I need to pickup another motor for the Ginch project. I have always got motors from friends or running cars but that has seem to dry up. What are the tricks for finding a good junkyard motor when they have already dumped all the fluids and electrical out of the car?
i always look for cars that have been hit in the rear but otherwise look OK.take along a portable jump-start gizmo and a compression gauge,spinnning the engine dry and cold won't give you the most accurate results but it's better than not checking.don't pay more than you would for a core.
pull the plugs and look for fouling,, if they all look pretty good that is a plus also check the radiator for rust, and indication of problems and poor maintenance pull the valve covers and check for sludge or heavy carbon build up, indicative of overheating check the exhaust for clean pipes, check the exhaust manifolds for cracks do to heating etc. check the odometer to see about how many miles look to be on it... not a good indicator but might explain some of the earlier finds.. while you have the valve covers off, check for sloppy rockers, which might indicate worn cam lobe, or other problems. you might even want to remove the rockers and look at the valve stem ends for unusual pitting and wear do to old age. check side play of the valves can rule out some badly worn guides etc. look down the intake, throttle body or car, and look for oil and carbon,,, excessive of either is a warning sign.. look at the overall appearance of the car, did it look like someone beat it to death or did someone take the time to keep it reasonably clean, good clean cars are usually better maintained cars look at the belts and hoses, not that you will be using them but they tell you what kind of owner had the car, bad hoses and belts are indications that they didnt care well for the engine... use a prybar and check the crank end play, excessive on a standard indicates no freeplay for a long time, and crank/brg wear.. if excessive i would p*** on the motor unless you buy is as a core. how does the overall appearance of the engine look? if it is a greasy nasty old pig,,, it probably will need an overhaul and as such is a core at best. if it looks relatively clean, then if all else p***es you might have a runner,, but unless you get a warranty of some sort, dont pay more than a core for it,,, usually less than 150 bucks. just a few things to look at from my experience bob
There are still some small, out-of-the way junkyards around here stocked with 70s urchins. I use these forgotten small blocks and sixes as dirt cheap alternatives to more "desireable" older engines. A 70s small block Chevy and small block Ford are still the same basic engines as their older relatives under all that smog **** that you're just gonna toss out anyway! Don't pay more than $100 for any engine you can't drive home! I find most of mine for free or close to it in other people's garages and back yards...gotta make a couple of road trips next month to scoop up a 302 in Wisconsion and a 307 in Ohio! I got another guy with a 250 Chevy I can have if I want to drag it home, too! I only have SO much room to hide these things, so I actually have to turn some offers down! Let me know what ya need...or post a yell on the HAMB here...someone can help you out!
good points... also check the area tow auctiona,, two companies auction off wrecks all the time here, some have auctions a couple of times a month.. they tow in wrecks of course, but also they tow in DWI and DUI cars,, these have keys and are able to be driven home!! i have seen DWI/DUI cars go for a couple of hundred. i have seen wrecks for as little as 15 bucks,, i have bought 3 cads with 472 and 500's in them for between 15 and 30 bucks each... one had a frozen motor but had all the HEI, pulleys mounts and other trick ****,, the 472 was a perfect and clean runner, the 500 had been poorly maintained, but didnt smoke and ran like a ****d ape.. lots of parts really cheap the chevys bring a bit more but seldom over a hundred, unless it is a popular body style or has a 400 small block or a big block. fords are cheaper than chevy's mopars, buicks, cads, pontiacs, and the like are around 15 to 50 bucks each... most of the bidders are hulk haulers and they only bid up to about 10 or 15 bucks for a car.. so most go very cheap and quick... the auctions usually are over in 30 min, with 50 cars selling in that time.. also here they allow for inspections an hour before auction, you can check fluids and the like before hand, and also check to see if they have keys(DWI/DUI cars) bob
Aaron, Im going to Pull-and-Save tomorrow morning (Friday) to scrounge for a few things. Feel free to play hooky from work and go with me. I was down there 2 weeks ago, there was an early 70s Chevy truck there that was smashed in the side. It had a newer Targetmaster replacement V8 that was still intact (air cleaner to pan). Its probably gone by now though. Usually, I look for the low mileage cars/trucks that have been rear-ended or hit in the side. Oh yea, I plan to get the car running this weekend! If I can find a seat, I will be able to drive it a bit. I told Linda I would just put a lawn chair in it, but she didnt think that was very funny. Remember that transmission that we fought with? Well, the ****ing thing leaks between the tail shaft & the housing! Oh well, I learned a lesson: never buy anything from AMERICAN GRAFFITI PERFORMANCE in Lakewood, Colorado!
Talk to the yard manager if you can - sometimes they know the story on the car and can tell you if there is a cream-puff in the back they are prepping. There is a 36 ? that is being prepped to be pulled out next week at our yard [ QUOTE ] also check the area tow auctiona,, two companies auction off wrecks all the time here, some have auctions a couple of times a month.. they tow in wrecks of course, but also they tow in DWI and DUI cars,, these have keys and are able to be driven home!! bob [/ QUOTE ] Bob - do they have ***les for these? What an awesome deal
I've always followed the advice of my father: When my dad was building/racing jalopies, he used to look for motors that were really dirty... not greasy, but dirty. Most of the time, a motor is clean because somebody's been working on it/repairing it. A dirty motor is usually one that's required little or no work. This, of course, ***umes you're dealing with a car that was junked because of collision.
is there any way that you can look through the local tradin paper, or cl***ifieds, or ask around to people who have cars sitting in weeds by their house? do you have the space to pull an engine, and leave the car outside for a few days until the local "I'll take your car away for free" man, who also advertised in said papers, can come get the shell? I have done this a few times, and this always works out well. theres always a few extra parts that you can snag off the car for later use.
Auctions dont usually allow Joe Sixpack to come in off the street and bid. I go with some friends who own yards and/or shops when Im out hunting for late model parts. Not too much except new **** but Ive scored a few LT1's, T5's, 8.8 Volvo rears and the like at chump change. For big boats of earlier years I cruise urban areas dressed like a junkyard dog and in my beat up van. Lots of 70's big blocks of all makes sitting without plates, etc. Lots of 80's era Ford and GM full size wagons, LTD's and other gas guzzlers. Dont show any green until you come back with a hook or ramp truck. Speaking Muther****a or a bit of Espanol helps. Picking up a 69 Olds 98 tomorrow in Lawrence, the gunshot capital of M***! Dont overlook cheap apartments or trailer parks. Ask the management what they want towed or just outta there. Those are often gold for SBC and SBF stuff. I haul off nice running 350 Montys, 302/351W's and the like that wont p*** inspection for bad front end or rot. Even an occ***ional 460/C6 Lincoln or truck. The big issue for some may be stripping the goodies and disposing the shell. Lots of options there . Im lucky that I just do it in one of my friends boneyards; its flattened and on the flatbed hauler the next day heading to Boston and China or wherever.
Fat Hack- I could SURE use a 302 (for $100)- Am I too far away? Any chance I could get you to PM me some of your "secrets"???
Ha Ha Ha! The best "secret" is still the age-old 'donor vehicle'! <img src=http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid81/p6e72be94e71829471124797414ec0520/fafd5d9b.jpg> This sad looking Malibu gave up it's engine, ******, radiator, battery, hoses and various other parts so that I could get one of my other projects on the road. I managed to sell off the old headers and full dual exhaust system, the driveshaft, steering column, front seat, fenders, front fascia, wiper motor, radio and speakers, and gas tank for about $250 combined! I only paid $200 for the whole car to begin with...see how this works??!!
Fat Hack- Thanks! But where/how does one go about getting a "donor vehicle" For $200...? Salvage yards? "The paper"...?
Bob - do they have ***les for these? What an awesome deal [/ QUOTE ] in washington state they allow anyone with a photo id to bid, and buy these cars, when bought the tow company gives you the paperwork to apply for a new clear ***le from the state. so if there was a lien holder on the car, it no longer has that lien. also you need that paperwork for the hulk hauler, because they wont haul the hulk without it or a ***le. bob
i got a donor Grand marquis that was only slightly wrecked on the front end(smashed bumper and fender, broken windshield) for $150, he drove it to my house. I found that out by word of mouth, and talkin to the guy while i worked at a parts store. I just picked up two parts trucks this august for $100 for the pair... here is a pic
oops, i have more to add here... these trucks were for sale with "make offer" on both windshields down the road from my house. they sat for a while,, and finally i asked. 100 each he says.. i went back a few days later and said i wanted the blue one, then he asked if i wanted the other one, i said no, he said what if it was free... I couldnt p*** that up. They both run and drive, they are F250s but the engines are good, and some other parts here and there, but i figure i am going to make a profit. The blue truck is nice enough to save.
Good score, Fordiac! The cab and/or sheetmetal parts off that white one would sell for a fist full o'dollars up here! Lots of interest in them 1967-72 Ford pickups! I get those low-dollar 'donor vehicles' from the paper, from e-bay (bought a $200 driver once and put alot of miles on it with almost zero trouble!) and mostly by word of mouth or by stopping to inquire about local heaps that I haven't seen moved in a while. That Malibu belonged to a friend's Mom...she bought a new car when she retired, and I got that one for $200. Did alot of playing with the 305 in it for maybe a year, then gutted it to build something else...selling off parts to keep my expenses low. (This was all before e-bay...the parts were bought by guys in the neighborhood who always know to swing by and see what I got cooking!) I've found lots of my 'donor vehicles' just by knocking on doors to inquire about cars sitting in driveways and backyards. Bought a perfectly good Nova for $45 that way, along with many other such "finds" in the less than $50 range! Most times, it's a matter of timing...but you can resort to treachery if need be! For example, if a known vehicle has been sitting quite some time with expired tags, a call to the city may result in a "move or be towed" sticker being placed upon the car! Instant Motivated Seller! Not that I would ever stoop to such lows...but it's a tactic one might employ to gain an advantage over a stubborn owner! I've bought a few engines from a local, well-hidden junkyard in the past...400 small block Chevy motors to be exact! They had a few, and I struck a great deal with them after they realized I knew how to identify them by sight. All three were good, rebuildable samples, and I'm sure they would have run without major rebuilds! I kept one for myself and sold the other two to friends to re-coup my costs. Other times, I just take engines from friends who don't have any need for them. I like to mess with the 70s era engines that most guys p*** over, so getting people to give them up for free or nothing is a simple task...usually just asking does the trick! Try asking around. Talk to car guys in your area. The guys working in local garages or auto parts stores will know about deals on engines and low buck cars! I've bought a few dirt cheap drivers from shops who've had customers skip out on the repair bills! Got a 4-speed 302 Granada with a brand new clutch from a trans shop that way...drove it home for $400!
**** fat hack... I would KILL for a 4-speed Granada w/a 302, (engine, ******, disc brakes... How wide is that rear-end?) Thanks for the tips! PM me (PLEASE!) if you've got any more advice!
I used to have a friend that was a used car manager at a local ford dealership. Any car that they took in trade for 1000, was actually on the books for 25. These are cars that they cant sell an "add on warranty" (too many miles)... I bought some nice cars for 50. They just wholesale them to the B dealers anyway. I made sure my friend always had a fresh bottle of Crown Royal..
Damn, Greaseball...I've had TWO V8 four speed Granadas...and p***ed on several others! Next one I see has YOUR name on it, okay? FRAZ here on the HAMB has (had?) a 302 Granada with an auto ****** for sale pretty cheap...I don't really have the room for it now myself, but it's a good deal!
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