Stealth Racing in Chattanooga: Performance Parts and Custom Engine Building
Stealth Racing is a performance automotive shop on East Main Street specializing in high-horsepower engine builds, turbocharging systems, and competition-grade parts for domestic and import vehicles. The operation spans machine shop work, dyno testing, and retail parts sales, making it a full-service stop for drivers pursuing track-level performance rather than daily commuter maintenance.
What Stealth Racing Actually Offers
The shop divides into three functional areas: a retail counter stocked with performance-focused parts, an in-house machine shop for engine work and custom fabrication, and a chassis dynamometer for tuning and horsepower verification. The retail side carries fuel injectors, turbo kits, intake manifolds, and suspension components from manufacturers like Holley, AEM, and Turbonetics. The machine shop handles engine displacement increases, bore-and-hone work, porting, and crankshaft balancing. The dyno room allows customers to monitor their builds in real time and optimize fuel and ignition maps before track use.
Most customers arrive with either a core engine block and a direction (build target of 400, 500, or 600 horsepower, for example) or a completed engine requiring tuning validation. Stealth Racing's approach assumes baseline mechanical knowledge; this is not a place for first-time bolt-on questions, though the staff does field them.
Services and Pricing
Engine builds typically start at $3,500 for a 50-horsepower upgrade on a stock platform and rise to $8,000 to $15,000 for naturally aspirated engines targeting 500+ horsepower or turbo applications. Dyno tuning sessions run $200 to $400 per hour depending on complexity; a full EFI tune usually requires two to four hours. Machine shop services (boring, honing, balancing) are quoted individually; a typical crankshaft balance costs $300 to $500. Parts pricing aligns with national retail; Stealth Racing does not typically undercut online vendors but bundles labor cost savings on builds where parts and machine work are bundled.
Call ahead for a build estimate, as pricing depends heavily on core condition, desired horsepower target, and whether you supply your own block or need one sourced.
How It Compares to Other Chattanooga Options
Chattanooga has general automotive machine shops (such as those offering basic balancing and honing) and independent tuners, but few combine in-house machine capability with dyno testing and retail parts inventory under one roof. A driver needing only a turbo kit and basic install can source parts cheaper online and install them independently or through a local independent mechanic. A driver building a race engine or chasing exact horsepower targets benefits from Stealth Racing's closed-loop approach: the shop can modify the engine, test it same-day on the dyno, and dial in tuning without a customer shuttling between vendors. General repair shops like those serving Chattanooga's broader mechanic market focus on maintenance and fault diagnosis, not performance optimization.
Who This Place Suits and Who It Does Not
Stealth Racing suits owners of project cars, competition vehicles, and enthusiasts willing to spend $5,000 to $25,000+ on a complete engine overhaul. It also serves tuners and shops needing dyno access for customer work. It does not suit owners seeking a basic parts swap, warranty-backed service, or general repairs; those drivers should visit a franchised quick-service center or independent shop. It does not suit buyers uncomfortable discussing compression ratios, fuel octane requirements, and ignition timing advance.
What the First Visit Involves
Bring the vehicle if it runs, or bring the core engine and a written description of your target. Meet with a technician to discuss horsepower goal, timeline, and budget. The shop will assess what machine work is necessary and quote labor plus parts. If you proceed, you typically drop off the engine or vehicle; turnaround for a complete build ranges from two to six weeks depending on queue and complexity. Final pricing is confirmed after teardown if damage or additional machine work surfaces.
Hours, Parking, and Logistics
Stealth Racing operates Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday by appointment. Street parking is available on East Main Street; the shop accepts cash, check, and card. Confirm current hours before visiting, as shop-specific hours can shift seasonally or during high-build periods. No walk-in parts purchasing; all custom work is by appointment.
Stealth Racing fills a gap for Chattanooga's performance car community by combining machine capability, tuning validation, and retail parts in one location, saving time and eliminating the coordination burden of working across multiple vendors for a single project.
