Steve Morris Engines

What Steve Morris Engines does

Steve Morris Engines (SME) is a privately held, custom high-performance engine builder founded in 1999 in Muskegon, Michigan, specializing in forced-induction (turbocharged and supercharged) big-block Chevrolet, LS, and small-block Ford engines for drag racing, drifting, street performance, and one-off show applications. The firm produces fewer than 100 exclusive engines per year from a 1–10 person operation, with its technical identity anchored in proprietary all-billet platforms — the SMX 4,500+ HP big-block Chevrolet and the SML 3,500+ HP LS — alongside tiered BBC, LS, and SBF packages. The technology stack is conventional precision manufacturing: CNC machining in-house, billet aluminum blocks and cylinder heads, custom forced-induction packages, and in-house dynamometer validation.

The business model is build-to-order custom engine sales at published prices ranging from roughly $21,995 (LS Stage 1) to $95,000+ (SMX 4,500+ HP), supplemented by an extensive parts catalog (valve covers, intake manifolds, billet blocks, valvetrain components), ancillary CNC machining services, and dynamometer testing offered at approximately $2,000 per day. Customer segments include professional and sportsman drag racers, drift competitors, and high-net-worth enthusiasts, with notable named clients including Cleetus McFarland, Adam LZ, and multi-year repeat customer Les Smith. Brand reach is amplified through YouTube channels, social media, and influencer collaborations that double as a direct customer-acquisition channel, while the company's stated performance record — over 200 class wins and 100+ records — underpins premium pricing. Adjacent revenue lines have begun to emerge with the SMOIL branded lubricant line and development work on the DEVEL Sixteen V-16 hypercar engine, suggesting a gradual broadening beyond pure custom engine sales.

Name

Steve Morris Engines

Legal name

Steve Morris Engines

Website

https://stevemorrisengines.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Steve Morris Engines is a Muskegon, Michigan-based custom builder of high-performance forced-industion engines, producing fewer than 100 exclusive big-block Chevrolet, LS, and small-block Ford engines annually for drag racers, drifters, and enthusiast collectors at prices from $22K to $95K+.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom High-Performance Engine Manufacturing

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Gasoline Engine and Engine Parts Manufacturing (33631)

SIC

Engines & Turbines (3510)

akta.pro primary industry

Engine Components & Subsystems Manufacturing (Blocks/Heads/Valvetrain/Pistons) (IMACAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cylinder Heads, Blocks & Rotating Assemblies Machining/Rebuild Services (TLAKALAG)

Keywords

• Custom engine building
• High-performance engines
• Billet engine platforms
• Engine machining services
• Dyno testing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Muskegon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Engine Sales: Builds fewer than 100 exclusive, full-custom turbo and supercharged engine combinations annually. Engines range from $21,995 (LS Stage 1) to $95,000+ (SMX 4,500+ HP). Each build is tailored to customer specifications with options for power adder packages and turn-key dyno-tested configurations.
2. Parts Sales: Sale of custom engine components including billet valve covers, intake manifolds, billet deck blocks, custom camshafts, piston packages, fire rings, and merchandise. Parts range from $40 (fire rings) to $7,990 (BBF intake manifold).
3. Dyno Services: Engine dyno and hub dyno tuning services. Engine dyno base tuning starting at $2,000. Hub dyno base tuning per day at $2,000. All engines are dyno-tested before leaving the shop.
4. Machining Services: Block machining, head machining, and custom machining services. Block machining includes deck block ($400+), main bore ($500+), main hone ($600+), cylinder hone ($500-$700). Head machining includes deck heads ($300+), soft chamber ($600+), fire ring ($850+), valve job ($700+).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Steve Morris Engines designs and builds custom high-performance boosted engines (turbocharged and supercharged) for drag racing, drift racing, and high-performance street applications, with outputs ranging from 1,000 HP to 4,500+ HP. The company also provides in-house CNC machining, custom billet components (blocks, cylinder heads, valve covers, intake manifolds), engine development and conversion services, and dyno testing/tuning, all performed at its Muskegon, Michigan facility. Each engine is fully custom-built, dyno-tested, and tuned to the customer's specifications.

Product overview

Steve Morris Engines is a custom engine building company specializing in high-performance boosted engines for racing applications. The company offers a portfolio of engine packages across multiple platforms (BBC, LS, SBF, BBF, Chrysler Hemi, Ford Godzilla, Coyote) ranging from entry-level 1,000 HP street builds to extreme 4,500+ HP Pro Mod engines. Their product lineup is organized around flagship billet engine platforms (SMX for BBC, SML for LS), tiered stage-based packages for each engine family, specialized drift and drag-and-drive variants, and an extensive catalog of billet aluminum parts (valve covers, intake manifolds, blocks) manufactured in-house. Services include custom engine development, engine conversions to forced induction, CNC machining, and dyno testing—all conducted at their Muskegon, Michigan facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SML: All Billet, LS Based 3,500+ HP engine platform
• SMX
• SMOIL

Products and services

• SMX 4,500+ HP Engine
• SML 3,500+ HP Engine
• BBC Street Spec Engine
• BBC 540 Bracket Spec Engine
• BBC Up to 1500 HP Long-Block
• BBC Up to 2200 HP Engine
• Drag and Drive 3000 HP Engine
• LS Stage 1 Engine
• LS Stage 2 Engine
• LS Stage 3 Engine
• LSX 454 Supercharged 1000 HP Engine
• LS 427 Magnuson 1200 HP Engine
• SBF Stage 1 Engine
• BBC Drift Spec Engine
• Engine Development Service
• Engine Conversion Service
• CNC Machining Services
• Dyno Testing & Tuning Service
• Block Machining Service
• Head Machining Service
• Custom Machining Service
• Used Engines
• Billet Valve Covers
• Shaun's Custom Alloy Billet Intake Manifolds
• Big Bore Block
• Super Billet Deck
• Custom Piston Package
• Custom Camshaft
• Fire Rings
• Carbon Fiber NACA Duct
• SMOIL Engine Oil

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ Class Wins
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mast Motorsports: LS-engine specialist producing high-horsepower LS and LT combinations for street and racing applications. Directly comparable as a custom GM LS performance engine builder targeting the same enthusiast customer segments (though more LS-focused than SME).
• Kaase Boss Nine Engines: Custom big-block engine specialist led by Jon Kaase, building high-displacement, naturally aspirated and boosted engines for racing and high-end street use. Directly comparable as an independent boutique builder with a strong founder/identity and prestige pricing model.
• Duttweiler Performance: Performance engine and forced-induction specialist serving drag racing, street, and custom vehicle applications with bespoke engine and supercharger packages. Directly comparable on custom-boosted-engine building and pro-mod racing customer overlap.
• Pro Line Racing Engines: Custom high-performance racing engine builder serving drag and pro-street customers with multi-platform combinations in the 1,000–3,000+ HP range. Directly comparable in build philosophy, target customer, and reliance on word-of-mouth in racing communities.
• No Limit Engineering (NLE): Texas-based high-performance engine builder offering custom BBC and LS combinations targeting drag racing and Pro Mod use, with a similar direct-to-consumer sales approach and a strong YouTube-driven brand presence. Directly comparable as a similarly sized custom HP engine specialist.
• Nelson Racing Engines: California-based shop that, like Steve Morris Engines, designs and builds custom high-horsepower turbocharged and supercharged engines in the 2,000–4,000+ HP range for racing and high-end street applications. Directly comparable on product category, customer base (pro-mod and drag racing), and premium pricing model.
• Shafiroff Race Engines: Long-standing custom high-performance engine shop with a decades-long track record of building race-winning big-block and LS combinations. Directly comparable as an established independent custom engine builder serving the same drag racing and pro-street customer base.
• Hatfield Engine Service: Independent custom high-performance engine builder producing racing and street performance combinations in BBC and LS platforms. Directly comparable as a similarly positioned small-batch custom engine shop competing for the same racer/buildr customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Holley Performance Products: Large-scale performance products company whose EFI systems (e.g., Holley Terminator X used in SME's LS and SBF packages) and broader components portfolio touch the same enthusiast customer base. Not a direct competitor in custom engine building but a key incumbent in the wider performance aftermarket ecosystem.
• Trick Flow Specialties: Larger and broader specialty manufacturer of high-performance cylinder heads, intake manifolds, and engine components for racing and street use. Adjacent rather than directly competing — supplies many of the same platforms and customers that SME serves — but operates as a higher-volume, multi-product brand rather than a custom engine builder.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYI0jaSzd7aLRj7KCGHkz3g
• Facebookfacebook.com/SteveMorrisEngines
• Xx.com/SMEPerformance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/steve-morris-engines

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Steve Morris Engines