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502 Jet Ram

by Jeremy Horelick

The 502 Jet Ram brings together big block power and fuel injection into one monster engine that is not for the squeamish. GM engineers have revived the Ram Jet name from its heyday in the '50s and spruced it up for a more modern incarnation. And, what's more, they've done all this to a crate engine!

Generally, the impressive torque curve associated with the 502 Jet Ram applies only to vehicles with long runner dry manifolds. Similarly, the MEFI fuel injectors found in the 502 are typically characteristic of race vehicles, not "suburban" hot-rods. Is all this power too much for a garden-variety classic car enthusiast? Well, not judging from the demand.

Get Your 502 Jet Ram

Since its re-release, the 502's sales have skyrocketed. Clearly, the design that GM's engineers and Mod racer Harold Martin arrived at has proven more than suitable for street-rod buffs, who have snatched up these crate engines immediately upon release. So just what does the 502 offer that other high performance engines don't?

For one, the 502 sports a bigger plenum and runners than you'll find in a carburated system. The result is 510 horsepower and 550 foot-pounds of torque from 4500-5500 RPM. But the 502 isn't just about power. With no stalls and instant throttle response, the 502 is just as much about precision and quality as it is oomph.

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