Got my engine back from my machinist today. I aint bitching but it got me thinking.My smallblock in the 54 cost around $600 for machinist costs, NEW pistons, NEW cam, complete motor kit, valvejob. The 348 cost a little more. Granted the SBC didnt need any heavy machinework but to the credit of the 348, it wasnt totally trashed. Machinework Align hone, honed bores, ground crank, installed cam bearings valvejob, hot tank, assemble heads and shortblock. $650 Complete bearing kit $400 (mains for a W motor are $150-175) Cam and lifters, NOS from a pal $150 Tripower intake $50 from a HAMBer (thanks C!) Stainless bolt kit $40 (motor was missing some external hdw and this was the cheapest way) Timing chain set $40 I am still missing a couple small parts but it is pretty close to complete. If you add up the carb kits and other parts, I am getting close to a couple grand. To be fair, If I add up ALL the costs on the SBC it is still less than a grand!!!! I dont want this to be a pro vs anti SBC thread. But I DO want some of the new rodders and/or young guys to see what the price of coolness can be! hahahaaa This is why you should never add up the parts! Money should be no object when it comes to booze, hotrods and your women!
Yes Sam, most of these "odd" motors are not cheap. Funny sidenote, the young guy that did my work builds sprintcar motors. He had more fun with this W motor in his shop than ANYTHING else he has built. 90% of the "car guys" had NO clue what it is/was! I have sat at events with my pals 409 and heard it called an International, My Boss 401 Nailhead has been called an OFFENHAUSER! Fun times
It is fun to have something not in the "norm". Most people think it's a 352/390...but I just tell em' to look a little closer! It's a hell of a price we pay to swim upstream! hehe
Shit, I had $680 in my 283 in my machine work and heads. I did all the assembly. Nothing's cheap. Try $48 for ONE head gasket for a 352 Packard V8.
Funny you should bring this up, because I've been playing with the idea of building a small-block just for fun. I've got a standard bore, no ridge 283 I got from Hatch and I think it would be a good learning experience. I haven't got a home for it - but I've always wanted to build an engine test stand... So anyway, what exactly is involved in a total build-up? Simple question, I know, but I've never done it!
Man Big, I have the most killer NOS old dragcar pistons for that 283!!!! I would trade you another 283 block for one that is standard and cherry! Might even sweeten the pot with some extra stuff.
Have ya ever tried to buy forged pistons for a Ford 6? They're about $400 a set. And they have to make em.
Welcome to the world of "Hot Rod Cool". Everyone rags on the SBC, but for less than a grand you can have one kick ass engine that will bury most of the old traditional motors. I realize it's all in how it's applied, but for most of the guys hanging around here a 2500 lb. car is a no brainer. Add some gear and tire and you've got yourself a 13 sec. ride. We need Sam to give a refresher course on the Roach Rod, a perfect example. Frank
Shit........try building a fucking MOPAR engine When you call about PARTS,they LAUGH at you....... At least you guys can FIND your parts! LOL
Hell you can buy SBC parts at 7-11 can't you? Anyhow, I like to say: COOL COST MONEY!!!! and chicks know it.
Damn, I dont care about Engines anymore, I just wanna stare at Rockets Avatar! Is that from some Scandinavian website? I had it bookmarked and then the link was no good.
wow that pretty impressive , machine work and assembled shortblock for 650? did he use a torque plate to hone? you didnt mention rings, what kind? stock springs on the heads, hardened valve seats? maybe i will ship my stuff to south dakota for machine work
[ QUOTE ] Shit........try building a fucking MOPAR engine When you call about PARTS,they LAUGH at you....... At least you guys can FIND your parts! LOL [/ QUOTE ] I thought mopar guys were used to being laughed at! I love both my SBCs If I didn't happen to have a olds motor & 200 4R sittin here, I'd put one in my new Stude!
Tinbender, I can Email you the rest of that "series" They are a little too X rated to use for avatars.
Hell, just found out my y-block(heads, block) is going to be $3000! But the extra cost of having a unique motor is worth it, people seem to respect the extra time/effort and $$ involved. -The Catholic
It's pretty easy to spend a lot of money building an SBC as well. It cost me right at $725 for machinework and assembly for my new motor's shortblock. That's tanking, boring, honing, installing ARP main studs, ARP rod bolts, resizing rods, balancing (including balancer, flywheel, clutch and press. plate), bearings, and assembling the short block with oil pump and gaskets. I supplied the pistons, cam, timing set and balancer, along with the block and rotating assembly. And I thought I was getting off cheap... I haven't added up the total amount that I've got in the motor yet, but I have a feeling it's about as much as I've got in the rest of the car...and I did everything else besides the stuff I just listed. The upside to all this is that one ride behind the wheel and you realize all the dollars and hard work were worth it.
Now I'm gonna piss some of you all off. It doesn't matter if you plop a thousand bucks, or even 5 thousand into an American V8, you can bet your ass that it won't live past 100,000 miles before you have to do it all over again. However a Honda Civic will live to 200,000 with minimal maintenance. Lookit' I love American V8's, that's why I'm here, but as far as longevity is concerned, the Japanese have us beat. In the days before modern oils most American engines didn't see 50,000 before needing a rerring and head job. Y'all are gonna kill me, but I don't think even modern American engines can match the imports (Yugos excepted) for sheer longevity. What the hell are we doing wrong? PS, I loved the 348 in my '59 Elky, the summbitch smoked like Dennis Leary, but she never let me down, and she could pull an oak tree out of the ground. The W motors are one of the coolest looking engines ever built. Sorry for the thread hijack.
This statement alone... [ QUOTE ] Money should be no object when it comes to booze, hotrods and your women [/ QUOTE ] Makes me realize my future endeavors are worthy and true However this comment... [ QUOTE ] you can bet your ass that it won't live past 100,000 miles before you have to do it all over again [/ QUOTE ] makes me wonder a bit. I'm thinking....hmmmm, uhhhh, no. I disagree.
I've only got 500 bucks on my whole motor ( SBC )in the Chevy, Put it in new before the frist Hamb drags.......she runs alright. P.S. Rocket you can send'em my way too
this post is the reason i should cherish my +.040 pistons for my 348 from SWDOBBS i got for less than 75 bucks. The problem with machine work for 348s and 409s is that they have to have a special torque plate when bored because of the surface of the deck. but i cant wait til this thing is done and in my 29 sedan bustin ass in 4th gear with 3.00 gears
the 425 Nailhead in my Rivi cost between 3 and 4 grand to rebuild if I remember correctly.... lots of brand new stuff, and tons of power and TORQUE to smoke both tires all the way down the block...!! I never was a huge fan of much that was very 'mainstream' or easily obtainable.... I guess that's why I've never owned a SBC powered vehicle, or had an ugly girlfriend...!! Later, Snacks....
[ QUOTE ] Now I'm gonna piss some of you all off. It doesn't matter if you plop a thousand bucks, or even 5 thousand into an American V8, you can bet your ass that it won't live past 100,000 miles before you have to do it all over again. However a Honda Civic will live to 200,000 with minimal maintenance. Lookit' I love American V8's, that's why I'm here, but as far as longevity is concerned, the Japanese have us beat. In the days before modern oils most American engines didn't see 50,000 before needing a rerring and head job. Kinda like my Dodge diesel over 300,000 miles and still smoking, I mean tiking !!!! Y'all are gonna kill me, but I don't think even modern American engines can match the imports (Yugos excepted) for sheer longevity. What the hell are we doing wrong? PS, I loved the 348 in my '59 Elky, the summbitch smoked like Dennis Leary, but she never let me down, and she could pull an oak tree out of the ground. The W motors are one of the coolest looking engines ever built. Sorry for the thread hijack. [/ QUOTE ]
It's really tough to beat the sound a 301 makes at about 8500 rpm but I'm still lookin forward to rowing through the gears with my Poncho 389, 4 speed. I have the receipts for machine work {I assembled the shortblock myself but let the machinist assemble the heads] but I'm afraid to look at 'em. I don't wanna know. Can't wait to watch the eyes bug-out when the local geeks spot that old 1960 engine under the hood of my 41 Poncho coupe.... I wanna make it walk sideways through 2nd gear..
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