Allison engines...

There was a time when Allisons were virtually worthless. In the 1960s McBride Scrap Metal in Long Beach, California, had over 600 engines. Japanese metal brokers would purchase them, load them onto boats, and while heading back to Japan would tear them apart for their silver bearings. During the war copper and brass was needed for artillery shell casings, so things like wiring and bearings were made from silver. Once the silver had been scavenged the scrappers would toss the rest overboard.

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/cream-puff-saga-craziest-1960s-marathon-boat-history/

The new Mopar Hemi block has been updated, cast with extra-thick cylinder walls, deck surfaces, inner lug bosses for head studs, and lifter bores. That means 60 pounds more than an original piece.

The new Mopar Hemi block has been updated with numerous improvements in oiling and structural integrity based on feedback from Super Stock racers and big name Mopar engine builders.

 The only "bad" news: it cosmetically looks nothing like the original casting or even the Mopar Performance Hemi replacement block from 10 years ago, and weighs 60 pounds more.

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/1603-win-this-hemi-part-1-the-572ci-short-block/

the V12 Laraki hand crafted engine, and the D9T, made by many craftsman, and it's designer/artist, Eric Van Hove. Made of bone, wood, ebony, malachite, silver, and other materials

http://www.wowsai.com/zixun/12872-7-1.html

http://www.hamofa.be/userfiles/useruploads/images/eric_van_hove_-_hamofa_2.jpg

which was just on display in an art gallery, Jaffe-Friede Gallery, Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College in New Hampshire     http://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/explore/exhibitions/eric-van-hove

artist Eric van Hove, who recreated a model of the Caterpillar D9T engine that killed the American activist Rachel Corrie. The young activist was part of a pro-Palestinian group and was killed by an Israeli Defence Forces bulldozer in the Gaza Strip in 2003. “Political art should not forsake beauty,” said Fadda, and this work is a prime example: the engine replica, while conceptually loaded, is undeniably beautiful, covered in intricate, decorative patterns.
http://www.artslant.com/9/articles/show/45400

http://diptykblog.com/blog/2016/02/24/biennale-de-marrakech-les-coups-de-cur-de-marie-moignard-au-palais-bahia/

For about a year, the artist is going to achieve by forty Moroccan craftsmen all 465 parts of the engine, but every line is handcrafted, using materials and techniques to craft each of them. Thus do we find in this new version of wooden rods, gears carved horn or bone, braided leather hoses, glazed ceramic casings, elements in hammered steel, yellow or red copper finely carved and decorated, etc., in the image of these objects, jewelry or furniture whose typical bill Maghreb is the joy of tourists.
http://www.paris-art.com/marche-art/v12-laraki-/eric-van-hove/7954.html

Creativity has no bounds and it can come in form or shape. And this time around it comes in the form of a Mercedes V12 engine made from copper, bone and 50 odd other materials. Made by Belgian artist Eric van Hove with help from 35 other master craftsmen from Morocco, this masterpiece took almost 9 months to complete and is called as V12 Laraki. It all started by first dismantling a real Mercedes V12 engine, which by the way in itself is quite a difficult and pain-staking task. Thereafter Eric along with his accomplices set out on replicating each and every part of the real thing with his own version of strange material choice. Apart from that, don’t be flabbergasted if I tell you that it consists of 465 hand-made parts and 660 cast-copper bolts. http://www.damngeeky.com/tag/eric-van-hove

http://www.mottodistribution.com/shop/v12-laraki.html

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/organic-engines-speaking-with-artist-and-sculptor-eric-van-hove/

One of 98 engines made for the Tucker Torpedo sold at auction this past weekend, thought to be the only Tucker engine in Europe not in a car. $35,000

The Tucker Type O-335 horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine was derived from a Franklin designed engine further modified to power air-cooled Bell 47 helicopters for use in World War II.

Preston Tucker acquired the engine manufacturer, Air-Cooled Motors of Chicago, and had them modify the engine for automotive use, including the industry's first fully sealed water-cooling system.

While only 51 original cars were completed, Tucker intended to build more cars and had a total of 98 engines produced. They cost more than he had been marketing the car for... 1500 for the engine, vs his early claims of a car for 1000 dollars.

The remaining new engines were sold at the factory bankruptcy auction and are generally displayed by collectors. The engine sold in Monaco is build number 335-78.

http://www.rmsothebys.com/mc16/monaco/lots/tucker-48-engine-no-33578/1079118
http://www.motortrend.com/news/brand-new-tucker-flat-six-engine-sells-nearly-35000-auction/