Engine rebuild/replacement

In a previous thread I went through the machinations associated with determining if I had a bad cam or not on my old Vette. It turns out I have so it needs to be replaced.

With some egging on from some chums, I have decided to go ahead and pull the engine and try replace it, and lifters of course, etc.

As part of it, I tried to do the market survey to see what the options were.

A rebuilt motor is about 2-2500 around here (SBC 350), plus you'd have to get it put in.

I went to a dealer and a couple of garages and surprisingly, they could not quote me a price to fix the engine, or replace it with a replacement. The local garage does not do that sort of thing any more, only peripheral types of repairs (brakes, etc) - not the heavy duty ones like this. The dealer just told me about $100/hr - as long as it takes.

I admit I am a rank amateur for sure, but there is a lot to be removed to do all this and irrespective of experience, I figure I must be looking at 15-20 hrs labor to do all of this, which put me into the $4000+ range for a replacement engine and $1500+ just to repair it. Obviously if I could replace the cam with the engine in a could get away with not removing as much, but this way I can take a good look at all the subsystems as well. Steering hoses, fuel, vacuum hoses, etc.

Just wondering if I am all wet with that cost assessment to have it done. I decided to try pull it and do it for about $500 in parts and go through all the old hoses and such at the same time as it is out, so it is all moot.

I'm just curious.

Reply to
BSAKing
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Think we discussed this earlier. You'll spend about $4k to have a rebuilt 350 put in. Find a good independent shop that does that. Ask around. But you still have a rebuilt, quality can vary and there's no way to know. If you do the rebuild yourself, jobbing out the heads, crank polishing, miking parts, etc, you'll be in for many, many hours of work and still probably spend $1500 to do a good rebuild. Even then, make sure the head shop does good work. Nothing like "new," but you can't get new 350's any more. Personally, if I really wanted to keep the car and had the bucks, I'd find a good shop and let them do it all. While you're at it, see if you can mate a more modern 350 to your Vette. The Vette guys should know all about it. Depending on your desire to keep that car and your finances, you should think hard about unloading it and moving to something else. Bottom line is deciding if you need it or it's just a money pit.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

Be sure you get your original Corvette parts back, or there goes the value to a collector. My friend swapped his original Corvette 454 for just an ordinary 454, and there went his resale value.

Reply to
anniejrs

Reply to
Runk

It's not a daily driver (although I drive it when and where I want - I just don't need it for daily transportation) and it's just a tinker toy, so no real pressure. I'm not really a hard driver type nor a real mechanical type doing this for the sake of doing it - I just need the thing to go from point A to B when I want it, in an affordable manner.

I really don't plan on a "Full" rebuild, just the cam and the associated things. If it runs when I'm done with it - great. If not well - I'll figure something else out - maybe just sell it to the highest bidder and get something else, or not.

I have never done this type of thing before so I'll either experience the thrill of victory, or the agony of defeat. lol.

See how it goes.....

Reply to
BSAKing
.

Really? Last I checked GM would happily sell you a brand new Goodwrench 350 for less than $2000. Its certainly worth looking into..

HTH Ben

Reply to
ben91932

You're right. Don't know how I missed that. You've solved the OP's problem. That's what I'd put in the Vette.

--Vic

Reply to
Vic Smith

Ive had engines boiled out, machined, bored, balanced, with new pistons and other parts for $750.

Same machine shops will assemble for you if you want, for a little more.

Good as new? Probably, or maybe better.

Reply to
hls

Check the automotive machine shops in your area. cuhulin

Reply to
cuhulin

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