### Introduction In the world of high-performance engines, there are big block motors, and then there are gargantuan power plants that make big blocks feel like a Kei car motor. For decades, the fight for cubic space supremacy was fought on inches, a turf war over a tenth-of-an-inch increase in bore and stroke. Then came Sonny Leonard, the king of large-displacement V8 racing engines. He set out to build an engine that would surpass all, one that would remain untouchable for decades to come. We're talking about the SAR 1005, better known as the "Godfather." ### The SAR 1005: A Monster of a Motor While Sonny could have gone with a name like Ford's Godzilla and Megazilla V8s, this one, too, gets the message across. Pop the hood on a standard dragster, and you expect to see a massive motor. Nothing prepares you for the size of the SAR 1005, ...
### Introduction
In the world of high-performance engines, there are big block motors, and then there are gargantuan power plants that make big blocks feel like a Kei car motor. For decades, the fight for cubic space supremacy was fought on inches, a turf war over a tenth-of-an-inch increase in bore and stroke. Then came Sonny Leonard, the king of large-displacement V8 racing engines. He set out to build an engine that would surpass all, one that would remain untouchable for decades to come. We’re talking about the SAR 1005, better known as the “Godfather.”
### The SAR 1005: A Monster of a Motor
While Sonny could have gone with a name like Ford’s Godzilla and Megazilla V8s, this one, too, gets the message across. Pop the hood on a standard dragster, and you expect to see a massive motor. Nothing prepares you for the size of the SAR 1005, though. This gargantuan V8 displaces 1,005 cubic inches or 16.4 liters. To put that number into perspective, that’s over eight Honda Civics combined, or two Bugatti Chirons.
### The Godfather’s Dominance
This motor represented the absolute pinnacle of engine building, delivering close to 2,150 horsepower from a naturally aspirated engine. And the motor didn’t have a consigliere in the form of turbochargers, supercharger, or even nitrous. Just pure displacement to deliver the goods. A true example of the adage, “There is no replacement for displacement.”
### The Legacy of the SAR 1005
The Godfather was envisioned to dominate International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) Pro Stock racing, a place that thrives on cubic inches and where bigger has always been better. Even at this hallowed ground, crossing the 1,000-cubic-inch threshold had long been a mechanical fantasy. Holding back that dream were limitations like twisting engine blocks, flexing crankshafts, and the cylinder head’s inability to feed a beast that large.
### Conclusion
The SAR 1005 is a testament to human ingenuity and the pursuit of power. Its sheer size and displacement capabilities make it a marvel of engineering, and its impact on the world of high-performance engines will be felt for generations to come.
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