Technical Cost of a new crate motor compared to rebuild question.

So I have a 68 327 that was rebuilt and I had it in my 32 sedan eight or nine years ago. I had gotten the car running in the spring and worked out the bugs you have on a new build, drove it all summer and parked it for the winter . Long story short I forgot to put antifreeze in it in. my shop is heated but the furnace shit out and I didn’t realize it for a few weeks. The block cracked beyond repair so if I find another block I can use all the internals from the cracked block. The heads are double humps but I don’t think they have hardened seats. So would all the machine work and labor to put all the internals into a new block be more than buying a low horse power crate motor? The motor would end up in a cruiser model A woody.

 

Id rather have a vintage engine over a crate engine.
But do whatever it takes to get it back on the road

 

Find out what your machine shop would charge to setup a block using your internals. Then find out what a local rebuilt short block would cost. Then weigh the costs. Either way you would be using your heads, provide they pass inspection. Keep us posted.

 

It doesn’t really matter to me I’m not a lift you hood at a show kind of guy. I want something that gets me from point a to point b

 

Are you at all open to the idea of assembling it yourself over the winter? That would make it a much easier decision… hardest part would be finding an appropriate core.

 

My friend actually did this comparison for an article on speedways website last year I think? They found the crate engine a few grand cheaper. I’ll see if I can find you a link.

 

Took a minute here it is

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/the-...built-is-rebuilding-an-engine-worth-it/120101

 

Never needed hardened seats in my dailies.
Had em put in a set of 462 heads and was really cheap.
If the top end is good, sounds like ya only need a short block
68 should be large journal. Finding a 350 block shouldn’t be that hard

 

True “crate” engines are purchased thru GM Dealerships with all new parts. The rest are rebuilt and labeled as crate I guess because they come assembled in a box. Many GMs were assembled in Mexico but were fine. The guys I know who purchased them disassembled them and thoroughly cleaned everything especially the empty blocks and cylinder head water passages. Each one who did it found sand in the oiling areas. All it cost was a good gasket set. They all like the 290hp because it was quiet and got fuel mileage and trouble free.
If you can find another 327 block you will be fine but as said your 68 327 was a large journal crank so any o
Pre 85 350 will work also.

 

I’m not a motor guy so that would be out of the question.

 

The last reasonably stock motor I built was a 360 Mopar. I added everything up when I was done and the cost was about the same as buying a rebuilt long block. The advantage of buying the long block is that it would have a warranty. The advantage of doing it myself is I know who did the work.

 

I would guess a motor guy would be expensive, but I would probably trust him more than a mass rebuilder. Not sure what the QC is like on new GM small blocks these days, someone more experienced could chime in.

 

Actually blue print motors are all brand new. To the best of my knowledge they produce their own blocks.

 

Rebuild it and you know what you have got. Also far more satisfying to bring old stuff back to life.

 

Then just buy the crate motor and be done with it. Just remember to put anti freeze in it.

Pat

 

x2 Sounds like your better bet honestly. My moms truck runs a Blueprint motor and its been real good so far. I just suggest getting a roller motor if possible, cuts down on the having to use high zinc oil. It offsets the cost after a few years honestly since all this specialty motor oil junk has gotten so much more expensive. Or run a flat tappet low HP motor with Diesel oil. Either way, get this ole gal back on the road.

 

Rebuilding engines around here is very expensive so I bought a brand new crate 290 hp engine from Jegs, it's made in Mexico and has been a wonderful trouble free engine. It doesn't even leak oil.

 

If sleeve abl $100 hole ,
If block cracked on out side , there fixable , just depends where crack is ,
Theres epoxies, drill hole on each side of crack ,
Another cheap way Vortec ,95-2000
305 or 350 (Roller)
305 with cam change with stock lifter's,
$150
Better 350 cid & the stock Vortec 350 head will out flow a set of 2.02 typical ported Camel Head ,
If I remember correct the bolts & ports are around 1/4 higher ,
Use your pulleys off 327 ,accessories ,
Water pump
Buy intake cheap Knock off Edelbrock
$160 ish , make sure to use the
""Vortec thermostat""
the double spring Thermostat
No fuel pump mount thoe ,
& 4 bolt valve covers , Most are ugly,
There was One design that are hard to find, look close to Original old
Cal custom With 4 bolts ,, cover are close to full end of heads ,

About 90% every one sell the small ugly 4 bolts, but how cares hood down & your driving

 

Just had a SBC built by the local machine shop. Complete top to bottom. 350 block, camel hump heads, roller cam, Edelbrock intake, carb, fuel pump, HEI ignition, flex plate. etc. everything new no short cuts, also a 1 hour run in $5500. About $1000 higher than one I had done 5 years ago some of the increase was the cost of a roller cam assembly over a flat tappet. The shop I use will no longer built a flat tappet motor, only rollers.

 

That's what scares me about pre-assembled. You don't know how clean everything is inside. And I'm the kind of guy that does not want to have to use a warranty. It's no fun pulling an engine back out because you have to use the warranty.

 

My local engine shop gets a thousand bucks a hole. So it doesn't matter what you bring in. Obviously a hemi head's gonna cost more to rework but as far as the short block goes, it isn't cheap.

 

1 K a hole ,
As in per Sleeve?

 

Either way it's gonna an expensive lesson in buying a couple gallons of anti-freeze...

 

Watch it down there ,
In Daytona ( Family member said )
I believe it was what mid 30s few night ago!! Maybe Low 40s
Over in the pan it was cold also ,I do think it was 32

 

My local one man shop charged $300 to clean, bore, install expansion plugs and cam bearings.
He surfaced, installed new guides,hard exhaust seats, worked valves for around that on a set of heads

 

I don’t think GM offers a crate 350 anymore. I know the cheap 260 and 290s are NLA. Mercruiser had a hand in GM’s crate motors but they have parted ways. Now they manufacture engines for themselves that are close to GM engine designs but different

 

Rusty Rocket: Your story hits home with me. We were on a deadline to have my Henry deuce highboy at the Omaha car show. I brought it back from the upholstery shop in about October for Mike to finish. It was done and ready for the show in March. Mike loaded it in his trailer the day before going to Omaha and that night it was unusual but the temp dropped into the teens. The next day (Thursday) we set up the display, I came home and Saturday Mike called and said we have a problem that water was running out from under the car at the show.. No antifreeze! Split the block on both sides. Found another 327 block, had it machined, transferred the parts, back in business. Shop stood all the expense but I'll bet he never forgets anti freeze again?

 

Let me offer a different idea.......... Look around for an 86-91 Corvette thats been wrecked or abused. They seem to either be in premo condition or terrible condition most of the time. Find one that has a running engine and often a good transmission. You can buy them for about $2k and maybe as low as $1500 with a little hagling. You get to hear the engine run and see the mileage. Buy it, pull the engine and trans and then replace the injection with whatever you have on your current engine. Sell whats left of the vette and the good parts off your current engine and you may break even or get by for less than $1k. Those old Vettes can be a bargain and you get to see it run before buying. Take some gas and a battery with you if you do this............

I've got one sitting out under a leanto right now that I paid $2100 for and it has a good strong motor with headers and all good running gear, and I have seen a lot of other ones for sale too. (mines not for sale) And.....you can tell everyone that you have a REAL Corvette engine in your car.

 

A recent motor build I did for a local fellow, 400 ci Pontiac, needed everything, only usable parts were the block and head castings. We replaced crank, rods, pistons, cam, valves, like I said, everything. Went with aftermarket stroker kit, it was cheaper than rebuilding the rods and crank. Ended up with 468 ci for $4500 and $700 more for me to assemble, run on break-in stand, help put in the car, and get it started and running in the car.

 

A friend bought an S&J 327 long block earlier this year for his Chevelle. It was just under $3k for the complete long block with a balanced rotating assembly and shipped to his door within 2 weeks of ordering. A few hours after receiving the engine, it was installed and running, and has been street driven regularly since. It'd be hard to find a machine shop that could match that value and turnaround time.