Dart Big M vs Merlin IV
01-19-2026 | 09:54 PM
#11
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Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,215
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From: BC
Just bought a Merlin IV. I'm not machinist but it looks great in the box and it came with a free hat and sticker! 
Eddie young and Teague use them so that was a good enough testimonial for me.
As of a month ago, Dart was backordered on everything until June/July and that was just an estimate. I called them and that's what I was told. They lost their foundry here in the states. I read it had filed for bankruptcy, that they are in the midst of changing foundries and will be cast in Germany now. Oddly enough, the new Summit Racing and new Blueprint Engines blocks are also cast in Germany. Easy to connect those dots maybe?
Eddie young and Teague use them so that was a good enough testimonial for me.
As of a month ago, Dart was backordered on everything until June/July and that was just an estimate. I called them and that's what I was told. They lost their foundry here in the states. I read it had filed for bankruptcy, that they are in the midst of changing foundries and will be cast in Germany now. Oddly enough, the new Summit Racing and new Blueprint Engines blocks are also cast in Germany. Easy to connect those dots maybe?
I heard that Dart was going to be sourcing from the German foundry as well. The foundary doesn't do much of thr machining.
The issue...with German industrial energy cost blasting through the roof...the German foundry may not be there for long either.
Chris Straub is looking into getting some better BBC main caps made up for the Summit BBC blocks as an option for more aggressive builds.
