Believe It or Not, This 1,750-HP Crate Engine Is Meant for Your Custom Daily Driver

While most people look for reliability and efficiency when choosing a daily driver, the power-hungry speed addicts among us prefer something fundamentally different. Some go out and buy a high-performance vehicle that checks all the boxes in factory form, yet others want something unique, so they opt for a custom ride – typically a vintage model loaded with modern tech.

At the heart of such projects is always a high-tech crate engine. The high-performance divisions of companies like Ford, GM, or Stellantis North America offer a wide range of choices that combine solid performance with reliability in a decently priced package. However, if money is not an issue and – for some reason - the owner wants a daily driver that can outperform a drag strip machine, a factory-tuned powerplant is out of the question.

This is where we meet Nelson Racing Engines (NRE) from Chatsworth, California. The shop came into being in 1995 when Tom Nelson decided to turn his passion for hot rods into a business. Focusing on building outrageously powerful engines, the company became synonymous with mind-blowing performance figures and insane custom builds.

Most of their past and present projects were focused on vehicles meant to dominate the track or strip. However, more and more customers started inquiring about a powerplant for daily use. Using their unrivaled expertise and concentrating on reliability, the team created the Alien 527 Daily Driver Series, a twin-turbo, big-block crate engine conceived specifically for this purpose.

Based on the gargantuan Chevy 527 architecture. The block is engineered by Dart Machinery, a Michigan-based company that made a name for itself for creating some of the strongest, most reliable blocks on the market. It’s cast from premium high-strength iron and reinforced in all the critical areas, so it can easily withstand high-horsepower applications.

Inside, a Callies Magnum 4340 forged steel crank is equipped with forged conrods that connect to custom JE pistons. These are made from 2618 aluminum, an alloy that contains magnesium, copper, iron, or titanium, making the components extremely durable but also lightweight.

The aluminum cylinder heads are sourced from Brodix, another well-established manufacturer of race-grade components. They are fitted with Inconel valves, Manton pushrods, beefy PAC springs, Comp Cams rockers, and short travel hydraulic roller lifters.

Everything is lubricated using a Moroso high-volume pump and pick up that guzzles oil up from a huge, 8-quart (7.5 liters) pan.

This amazing engine comes with billet aluminum valve covers manufactured in-house by NRE. The company also fabricates the bespoke intake with an integrated twin throttle body, the 76-mm (3 inches) mirror image turbos, or the stainless steel, fully big welded and back purged exhaust manifolds.

Able to run on pump fuel, it will behave like a normal motor at lower RPMs, so owners can use their Alien-powered rides to go grocery shopping or pick their kids up from school during the week. However, if they want to enjoy a track day during the weekend, the engine is capable of delivering at least 1,750 hp in stock form.

One of these lethal weapons can be had for around $40,000 and it comes either polished or finished in a matte black color. Further customizations such as bigger turbos or larger intakes are also possible for those who want to go over 2,000 hp.

So, if you’re thinking about building one of the most outrageous daily drivers the world has ever seen, you can make things easier for yourself (or the shop that builds your ride) by getting this impressive ready-to-run crate engine.