This is a recently rebuilt 727 cubic inch (11.9 liter) V8 built by Sonny’s Automotive Racing that has been dyno-tested, and shown to produce 1,385 crank horsepower, and 1,045 lb ft of crank torque.
The engine produces these power figures without the use of forced induction, instead relying on careful engineering by the experienced team at Sonny’s, and the sheer scale of its displacement.
Sonny’s Automotive Racing is based in Lynchburg, Virginia, it was founded back in 1968 by Sonny Leonard who had started out drag racing his own 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle as a hobby. His success was such that he decided to go professional, selling the car for the downpayment on a new 5,000 sq. ft. facility in Madison Heights, Virginia.
By the late 1980s the company expanded again, into an 11,000 sq. ft. facility that now contains everything they need for building some of the most successful drag racing engines in the country, including two five axis to CNC mills, a sheetmetal and welding shop for fabricating manifolds, a five station head porting room, two SuperFlow dynamometers, and an in-house programmer and mechanical engineer.
Over the 56 years since Sonny’s Automotive Racing was founded, engines built by the company have (so far) accumulated more than 70 National and World racing records (land and sea), 13 IHRA Pro Stock World Championships, they powered the first full bodied car to ever to run a 200 mph 1/4 mile (Bill Kuhlmann, 1987), and a staggering list of additional accolades.
The company supplies full racing engines as well as aftermarket parts like cylinder heads and induction kits, and more.
The Sonny’s Automotive Racing 11.9 Liter V8 Shown Here
The 11.9 liter V8 crate engine you see here was built by the team at Sonny’s Automotive Racing. It’s based on a Brodix aluminum block with 5.0″ bore spacing, and it’s fitted with alloy cylinder heads featuring hemispherical combustion chambers, dished pistons, a Moroso dry-sump oil pump, and black valve covers.
This engine was originally built approximately five years ago, but more recently an engine backfire damaged the intake manifold, as a result it was sent back to Sonny’s Automotive Racing for a rebuild.
The engine has now been fully rebuilt and is being offered for sale, after the rebuild it was dyno tested and shown to be producing 1,385.5 crank horsepower at 7,200 rpm, and 1,045.6 lb ft of torque at 6,500 rpm. The engine is designed for use with 93 octane gasoline.
It’s now being offered for sale out of Lynchburg, Virginia with ignition components, dynamometer results, rebuild records, and an engine stand. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing on Bring a Trailer here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
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