Why 565?
Since the big block Chevy is used in more classes than any other (including its small block brother), engine choice was a no-brainer. Marco and Kirk Heinbuch, Product Manager at Summit Racing and a longtime drag racer, settled on a 565 cubic inch setup (4.600 inch bore, 4.250 inch stroke, 6.385 inch rod). They listed several good reasons for their choice:
• Familiar combination to racers
• Readily available components with minimal machine work required
• Large enough to make serious horsepower and torque
• Adaptable to many classes
Marco and Kirk focused attention on durability and ease of assembly. “Horsepower is useless if the engine is always breaking parts,†Kirk explained. “We built a lot of durability into our 565. For example, we used Crower stainless steel shaft rocker arms. They cost more than stud-mount rockers, but they provide rock-solid valve control and will probably outlast the rest of the engine.
“Another thing that we took into account is machine shop work,†Kirk continued. “With our 565, the machining is already done—the block is final honed and decked, and the reciprocating assembly is avalable already balanced for the recommended JE pistons. Other than fitting pistons on the rods, file-fitting the piston rings, and normal prep, you can begin assembling our 565 the day you get the parts.â€
Let’s take a look at the basic components in Summit Racing’s 565:
Block
• Dart Sportsman iron block, 9.800 inch deck height
• Fully machined and ready for assembly
• Cam bearings and freeze plugs installed
Reciprocating Assembly
• Eagle Specialties 4340 forged steel crankshaft, 4.250 inch stroke
• Eagle Specialties 4340 steel H-beam connecting rods with ARP 2000 bolts
• JE forged pistons, dome with two valve reliefs, gas-ported
Camshaft
• COMP Cams Drag Race series mechanical roller
• Duration: .277°/.292° @ .050 inch
• Lift: .800 inch
• Cam ground for a 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2 firing order (swaps cylinders four and seven) for extra high-rpm horsepower and reduced crankshaft harmonics
Cylinder Heads and Valvetrain
• Dart Pro 1 aluminum, rectangular port, fully assembled
• CNC-machined 119cc combustion chambers
• CNC-machined 355cc intake/138cc exhaust runners
• 2.300/1.880 inch valves, 1.625 inch dual valve springs
• Crower stainless steel shaft mount rocker arms, 1.7 ratio
• Crower Severe Duty .903 inch roller lifters, Trick Flow heavy-wall chromemoly pushrods
Oiling System
• Milodon Drag Race oil pan
• Moroso billet oil pump with pickup
• Moroso vacuum pump, ARP oil pump driveshaft
Air and Fuel
• Dart single plane intake manifold, CNC port-matched to Pro 1 cylinder heads
• Quick Fuel QFX Series carburetor, 1,250 cfm, Dominator flange
• Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator
Ignition
• MSD Pro-Billet distributor
• MSD Flying Magnet crank trigger
• Moroso Ultra 40 Race ignition wires
• Autolite Racing spark plugs
Other Items
• TCI Rattler harmonic damper
• Cloyes Hex-A-Just timing set
• ARP fasteners, Fel-Pro and Cometic gaskets
• Clevite bearings
On the Dyno
Marco assembled the prototype 565 in his home shop; he added a CSR electric water pump, starter, and flexplate before hauling the engine to Ross Racing Engines in Niles, Ohio for dyno testing.
On the initial power pull, the 565 made 866 peak horsepower and 682 foot-pounds of peak torque. Ross Racing owners Ross and Tony Lombardi knew power was left on the table. They progressively richened the jetting on the Quick Fuel carburetor, eventually settling on #97 jets all around (equal jetting on primary and secondary sides). That did the trick—peak horsepower climbed to 920 at 7,500 rpm, with peak torque coming in at 726 foot-pounds at 6,300 rpm.
Kirk then added a new wrinkle—a 1,250 cfm Holley Dominator from Willy’s Carburetors. Well known for its circle track and NASCAR-spec carbs and fuel systems, Willy’s also does the Dominators for Summit Racing-sponsored Pro Stock drivers Greg Anderson and Jason Line. The company wanted to test a prototype of a new drag race carburetor it had developed, and Kirk volunteered the 565 as a guinea pig.
Swapping the Willy’s carb for the Quick Fuel air/fuel mixer produced results—942 horsepower at 7,200 rpm and 746 foot-pounds of torque at 6,200 rpm. The only tuning needed was setting the metering block valves two clicks richer.
At the Track
After the dyno sessions, the 565 (with the Willy’s carburetor) went into Marco’s Undercover Chassis Top Dragster for some real-world track testing. On his first outing, Marco won class in IHRA-sanctioned Quaker City Raceway’s Saturday night program. During a test and tune session at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, the 565 rewarded Marco with a 7.48 second/176.60 MPH pass.
Summit Racing should have the 565’s bits and pieces on the shelf and ready for delivery as you’re reading this. You buy the components separately, or in combos for the short block, cylinder heads, valvetrain, and induction/ignition. That means you can build an engine just like this one, freshen an existing engine, or piece together a different combination. Considering the dyno and track results, though, it’ll be pretty tough to outdo Summit Racing’s 565 To Go.
Special Thanks To
• Ross Racing Engines, Niles, OH (216) 544-4466
• Abruzzi Racing Transmissions, Warren, OH (330) 369-1707
• Crower
• Dart
• Eagle Specialty Products
• JE Pistons
• Quick Fuel
• Willy’s Carburetors
CMB-565-4 Summit Racing 565 Short Block Combo
CMB-565-5 Summit Racing 565 Cylinder Head Combo
CMB-565-3 Summit Racing 565 Camshaft/Valvetrain Combo
CMB-565-2 Summit Racing 565 Induction/Ignition Combo, Quick Fuel Carburetor
CMB-565-1 Summit Racing 565 Induction/Ignition Combo, Willy's Carburetor
DRT-SUM31273644 Dart Sportsman Block, 9.800 in. deck
ESP-BK4250 Eagle Crank and Rod Balanced Assembly, with ARP 2000 rod bolts
JEP-258199 J.E. Forged Pistons, gas ported, set of 8
CCA-1175014 COMP Cams Drag Race Series Camshaft, solid roller, .800 in. lift
CLO-9-3110A Cloyes Hex-A-Just Timing Set
MOR-22163 Moroso Billet Oil Pump
ARP-135-7901 ARP Oil Pump Drive Shaft
MIL-31187 Milodon Drag Race Oil Pan
DRT-19574136 Dart Pro 1 Cylinder Heads, CNC-machined, 355cc intake port, assembled
CRO-74701 Crower Stainless Steel Shaft Roller Rocker Arms, 1.7 ratio, set
CRO-66291X903-16 Crower Severe Duty Roller Lifters, .903 in. diameter
TFS-21428450-8 Trick Flow Chromemoly Pushrods, 8.450 in. long
TFS-21429250-8 Trick Flow Chromemoly Pushrods, 9.250 in. long
DRT-41124002 Dart Single Plane Intake Manifold, CNC port matched
QFT-FX-4712 Quick Fuel QFX Series Carburetor, 1,250 cfm, Dominator flange
MOR-64947 Moroso Phenolic Carburetor Spacer, .500 in. thick
MOR-64923 Moroso Throttle Return Spring Kit
MSD-8620 MSD Flying Magnet Crank Trigger
MSD-8489 MSD Pro-Billet Crank Trigger Distributor
MOR-73616 Moroso Ultra 40 Race Ignition Wire Set
FRM-AR3934 Autolite Racing Spark Plug, .750 in. reach
TCI-870005 TCI Rattler Harmonic Damper
SUM-G6301W Summit Racing Cast Aluminum Timing Cover, 1-piece
SUM-164700 Summit Racing Adjustable Timing Pointer
CSI-900B CSR Electric Water Pump
CSI-909AN12 CSR Water Pump Fitting, 3/4 in. to -12 AN
MOR-22641 Moroso Vacuum Pump
MOR-63844 Moroso Vacuum Pump Drive Kit
MOR-64885 Moroso Vacuum Pump V-Belt Pulley
MOR-63910 Moroso Vacuum Pump Mounting Bracket
SUM-G004 Summit Racing Cam Button
CCA-4605 COMP Cams Camshaft Locking Plate
ARP-535-9501 ARP Stainless Steel Engine Bolt Kit
ARP-200-2408 ARP Carburetor Stud Kit
ARP-235-4303 ARP Pro Series Head Stud Kit
ARP-230-7004 ARP Oil Pump Stud Kit
FPP-1893 Fel-Pro Performance Oil Pan Gasket Set
FPP-2904 Fel-Pro Performance 2 Piece Rear Main Seal
FEL-TCS45272 Fel-Pro Timing Cover Gasket Set
FEL-35062 Fel-Pro Water Neck Gasket
FEL-30060 Fel-Pro Water Pump Gasket
CGT-C5331-027 Cometic MLS Head Gasket, each
MRG-4257G Mr. Gasket Carburetor Gasket
CLE-MS829H Clevite H-Series Main Bearing Set
CLE-CB743HN Clevite H-Series Rod Bearing Set
DRT-68000020 Dart Cast Aluminum Valve Covers, pair
MOR-22636 Moroso Vacuum Relief Valve
MRG-6197 Mr. Gasket Distributor Hold Down
KNN-HP3002 K&N Performance Gold Oil Filter
SUM-MG20W50 Summit Racing Street & Strip 20W-50 Racing Oil, quart
AEI-13210 Aeromotive Pro Stock 2-Port Fuel Pressure Regulator
Since the big block Chevy is used in more classes than any other (including its small block brother), engine choice was a no-brainer. Marco and Kirk Heinbuch, Product Manager at Summit Racing and a longtime drag racer, settled on a 565 cubic inch setup (4.600 inch bore, 4.250 inch stroke, 6.385 inch rod). They listed several good reasons for their choice:
• Familiar combination to racers
• Readily available components with minimal machine work required
• Large enough to make serious horsepower and torque
• Adaptable to many classes
Marco and Kirk focused attention on durability and ease of assembly. “Horsepower is useless if the engine is always breaking parts,†Kirk explained. “We built a lot of durability into our 565. For example, we used Crower stainless steel shaft rocker arms. They cost more than stud-mount rockers, but they provide rock-solid valve control and will probably outlast the rest of the engine.
“Another thing that we took into account is machine shop work,†Kirk continued. “With our 565, the machining is already done—the block is final honed and decked, and the reciprocating assembly is avalable already balanced for the recommended JE pistons. Other than fitting pistons on the rods, file-fitting the piston rings, and normal prep, you can begin assembling our 565 the day you get the parts.â€
Let’s take a look at the basic components in Summit Racing’s 565:
Block
• Dart Sportsman iron block, 9.800 inch deck height
• Fully machined and ready for assembly
• Cam bearings and freeze plugs installed
Reciprocating Assembly
• Eagle Specialties 4340 forged steel crankshaft, 4.250 inch stroke
• Eagle Specialties 4340 steel H-beam connecting rods with ARP 2000 bolts
• JE forged pistons, dome with two valve reliefs, gas-ported
Camshaft
• COMP Cams Drag Race series mechanical roller
• Duration: .277°/.292° @ .050 inch
• Lift: .800 inch
• Cam ground for a 1-8-7-3-6-5-4-2 firing order (swaps cylinders four and seven) for extra high-rpm horsepower and reduced crankshaft harmonics
Cylinder Heads and Valvetrain
• Dart Pro 1 aluminum, rectangular port, fully assembled
• CNC-machined 119cc combustion chambers
• CNC-machined 355cc intake/138cc exhaust runners
• 2.300/1.880 inch valves, 1.625 inch dual valve springs
• Crower stainless steel shaft mount rocker arms, 1.7 ratio
• Crower Severe Duty .903 inch roller lifters, Trick Flow heavy-wall chromemoly pushrods
Oiling System
• Milodon Drag Race oil pan
• Moroso billet oil pump with pickup
• Moroso vacuum pump, ARP oil pump driveshaft
Air and Fuel
• Dart single plane intake manifold, CNC port-matched to Pro 1 cylinder heads
• Quick Fuel QFX Series carburetor, 1,250 cfm, Dominator flange
• Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator
Ignition
• MSD Pro-Billet distributor
• MSD Flying Magnet crank trigger
• Moroso Ultra 40 Race ignition wires
• Autolite Racing spark plugs
Other Items
• TCI Rattler harmonic damper
• Cloyes Hex-A-Just timing set
• ARP fasteners, Fel-Pro and Cometic gaskets
• Clevite bearings
On the Dyno
Marco assembled the prototype 565 in his home shop; he added a CSR electric water pump, starter, and flexplate before hauling the engine to Ross Racing Engines in Niles, Ohio for dyno testing.
On the initial power pull, the 565 made 866 peak horsepower and 682 foot-pounds of peak torque. Ross Racing owners Ross and Tony Lombardi knew power was left on the table. They progressively richened the jetting on the Quick Fuel carburetor, eventually settling on #97 jets all around (equal jetting on primary and secondary sides). That did the trick—peak horsepower climbed to 920 at 7,500 rpm, with peak torque coming in at 726 foot-pounds at 6,300 rpm.
Kirk then added a new wrinkle—a 1,250 cfm Holley Dominator from Willy’s Carburetors. Well known for its circle track and NASCAR-spec carbs and fuel systems, Willy’s also does the Dominators for Summit Racing-sponsored Pro Stock drivers Greg Anderson and Jason Line. The company wanted to test a prototype of a new drag race carburetor it had developed, and Kirk volunteered the 565 as a guinea pig.
Swapping the Willy’s carb for the Quick Fuel air/fuel mixer produced results—942 horsepower at 7,200 rpm and 746 foot-pounds of torque at 6,200 rpm. The only tuning needed was setting the metering block valves two clicks richer.
At the Track
After the dyno sessions, the 565 (with the Willy’s carburetor) went into Marco’s Undercover Chassis Top Dragster for some real-world track testing. On his first outing, Marco won class in IHRA-sanctioned Quaker City Raceway’s Saturday night program. During a test and tune session at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio, the 565 rewarded Marco with a 7.48 second/176.60 MPH pass.
Summit Racing should have the 565’s bits and pieces on the shelf and ready for delivery as you’re reading this. You buy the components separately, or in combos for the short block, cylinder heads, valvetrain, and induction/ignition. That means you can build an engine just like this one, freshen an existing engine, or piece together a different combination. Considering the dyno and track results, though, it’ll be pretty tough to outdo Summit Racing’s 565 To Go.
Special Thanks To
• Ross Racing Engines, Niles, OH (216) 544-4466
• Abruzzi Racing Transmissions, Warren, OH (330) 369-1707
• Crower
• Dart
• Eagle Specialty Products
• JE Pistons
• Quick Fuel
• Willy’s Carburetors
CMB-565-4 Summit Racing 565 Short Block Combo
CMB-565-5 Summit Racing 565 Cylinder Head Combo
CMB-565-3 Summit Racing 565 Camshaft/Valvetrain Combo
CMB-565-2 Summit Racing 565 Induction/Ignition Combo, Quick Fuel Carburetor
CMB-565-1 Summit Racing 565 Induction/Ignition Combo, Willy's Carburetor
DRT-SUM31273644 Dart Sportsman Block, 9.800 in. deck
ESP-BK4250 Eagle Crank and Rod Balanced Assembly, with ARP 2000 rod bolts
JEP-258199 J.E. Forged Pistons, gas ported, set of 8
CCA-1175014 COMP Cams Drag Race Series Camshaft, solid roller, .800 in. lift
CLO-9-3110A Cloyes Hex-A-Just Timing Set
MOR-22163 Moroso Billet Oil Pump
ARP-135-7901 ARP Oil Pump Drive Shaft
MIL-31187 Milodon Drag Race Oil Pan
DRT-19574136 Dart Pro 1 Cylinder Heads, CNC-machined, 355cc intake port, assembled
CRO-74701 Crower Stainless Steel Shaft Roller Rocker Arms, 1.7 ratio, set
CRO-66291X903-16 Crower Severe Duty Roller Lifters, .903 in. diameter
TFS-21428450-8 Trick Flow Chromemoly Pushrods, 8.450 in. long
TFS-21429250-8 Trick Flow Chromemoly Pushrods, 9.250 in. long
DRT-41124002 Dart Single Plane Intake Manifold, CNC port matched
QFT-FX-4712 Quick Fuel QFX Series Carburetor, 1,250 cfm, Dominator flange
MOR-64947 Moroso Phenolic Carburetor Spacer, .500 in. thick
MOR-64923 Moroso Throttle Return Spring Kit
MSD-8620 MSD Flying Magnet Crank Trigger
MSD-8489 MSD Pro-Billet Crank Trigger Distributor
MOR-73616 Moroso Ultra 40 Race Ignition Wire Set
FRM-AR3934 Autolite Racing Spark Plug, .750 in. reach
TCI-870005 TCI Rattler Harmonic Damper
SUM-G6301W Summit Racing Cast Aluminum Timing Cover, 1-piece
SUM-164700 Summit Racing Adjustable Timing Pointer
CSI-900B CSR Electric Water Pump
CSI-909AN12 CSR Water Pump Fitting, 3/4 in. to -12 AN
MOR-22641 Moroso Vacuum Pump
MOR-63844 Moroso Vacuum Pump Drive Kit
MOR-64885 Moroso Vacuum Pump V-Belt Pulley
MOR-63910 Moroso Vacuum Pump Mounting Bracket
SUM-G004 Summit Racing Cam Button
CCA-4605 COMP Cams Camshaft Locking Plate
ARP-535-9501 ARP Stainless Steel Engine Bolt Kit
ARP-200-2408 ARP Carburetor Stud Kit
ARP-235-4303 ARP Pro Series Head Stud Kit
ARP-230-7004 ARP Oil Pump Stud Kit
FPP-1893 Fel-Pro Performance Oil Pan Gasket Set
FPP-2904 Fel-Pro Performance 2 Piece Rear Main Seal
FEL-TCS45272 Fel-Pro Timing Cover Gasket Set
FEL-35062 Fel-Pro Water Neck Gasket
FEL-30060 Fel-Pro Water Pump Gasket
CGT-C5331-027 Cometic MLS Head Gasket, each
MRG-4257G Mr. Gasket Carburetor Gasket
CLE-MS829H Clevite H-Series Main Bearing Set
CLE-CB743HN Clevite H-Series Rod Bearing Set
DRT-68000020 Dart Cast Aluminum Valve Covers, pair
MOR-22636 Moroso Vacuum Relief Valve
MRG-6197 Mr. Gasket Distributor Hold Down
KNN-HP3002 K&N Performance Gold Oil Filter
SUM-MG20W50 Summit Racing Street & Strip 20W-50 Racing Oil, quart
AEI-13210 Aeromotive Pro Stock 2-Port Fuel Pressure Regulator