Hey guys,

I have a friend that will sell me a 350 out of a vett for 150$ I guess this is pretty good deal because it is comlete but it has been sitting for a long time and it is pretty old. I would like to purchase this and rebuild it myself (aside from the machining that may be required) any clue as to what this will cost me using mild performace parts?.

thanks,

Ben

 

Way too many variables my friend, anywhere from $500 for freshen up job to over $50,000-it's all in what you can afford.

 

hrm,

anyone know a good website that goes though the process?

-Ben

 

I used to ask a ton of questions, too, but an engine rebuild book ($15 from bn.com) solved most of them. Machine work will probably be your biggest "unexpected cost". I mean, would you bore the cylinders without doing a magnaflux (crack check)? The shop will probably want to hot tank (clean) your block before the magnaflux, and a hot tanking destroys cam bearings, so you need to change the bearings. (Let the shop do that, the tool is over $100, and if you misalign an oil feed hole, you'll melt the cam. They don't charge much to put bearings in.) And well, damn, the heads are off, might as well hot tank & magnaflux those, and do you want a valve job done? Port/polish on the heads?

See? I bet you'll spend as much on machine work as you will on regular "hard" parts... but if you're going to keep the motor, you should do the machine work.

I was also told by a few guys on here to buy the rebuild kit from the machine shop, for two reasons. 1, they'll be more careful with your motor, since they're making more $$ off you. 2, say the bearings they give you don't fit- you'll hand them back, they'll give you a new set. Order your rebuild kit, and you have to wait for the new bearings to come in, send your old ones back, pay for shipping twice, etc. Makes sense to me for the extra $100 or so for the machine shop's price.

You could send http://www.pawinc.com the money for their huge frickin' catalog, too- it'll give you an idea of cost. Their catalog is basically every manufacturer's catalog squeezed into one book, so it's worth the $5.

 

Oh yeah, don't forget tools. Torque wrench = a must. Will you measure the clearances or ask the shop to do it? If you do it, you'll need micrometers and dial gauges and calipers and etc. You could also use plastigage, too. Engine cleaning brushes, ring installers, gasket sets (felpro!), new timing chain (definately). Will you re-use your connecting rods if they're not cracked, or will you buy new, stronger ones? Etc...

 

i wouldn't waste my time or money on plastigage, if you want to do it and do it right invest in some precision tools

 

You should definitly do it if it's a corvette motor because hey, what's better than a corvette motor? Nothing is, that's what!

 

thanks for all your help guys, I am going to try to get some casting numbers to see if this motor is what i hear.

thanks again,

Ben

 

1500 at the cheapest Then It ranges from 2000 to how ever fast you want to go.

Do this

go to www.google.com

Search for

Engine rebuild short block long block prices


You will find a load.

 

tpi guy what exactily is differant in a SBC sitting between the frame rails of a vett and a SBC sitting in a f body? i figure 400 or 500 dollars for parts doing a economey rebuild, no shop work, but then agaibn i do a lot of things people pay a shop to do. it's pretty easy to have 2000 in a engine, parts and machine work

 

As cheap as $250 and as expensive as $1000 out of all that I have rebuilt myself. Platigauge works fine if that is all you have.

 

I noticed that summit has some engine rebuild kits for about 350 bucks, is this a decent way to go? I am trying to build this engine for street use, nothing that needs to be pulling 10Krpms just enough to be reliable and perform well on the street.

-ben

 

Yes, that should work fine. I have even used a junkyard 350 with a rering and bearing and it runs good and has lasted over 75,000 without problem.