Fellas - Ran across a 392 hemi recently; currently installed in a 71 Charger bracket car. Running motor, bored and stroked, but current owner took it on a trade and really doesn't know much about it. Thinking about picking up the car or engine and trying to put a price on it. Anyone want to take a guess at engine value? I've had 426 hemis before, but never a 392. Thanks, Scott
I see it's got a Richard Godley transmission. 392s are where you find 'em and not often. What you got in mind?
I'm just trying to get a ballpark value on the engine. The owner wants one of my cars and hopes to do some horsetrading. I could end up with the entire car or just the engine. Thanks, Scott
Hello Sir, If the current owner does not know much about it, I would be be skeptical about the bored and stroked claim. A bore job is pretty much standard on a rebuilt motor, as I am sure you know. A stroker ***embly is quite a different matter. If it is indeed stroked that would reflect a much more extensive and expensive build. The motor and related parts look like someone spent considerable time and money on the effort to build a really different vehicle. I think the whole car is cool!
I'm familiar with the bored and stroked deal; have built a few (Ford 514, Pontiac 462, etc). Looks like the Hot Heads site is the place to look for used and new early hemi stuff. Based on what I'm seeing there, I'm thinking the engine is worth somewhere around $4k. Thanks Scott
What times is it turning? Get the ET, then the weight of the car and you can get a guesstimate of the TQ & HP. You can make an engine look fast with bolt ons. A friend of mine bought a 440 advertized as a 550 HP engine with 600 TQ. When he got it in the car it would hardly run. Tore it down and was a stock bottom end, 70's low comp pistons (the slugs were .180 in the hole) and junk heads. If I were you I would at the least pull the pan, that way you can see the crank and the bottoms of the pistons and that will give you a good idea whats in the engine.
You can only place a value on what you can see, and then some caution is in order. You can see the block, and a good standard block might bring $1000. But what is the bore? are there any active or repaired cracks? You can't 'see' the crank but you can ***ume it is there and a good standard crank will bring $800...a 30/30, not so much. You get the idea. Offer a price based on what you can see after deducting your labour to strip and clean the pieces. Even if it runs you still do not 'know' what is there. The pictures looks like a $3200 core (***uming that it is a 392). .
That motor looks like it has a ton of work done to it, probably some very expensive parts there. If it's a legit, stroked, rebuilt, not-needing-any-major-work done to it engine, I'd think $4K would be a steal. Receipts would mean the world to me, and if you have to "take a chance" on it then be cautious, but I wouldn't doubt that the original builder spent $10K on that engine/trans setup.
well if the guy that has it built it id be somewhat sceptical about it after seeing how they butcherd the car (firewall/kmember) what car of yours does he want? and can we see pics of it? if the charger runs and turns a decent time low 12's or better the whole package has to be in the 5-7 k range
On my 354, the spark plug tubes come out above the valve covers with a seal on the end of them. I thought the 392 tubes were longer. Those tubes look like they don't come out high enough. Is that how 392's look or is something wrong there?
Depending on if they offset an original crank or bought a new billet crank the crank could be as much as you think the engine is worth. This is not like your pontiac or ford deal here stroker ***emblies for a 392 are not a common item. Take what it would cost you to stroke a 460 and triple it and you are getting close. I'm just sayin'.
X2 on seeing some time slips to estimate horsepower. Easy enough to guesstimate the displacement. Just pull a plug and measure the stroke with a depth gauge; hell, even a dipstick would tell you if it's a stroker. Have you heard it run? Sometimes race cars are parked for a reason. jack vines
I turned down a stock 392 for 1200 a few years ago. Wish I had bought it then. But if you can't here that engine run, test comp, pull the pan and check it out really well I'd be leary. Personally, I've never got the good end of the deal buying old race parts. And besides, that mill may not be worth a damn on the street if that's what you want to do with it. If you really want it make the deal work in your favor or walk away........Kind of harsh advice but I've been burned too many times.
If it truly has a stroker crank in it, it could be worth a lot. 392 strokers are very hard to come by (or at least very expensive) these days. I think I'd be finding more out before venturing a guess.
Another couple of questions came to mind. How long has it been sitting? Sitting is hard on valve springs and rings. Has it been covered up? If it's had rain water in it...........well that not good. Of course these are all normal questions. If you can get a good deal and you're willing to go thru it they're neat looking and good running.
8 How can you see tons of work ? All I can see are some Hot Heads parts & an electric water pump on a hemi block. For all I know & from what I can see, that could be an empty or poly mock up block.
Here's my take on the harsh reality, take it for what you want. Without do***entation or actually speaking with the legitimate shop or man that built it, it is only what it appears to be. A running Chrysler hemi. Even then only after it is I.D.'d by the numbers on the block and heads. That said, you have what looks like a H.H. intake and water x-over, a electric water pump, a Demon carb, and maybe a Mallory distributor. Now look up the prices of each new, and figure half that for good used parts and add to the price. Sorry, not trying to be a ball buster or doom and gloom everybody ****s here, its just harsh reality. If I had a dollar for every used engine someone brought into my shop that was supposedly built to the hilt, only to have bad valve guides and valves, worn out valve springs and a bottom end loose as old Kelsey's **** hole. The poor guy that paid top dollar for it, said it sounded like a top fueler when the guy started it for him. The harsh reality, he just paid top dollar for a bunch of used parts. The bored was just a .030" clean up, and the only thing stroked was the poor guy that bought it. TR
Very good advice by Mr. Waters above. If you have a circle track nearby you can go there and see if any one has a P&G measurement gauge. For a few bucks maybe they will stop by your place or where the engine is and they can measure the size of the engine real easy and quick. They are simple to use and more accurate than you would ever think they are. You dont have to do anything but remove a spark plug, TR
Fellas - Many thanks for all the detailed responses. Good points on the stroker cranks; I didn't realize that 392 strokers were that much more expensive. Right now the owner is at $10k. For me to get more serious, he needs to drop his price significantly and come up with some receipts on the motor. Thanks, Scott
Ten grand is quite heavy for a questionable hemi. You can buy them re-maned for $8500 all day on e-bay. (not stroked though)
Hopefully...but that would then place a very heavy load on a butchered 71 Charger. It doesn't appear that what is left would bring $6-$7k. I would want more than a pile of receipts. As ragged as the car looks, why does anyone expect the engine to be 'special'?? .
Yes, $10k for the whole car. Not sure what I would do with the car if I got it; either part it out (727, Dana 60 w/Strange axles, coil overs, etc), sell as-is, or let a fabricator buddy of mine go through it at his shop. thanks, Scott
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