My buddy just ran his 87 vette out of oil. He is saying it will cost too much to rebuild it to keep it all corvette ($2500). My question is, WTF is the diff??? Why can't we just rebuild it like any other SBC???

 

The only difference should be the aluminum heads?

Probably a case of the machine shop trying to milk the Corvette weenies who think there's something magic about their car.

(It's ok, I'm a Corvette weenie too )

 

If he ran it out of oil there is nothing corvette specific to replace. All he needs is a roller 350 to bolt everything else up to.

 

Well, it might be a bit expensive to buy a brain, so he doesnt run it out of oil again...

 

SgtSkip, the only differences between a Vette L98 and a F-body L98 is the aluminum heads (and tubular exhaust manifolds). The rest is all the same right down to two bolt mains.

Their should be no differences in rebuilding a Vette L98 compared to a F-body L98. But, as mentioned many times by RB, the cost of the block is generally one of the smallest costs in building a 350. The main differences between L98 blocks and older 350 blocks are: 1) 1 piece rear seal and 2) the block is already setup for a roller cam.

Unless your friend has severly damaged his block, it shouldn't cost any more than any other rebuild. He should get a couple of more estimates and also consider purchasing a Motown 415 shortblock or even a new ZZ4. It really depends on what power level he wants.

 

Has the engine been disassembled yet?

Running out of lubrication typically take out the crank and possibly the rods. The situation has to be taken to an extreme before the block gets involved, and then you're talking main bearings only.

If it wasn't run long without oil (i.e., was shut down when the knocking started), then turning the crank, resizing the rods, and possibly an align bore will be all that's needed to get it going again along with standard rebuild parts.

Like everyone else is saying, it is just a standard SBC rebuild. If the $2500 includes engine removal and reinstallation, that isn't a bad price at all. If it includes things like cam and lifters (which are probably okay), then the price can come down if such parts look okay.

 

Thanks guys. I'll hit him up again today. The motor quit while going down interstate 15 so I'm sure the bottom end is toast. Hopefully I can talk hin into a rebuild...

 

First off, he needs to give the car to me so something like that doesn't happen again.

(Okay, so I just want a Corvette.)

 

Sorry to hear of what happened to the Vette...and if it helps,tell him I got my 350 motor rebuilt for 1550.(I pulled it and reinstalled,shop did the machine work and most assembly)
It can also sometimes depend on how bad the engine is and whats repairable/replaceable.
2500 for the shop to pull,rebuild,reinstall is a fair price.

 

Well, he decided he was tired of the vette and traded it on a 92 wrangler. He's going recruiting in PA so he figured the Jeep was more practical. At least he didn't trade it in on a *****! Thanks for all the input guys.

 

i was talking to a guy recently who seemed very knowledgeable and he said that vette L98s came with X-rods which are pink rods minus some final step that i can't think of off the top of my head. any truth? or just another myth?

 

Alot of 305's come with X-rods...they just have a higher nickel content than other rods, slightly stronger, but nothing that great.

Pink rods were magnafluxed and shot peened, then given a little smear of pink on them.

 

Man this is old.. How'd it get brought back up?

Interestingly enough, I have a Corvette now.

 

Too cool! The guy I was writing about is in Iraq right now!