Tony, As some others have said, you need to narrow the question a bit, if nothing else in terms of the engine families under consideration. If nothing but a 392 Hemi will do...again, the core is going to cost a lot, unless you really get lucky. You also need to think about the amount of money you want to spend on "everything else". A converter that will work with a 250 hp engine is not the same converter that you would use behind a 500 hp engine, as a rule, and as you might expect, there is a cost difference. If mileage isn't a factor, or engine size (some engine compartments are a lot bigger than others). then, if you want 500 hp, it's a lot easier to do it with a big block than it is a small block. For example, looking at Ford engines: a 500 hp 302 will require a considerable amount of work and money. The end result is going to be fairly grumpy about being used for street driving and will require a lot of effort to make it work with A/C, power brakes, etc. If I started with a 460, it's very easy to make 500hp with mostly factory parts and some effort. The end result will idle almost like a stock 460; A/C, power brakes, and a stock stall-speed converter are no problem; and, if it was in a suitable vehicle, you could tow or haul reasonable loads with it with no problem. The total cost would be almost certainly less than the 302, though depending on the vehicle there might be costs for swapping in a BBF. That's not to say that the 460 would always be a perfect choice over the 302; it wouldn't. But hopefully this helps illustrate why the question is a little too general as it's presently stated. If it helps, I can outline a 302 build and a 460 build, cost-wise. For that matter I'm currently building a 402 BBC "on the cheap", not cutting corners, but shopping wisely and finding deals. It should make slightly under 500hp and slightly more than 500 ft. -lbs of torque, judging by past experience, and over 400 ft.-lb. from 2000- 5500...a nice, flat torque curve, you might say. Looks like total cost will be around $4000, including machine work and the original engine cost...possibly a bit more. That's basically air cleaner to oil pan, pulleys/brackets to flexplate. Radiator/swap mounts/transmission not included, though.
I have about 5K in this little 389 Pontiac. At 10# of boost she makes a bit better than 550... Drive her ever single day, purrs like a kitten. Good luck with whatever the hell you are trying to do. -Abone.
You are not asking a technical quetion, it is an economic question. What's wrong with a crate engine built on an assembly line if it gives you the HP you want at a price you want to pay? Go to a specialty shop and they will build and fine tune the engine to what you want (if you are knowledgable enough to answer their questions) but it may cost you more for the build. If you are concerned with cost, do it yourself. Otherwise buy a crate engine with the HP specs you want.
Yep, there's no replacement for displacement! As previously mentioned, you can throw a pile of cash at a relatively small engine to make power, and have driveability/reliability issues, or just build a bigger engine without too many finicky bits and have it be quite drivable.
You are an A-Hole...... FYI- My dream car had a lot of issues, and instead of wimping out, I decided to learn what I can, join this board, find the right guys, get the right advice, and have the car built..I can't do the work, you are right, and probably never will be able to do the work, and thats okay with me. It doesnt mean you are any more passionate about cars than I am. Just means you can wrench, and thats it. I've put as much blood sweat and tears into my car, as anybody on this board, not by doing he work myself, but by working my ass off to pay to have my car done the way I want it and done right. I guess shops, and guys who work on other guys cars should not be allowed to post on here. You are embarrassing yourself. I didnt know that this site was exclusive to guys who only work on thier OWN cars. Sorry Gambino Kustoms, Masterson Kustoms, Chop Shop Customs, Extreme Kustoms and all the other wonderful shops on the HAMB. According to this guy. You shouldnt be allowed to post, and guys like me who hire you guys shouldnt be allowed as well... For those of you gus who dont mind giving your 2 cents, believe me, guys like myself, really appreciate it. I know I may ask ignorant questions, but thats just cause I'm ignorant but I'm trying to educate myself, but according to guys like him. We should just stay in the dark. FUCK YOU!!! Your mother should have aborted you, she probably tried, but noone would tell her how to do it. I guess you're right,for your sake, she was better kept in the DARK..
The best way to learn from the vast amount of knowledge on the HAMB is to shut your pie hole and read.
So everyone understands who have taken the time to read my thread. I wanted to give a local guy work. I have been very fortunate in these economic times to be able to spend money. So rather than spend it on an online business. I spent it with a local engine builder. My car builder, told me I spent too much money, but I posted just to see what you guys would say, and to post something directly related to me. It wasnt supposed to be taken so seriously. All of my posts, as Heavy Brad has stated have been in relation to making me feel and hopfully others better about this world of Old Cars, and the costs associated with it. In this thread alone, if I get to build a 35 Ford in a few years like I hope, I now have resources who have posted I hope I can go to and bring them my business.
I searched, I couldnt find, so I posted... Thats how it works. Try posting more than 8 times so you'll learn..
drop in a 5.0 mustang motor and trans for under 500! Not exactly what a hamber has in mind, but it will get it rolling and fun to drive and you will have 225 hp right off the bat. All depends on what you want... fast, lots of hp, or just a driver.
Possibly...but there aren't that many detailed engine build posts here, except for a couple of specific engines like Scooter's 1st-gen Hemi posts. Of the ones that exist, cost isn't generally mentioned....and even when it is, there's always 10 guys who knew where it could have been done better and cheaper. And, quite frankly, there's been enough truly fucking stupid questions on the H.A.M.B. over the years....that I'm not going to waste time slamming this guy for sincerely wanting to learn and asking a somewhat vaguely worded question. There's been worse ones....much, much worse ones....
alright tony... you been more fortunate.. good for you. NOW , how about dropin Ryan some duckets and get an alliance membership
KONA you are right... I'm going to do that right now.. Smiffy I apologize to you and the other guys. It is not my style to do that. But I hate when people get off on trying to make others feel bad. My Apologies to all of you...
Sounds like you should build a SBC if the cost is you're worry. Every shop in the land is experienced with them, parts are cheap and plentiful, and they make good power. With any engine you choose to build, the cost goes up as horse power goes up. What are you planning to use it for is also important to know. Is it a cruiser, street racer, or all out race car? What make/model car is it? What is your engine budget? It's best to set a budget before you start even though you WILL go over. I think this is some of the info the guys are seeking.
A lot of threads of late have spun out of control and from the sidelines it appears there is a lot of guys with under 100 posts jumping in and causing probs or trying to tell long term members here what this site is about. It saddens me when some threads end sounding like a biatch fight and name calling. So PLEASE guys, think before typing. Perhaps next time just come out and explain the question a little more directly like "I just had a brand A motor built with such and such and paid X$ for it. I feel that I may have paid a little too much. Would you guys put my mind at ease".
Not true. For example, I was able to read your mind and determine that your name is Steve, and that you have a '32. Better start wearing that tin-foil hat again! Oh, and by the way...I just picked up what you were thinking when you read this post, and it wasn't very polite at all.
I was not going to post after I saw the "little" outburst, but oh well. I have a 331 sbf very street friendly that will be on the dyno in the next few weeks should pull 450+hp, fun driving street engine around $6500-7000 engine, 10k complete swap. I have a 251ci flathead 6 desoto that will will be a little more money, and I will not have half the horse power, maybe 200hp. I have a 15 or so year old Penske Racing Nascar top end(cheated up heads, titanium valve train, 1.6/1.7 rockers, on a 355 sbc that is built with "extra parts" for about half the cost of the 331. The question is like asking how much does it cost to buy a house? It is all in the details. location, size,quality,extras. Ask more detailed questions in the future, please....!!!!
Hey Tony, I tried to get you to post some more info with my earlier post but it did not work quite as I had hoped so I will be a little more direct. I (as well as some others I am sure) have some questions. 1. What kind of car do you have? Make/model/year. 2. What kind of engine? we don't need all the gritty details, just a basic description - i.e. 350 chevy, 4 barrel carb, automatic trans. 3. What are you wanting the car/engine to do? street duty with a few strip passes now & then, saturday night cruiser, saturday night brawler, etc. If you will answer these basic questions we will be able to help you much better with the information you seek. there are too many different engines & combo's to generalize with a dollar amount across the board. there is nothing wrong with having someone else work on your car. very few people can do it all, pretty much everybody has to pay an expert to do something at some point & it they say they don't they are probably either full of it or a miracle man. props to you for trying to learn & get better so you can work on your own car. that being said a few of the comments that you have posted (I won't quote them, you probably know what I mean) were way out of line. just like in real life you will run across all types of guys on the internet. you have to develop a thick skin & ignore the ones that you would ignore face to face. there are also guys who will type a response that they would never say to your face. take everything with a grain of salt & don't believe everything you read on the internet. Please post up the answers to the above questions. that alone will cut a lot of the BS answers you have been getting.
Damn! That's just scary. So- I've re-installed the hat- installed the infared goggles- changed my name & am blocking out all sound.
1. 1950 Mercury 4 Door 2. 383 Stroker, 650 cfm 4 barrel edelbrock, edelbrock air gap manifold, I beams,700R4 Stage 3 Tranny, hmm can't remember anthing else.. 3. I want a very well built for longevity street duty, daily driver wth some umph.. Hope that helps....
Helps greatly My opinion, that engine depending on the internals used between $5500 & $7500. engine only, no trans. probably another $18-2500 for a stout auto trans. Best bets for longevity are to look after it, basic maintenance oil changes, plugs, air filter, etc. ask other people who have engines built by the same guy what their experiences are. different engine builders have different methods of doing things, some are better (and worse) than others. a properly machined & assembled SBC should be fairly bulletproof for the street. Maybe add a rev limiter if that would ease your mind. in my experience there are a lot of stroker engines that will rev high enough to hurt themselves. also (again depending on the internals) this engine combo may be able to be stepped up later in the game - better heads, more cam, bigger carb, maybe even a little squirt of nitrous if you want. Hope this is the kind of answer you were after.
Post # 58, and we finally get the info that was needed on post # 1.....Post # 59, and you have an answer. Sort of.....the price also would reflect on your locale, most of the time, things are cheaper out here in the sticks. Less machine shops with less work for them to do. Most of the time that means they will do that work for less money, just to have SOME money. I had a 355 ci SBC engine built several years ago, though the machine shop hasn't really raised their rates much. If I remember correctly, I had about $1500 in the machine work, align bored, cylinders, deck, milled heads valve job and all. I had somewhere around $500 in parts, not top of the line, but decent parts for a good street engine. And a total of $2,500 to $2700 with swap meet parts, and new starter, alt and WP. This motor was assembled by a guy who by all accounts was a very good engine guy, before he got into methamphetamine....it lasted around 1500 miles before the number 1 rod had a small collision with the number 2 rod...... I fixed that myself with the help of a stock car racing buddy. 2 more resized and rebuilt rods, crank checked and repolished, new bearing, ring and gasket kit....lesson learned. Next time I needed an engine, I bought a GM 250 horse crate, changed the cam, added an intake, carb...etc swapmeet / rebuilt stuff and came out around $2000 total. These were probably both in the neighborhood of 325 to 350 HP when done. Biggest lesson I can possibly teach anyone....know who's doing your work.....
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