392 Hemi . is it worth it ?

Ok guys , im not a Hemi guy . Ive done a search here and it seems there are so many variables that im not aware of so i figure i will ask you fellas .

Story goes as i was told . Engine was built approx 14 years ago , put on an start up stand and started every year once or twice . Said the crank was turned , but nothing dramatic was done , He said a little beefier cam and the weiand dual and carbs were added . he thought it was a 1958 dual quad motor to start with but from what i can tell is it was a 57 single 4 engine from a new yorker .
The number is NE5728659 .

Is there other areas i need to be looking ? I thought i might get it for a future Model A project but dont want to just jump on the first one i see if there are better deals to be had.
My son wanted his picture beside it so if nothing else he got a ool pic to hold onto.

 

Here it run and see if he'd let you drop the pan and take a look up inside. Maybe even pull a rod cap. If it runs good then it would probably be a good deal and maybe you could even get it for 3 grand. The tranny is only good to a restorer. 392s are cool! Good Luck!

 

Someone will come up with a value on the rocker covers, intake, & carbs, then you have to deside what the rebuild/overhaul is worth.

 

buy it !!...then find headers, get the spin on oil filter adapter, lose that hokey transmission,get an adapter for the trans of your choice and have some fun with it. contact www.hothemiheads.com......everything for early hemis....if it's rebuilt, you are already dollars ahead.

 

Adjustable rockers? What distr? dual point mallory? What pistons, cast stock type?
If i had the money and it ran, i would have it home by now. You really don't want to get into building a hemi, they are a slipperyslope kind of thing and you will spend twice what he is asking.

 

If it's a 392 it won't have a fluid drive.. it will be a Torque-Flite... even the old cast iron jobs were good.

And don't worry about the cartridge oil filter... nor the cast iron manifolds. I kept the ones on my 354 and they are great period pieces... throw away the catalogs and you'll save yourself big money.

BTW... I spent $5000 doing my 354 including the blower set-up... they aren't as spendy as you may think...

 

If those cast iron exhaust manifolds are the 4 bolt style I'd like first shot at them. Bob

 

Current core prices are in the $2500-$3000 range so with the added aluminum pieces you are good as is.
If you can drop the pan an verify a rebuild then you saved $1800 on just the usual machine work.

I would be curious as to why the iron parts were not painted during the 'rebuild'...it may or may not be a clue...

.

 

Story goes that it was destined for a 39 Pontiac . it comes with header flanges and all the pipe i guess pre bent for the headers . Just needs assembled. It also comes with the start up stand it is bolted to .

I think the distributor is a dual point from what he said . I was trying to listen to him and look it over both at the same time . He said it was in a car and spun a rod bearing on the drag strip . Said it got pulled down and had the crank turned , rods were resized and put back together with new bearings rings etc and a little more cam . That was the story he got when he purchased it 14 years ago and i guess the original builder is long gone.

 

I don't think you can go wrong at that sort of money. If I lived closer, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Good luck deciding.

 

I just saw 3 of them for sale at a swap meet. One was a bone stocker at $1800 and the other two were built in various fashions. He was asking $6500 and $7500. Since I wasn't in the market I just casually glanced at them and really can't say what all they had done, but I think the stocker was just a core, but complete.

Don

 

I think that it is a good deal at $3500. If it has extra's like adjustable rockers along with the intake and valve covers it is icing on the cake.

 

seems fair, especially if it was rebuilt and is in good running order

 

Hear it run with one of those stethoscope things and buy it if it sounds decent.
$600 worth of carbs right off the bat.

 

Im having a 417 put together and know what Im spending, that seems like a good price

 

I would want to hear it run and see some receipts on the engine work. Never know what was done and was it done right.

 

Hear it run,check oil pressure,check every cylinder with a compression tester,buy it ....If I knew where it was and was within 200 miles of me,I would own it.

 

I would be all over that if it was closer to here..