported and pol vette heads... reflashed ECU,,, goes like stink! In my Dragon Wagon... blows off BMW's like the are standing still.. hwy menace! Thanks!

 

they are in the next town over about 20 miles, never done any business with him but a lot of people run his stuff.. He started out building race boats, the drag stuff and does a tone of business with big cigarette boats... any time you go buy there is like 30-50 foot stuff setting like out of the movies. hes been around at least 30 years or as long as i can remember. also does some outlaw pro mod motors...

for the money im not sure you can beat him....

 

Your speaking of Fred White. Skip is his nephew. They use to be next to each other when Fred sold skip the speed shop business. They don't speak anymore and Skip has moved from the building that is next to Fred.

 

Of course they did they want to sell parts
Use the real Dart block if you can.

 

I own a 427 sbc from skip white , AFR , Dart , ect all brand names, runs perfect and pulls like hell .