My friend just bought a bunch of engine blocks, and has a bunch of motors he is selling as cores. He is a semi retired old guy who is a machinest and engine builder.
He has 4 400 sbc blocks, all standard bore 2 bolt blocks - $300 ea, $1000 fror all. They have a bit of flash rust from sitting inside a shop for years but are not rusty. They are 817 and 511 casting number blocks.
He also has picked up a standard bore 396 block - coded for a 1969 chevelle SS 396 with a TH400 trasmission IIRC. 2 bolt main. $700
He also has a couple of 283 complete engines that are cores , and a couple of for 8BA flat heads he is selling. There is also a rebuilt 264 buick nailhead he is selling that had a freeze crack in the side that someone repaired.
Correction - the 396 is a 66' Chevelle SS EK(H) coded L35 396. 325hp with holley carb, and a powerglide.
Any blocks with any rust, can be run through the derusting tank upon purchase. Some of the blocks just have flash rust from sitting in a damp shop before my friend got them.
-- Edited by RacerRick on Friday 15th of June 2012 09:57:25 AM
Thanks, can you ask him if the price has been revised? and if there are any visible cracks, alone the deck just below the heads and around the frost plugs?
No visible cracks, and no freeze cracks like you are describing. This block has been sitting inside a heated shop since the 1980's. You can make an offer, but usually these properly coded muscle car big blocks usually go for more than this so a lowball will probably just be ignored.
-- Edited by RacerRick on Tuesday 7th of April 2015 10:12:15 AM
Thanks for checking , I may take a run at later in the year when I am ready to build a 427, my Buddy gave me a 1966 396 L78 4 bolt main short block, steel crank all the goodies, rebuilt 25 years ago, has been in his shop every since, the guy who built it told him than that this block would be worth big money some day, I will balance this one and stick it in.
He also had a 1967 Chevelle steering c/w hub and center the shallow one, that will look perfect in my truck. He wanted me to take the Walnut one but I think the black will suit the truck better,
That short block is worth about $5k last time I priced one, as long as it is properly coded. I would sell it to a restorer and use the money to build what you want.
They only made 3099 L78 Chevelles and El Camino's that year, and a lot of them were blown up racing, so the survival race was low. The solid lifter motor for the vette and big cars was the 427, so a chevelle or elco was all you could basically get the L78 in that year, making them rare and desirable for the resto guys.
That would be nice, but it does not work that way with my Buddies, who over the years kept the good stuff, if you get something from them you keep it, they can sell off them selves, it's just about respecting the source. I am sure you know where I am coming from.
