Good things come in crates – oranges, avocados, and of course, hot engines. Seemingly – that is if you page through Hot Rod magazine – the most common ‘Crate Motor’ is Chevy’s ubiquitous V8, either in SBC or L-something form. That being said, both FoMoCo and Mopar also offer competing wood-ensconced long blocks of equal cylinder count, it just depends on which brand you favor as to which one you’d most like to see show up on your doorstep.

But there are a butt-load of other engines that you can’t buy without a whole car attached. That can be inconvenient, and downright wasteful when you goal is powering your own Frankensteinian creation. After all, that’s why crate motors were invented. Well, that and to increase chiropractor revenue from UPS driver visits. But current crate motor shopping options are somewhat limited, and really, what you want to drop under the hood of your ’72 Vega notch is an all-alloy V12 with a prancing horse on the intake and a proof of delivery receipt in your hand, amiright?

Okay, maybe Ferrari isn’t the pine-bound motor for which you yourself pine, but if not, what would be? Do you want one of Nissan’s hot V6s or maybe VW’s almost perfect turbo 2-litre four? How about a Benz diesel or, the holy grail, the mythical Hayabusa. If your proclivities extend beyond the safe confines of the traditional, what engine do you wish you could buy by the crate?

Image: [C5 Racer]