I just made a major score this evening and I had to tell somebody, and it best not be my wife LOL... I just picked up a freshly built zero milage chevy 383 small block, late model roller cam block with 96 vortec heads. I can tell it was put together by a professional from the meticulous appearance of the engine. It is complete from aluminum intake to pan. Any guess's on the price.....I got it for $500. He said he just had to many engines and he didn't need this one. Can you believe it? I finally got my great score
Don't wanna be the one to bust your bubble.... I'd take pan & valve covers off before I did the happy dance. Sounds too good.
Wasn't there a thread about somebody whining because they didn't do their homework just recently? Pretty doesn't necessarily mean good.
Yep it was someone in Florida with a supposedly hoped up 302, turned out to be all stock gimped parts! Hope this one is good though!!!
This is quite possibly the absolute worst way to judge an engine that I've ever heard! I hope it works out to be the deal you're expecting, sometimes good things do happen.
I agree. Pull the pan, Valve Covers, and maybe the intake and check everything! Re-check torque specs on all bolts,and look at everything! Then just get a pan,covers, and intake gasket set and go. Do you know the guy you bought it from? Does he have a good rep for being a mechanic? Never know. There are some scammers out there. People will do a "Aerosol overhaul" and some people will never know. If all checks out well, GOOD SCORE! That is pretty cheap.
Not to rain on your parade, but I agree with the others, save the happy dance until it's running and driving in a vehicle.......I hope it turns out well for you. Ironic that you're from SURPRISE, AZ...hope you don't get a rude one......
Do you know the guy you bought it from? Does he have a good rep for being a mechanic? Never know. There are some scammers out there. People will do a "Aerosol overhaul" and some people will never know. Man, negative nancies... The engine was built by a guy from prescott, AZ. The seller said he has had many engines built by this guy and he completely trusts his work. And no its not an aresol overhaul. I have been a tech for 9 years and I know the difference. The deck surface on the block is clean machined bare metal and the gaskets are all brand new, the engine was not dowsed in paint, there is no grime anywhere, it clean and brand new under the valve covers. The guy said it has a brand new rotating ***embly also, I don't expect it to be a high dollar one, but new is new. Its a good place to start. I will be the first to admit if I am wrong, but this guy is a fellow hotrodder who had 2 very nice projects in the garage and is now planning to bring business to our rod shop. I trust him and, like I said if you saw the motor you would know the difference. Besides, The heads alone are worth what I paid
I love greasy engines, don't have to clean them or look for leaks, or worry about them new covers getting oily. Plus, you know they are solid, afterall, they just went 200,000 mi.
Oh, I wasn't trying to be negative. Just trying to offer good advice. I just see that sort of stuff around here in Boise all the time. Especially at the swap meets! I bought a used 396 BBC for my 67 El Camino a few years back and the guy told me that it ran "awesome" and "never smoked".... So I bought the motor....got home and pulled the pan....and the crankshaft was in two pieces! Well, I'm sorry for being negative....but I have to say, Good score!
Actually he did have a 20k mile 350 roller motor out of one of his fleet trucks too, But my friend got that one.
A guy I know just sold a sbc that he had over $2500.00 in for $500.00. Then he sold the media blasted and solid Nova body (doors, fenders and all) he had for it for another $500.00 and that included a disc brake set up that he paid a bunch for. Times are hard and there are some good deals out there....don't be too negative guys. You might miss out!
Man sorry to hear that, but it was worth a laugh if its any consellation. LOL. But thanks for the advise, I will pull the pan and covers and check it out.
I know the feeling of a great score like that, great job!!! now,,, (the negative nancy part) hopefully it doesn't turn out like my "great score" I purchased a beautiful 351 clevland 2 barrell for 400 dollars cash, same senario. the machine work was great, the valve covers removed, clean as a whistle, not gobs of paint and definatley not a paint job rebuild.... I've rebuilt a few motors over the years and you can tell the difference..... that was,,,, until two months later when I installed it, turned over like a champ,started right up,, ran great for a WEEK,,,,, then clang,, clang,, knock,,,, knock.... turned out to be a BRAND NEW OVERHAUL that had made 4 successfull p***es at the local drag strip before dropping a valve through a piston,,, (found this out months later from a friend of his, after no returns to my messages left on his machine) when the guy fuged the motor he took it home and replaced the high compression piston that was ruined with a stocker,, then installed the stock rod and bearings YEP THE OLD USED BEARINGS on that cylinder... but he was nice enough to clean up everything in the valve covers so you wouldn't notice...... the cylinder wall was gouged beyond repair, the crank was all fuged up,the head had a HUGE chunk gone under the valve that you couldn't see until it came apart.,, but I got a few good parts for 400 (I could have picked up a whole perfect core motor for $100 and been better off) and have never looked at a motor from someone I don't know the same again..... now the positive pete,,,, I have had friends of mine make GREAT scores like yours and it all turned out well,,, I hope yours is like this.
Yeah, it ran awesome, right up until it quit. I know a guy tried to trade me a rebuilt tunnel ram 350 a couple times and I said no thanks because I couldn't see it run and I figured there was a good chance he ****ed up somewhere and that's why it had never been put actually into a car to run - it might run fine for a while, but who knows for how long.
Actually, I laughed my *** off! I scratched my head and asked myself...How the hell did he drive it this way for 500 miles? He said it sounded like a "lifter tick".... But a little machine work and a different crank, it runs great....now..
I picked up a 37 fiat topolino fibergl*** body from octane orphan. I have collected a powerglide with a trans brake and 9" converter, front drop axle with coil overs and 4 link, and a narrowed 9" with ladders and some 13" mickey slicks, and I just bought a new bender and notcher so I can get started on the chromoly double frame rail tube ch***is. I am pretty excited, I will post pics soon. Thanks
Reminds me of the find-of-the century I had at a swap meet. Walking the swap & I spot a TH400 that's shiny brand new & in a B&M box. There's a B&M tag on case. I scored it for $400. I had 2 other car guys with me & damn if it didn't look new. Seller had a receipt from B&M for $1200.00, says he doesn't have a project for it & needs the money. Bought it & took it home. Decided to drop it off at a ****** shop just for peace of mind. He calls me an hour later & says I need to look at the guts. It was full of used, worn-out & broken parts & many were missing or incorrectly installed. Turns out to be junk. $400.00 doorstop. Hope your score is better. Usually, If it's too good to be true................. Well, you know.
Couple years ago a guy I know picked up a cheap running windsor for a project he was building, when it came time to install the motor he thought he would clean it up, long story short he rings up screaming about being ripped off as it's got no timing chain. We go for a look it had gear drives roller rockers screw in studs crank girdle the hole nine yards, shame he never finished the car.
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