Does America Make a Better Barra?! Vortec 4200 Turbo Engine Builds!—Hot Rod Garage Preview Ep. 85

On this episode of HOT ROD Garage, hosts Tony Angelo and Lucky Costa are going to take on the legendary Aussie engine, the Ford Barra. It’s a beastly 4.0L six-cylinder turbocharged unit that churns out enough combined tire smoke yearly to blot out the sun! These engines are the best that Australia has to offer, and they reign supreme in the land down under. The boys think that Chevrolet might have just built something in the Vortec 4200 that could be a better Barra! Both engines are around four liters, both are inline-six cylinders, both have 24 valves, so there’s only one thing to do, and that’s build a couple of these Vortec engines up, bolt turbochargers to them, and see what they can do!

[TyBraek]

Please put the Barra in a Cuda!! Please... the Barra-Cuda

[rucarnuts]

Great episode. What a sleeper of a motor with tons of potential! With just a bolt on turbo and injectors, it made over 400 horse and lb/ft.

Hopefully they get some aftermarket development and attention now and become the USA’s Barra. We need more I6’s in the states.

[moddifried]

Dead set bunch of flaming galahs if you reckon that tired old donk would flog our taxi engine

[tylerw]

I'm so glad this engine is getting some attention. It's a beast. Loved it in my Trailblazer

[MojoWitwicky]

My 4.2 Envoy sitting in the driveway...
*I'm in Danger*

[BillPhillips]

Its good to see a non-V8 build!

Next season, please consider the High Performance version of the Ford 2.3 Ecoboost. It was only available in the Focus RS, but now its an option in the Mustang as well. The HiPO 2.3 Mustangs are beginning to show up in salvage yards and they are cheap because most people want the Mustang V8. The 2.3 makes 340HP/350FtLb out of the box and can easily make over 500HP with just a larger turbo and tune. Turbonetics has a package for the 2.3 Ecoboost. The 2.3 is a easy swap because it bolts up to the same motor mounts and transmission as the Ford modular V8. Drop a light weight 500HP 2.3 Ecoboost in an old trashed Lotus 7 kit car and have a 1200lb thrill ride!

[DeviousPizzaGuy]

As a trailblazer owner, I'm very interested how this goes.

[chrisnolan]

we got Barras making 2000hp here in the land of oz.

[fullboost]

Nice one guys, I always wondered why these engines weren't being modded. Like our Barra engines, they are cheap and plentiful locally.

[sirpercival]

Can't afford Motor Trend Channel Summit Racing has all my money !

[perfection]

I have 42 Barra's being loaded on a container and will be here in February. I have already brought in and sold 13 Barra's in the last year.

[aliciaANDanthonySandoval]

When are you doing the part 2? Been waiting...

[JANKS]

Nice motor & plenty of similarities to a Barra, but it's also about the readily available hp parts out there to keep it alive.
Barra already has manufacturers making Crnk/Rods, main stud girdles, billet oil pump gears, head studs, various intake plenums & exhaust manifolds, proven turbos etc.

[milehighcustoms]

Finally this Engine is Getting It's Deserved Attention!! Things a Monster!!

[robertphillips]

The Aussie Barra 24 valve double over head cam engine makes 1200 - 1300 hp without sneezing. But can make 2000 + hp . U just gotta know where 2 purchase the right bits .

[theCore]

Your kidding yourselves !
The Aussie Barra is a BEAST !
I have one 👍👌

[ICXR]

“Does America make a better Barra”

You’re joking, right? 😂
You can’t improve upon P E R F E C T I O N

[jimmyj]

So who is going to be first to swap one of these 4200s into an Aussie ford ...( insert sound of vegemite sandwiches being dropped onto the floor) to fill the hole where a Barra was taken out and shipped stateside..

[robwright]

This is great in my opinion.. if you can show these GM motors can be modded reliably with plenty of power, there won’t be a market for the barra in the US, meaning there will be plenty for us Aussies to keep having fun with 😎

[aaronisgrate]

I read these things don't have adequate oiling for the mains when boosted.