I have a rebuilt 235, 3 speed, enclosed driveline and 3.55 rearend in a 53 belair. Heres the break down: 1959 235, completely rebuilt at PER, bored .060 Pertronix ignition and flame thrower coil Steel tubed split header Rebuilt single carb New oil pan, fuel pump, starter and solenoid, engine mounts New clutch pack kit and trans mount Custom fabbed floor shift mount, 3 speed floor shifter included Resurfaced flywheel Reconditioned 3 speed, new bearings 3.55 rearend with complete brakes, new brake shoes, longer wheel studs The motor is still in the car. It starts right up, runs strong, never over heats, and never looses pressure. Motor, trans and rearend do not leak a drop of anything! Sounds awesome and has plenty of pep! Theres only 4600 miles on the engine rebuild and new clutch. Here's a picture of how it looks right now: Heres a video of how it runs and drives and sounds. Also you can see the floor shifter in action! My question is this: What would you pay for this drivetrain combo? Thanks!
If it's as good as you describe.....$1500........ I am NOT making an offer....just saying I think that's what it would be worth to me if I needed it. Of course, the old saying is "things are worth what you can get for them" trumps any opinion of a non-buyer.
thanks stray, I was thinking around in the same ball park. I think Ill set it a bit higher for some haggle room. Anyone else?!
Do you have receipts for the rebuild? And is the 3.55 ratio the "Powerglide" ratio or is that stock for a stick car?
i do have all the reciepts! and the car was originally a powerglide. I converted it to stick, so the rear is the 3.55
You couldn't rebuild all that from cores for $1500 so that would be a good deal for someone. That said, people are funny, seems a whole lot of them would rather pay $3000 for "new" rather then $1500 for "used" no matter how little used. Might take awhile to find a buyer unless your willing to give it away imho. Looks like a preety sweet setup for a 53 Bel Air, tell me your not selling it so you can put a sbc in it!
The engine is where 95% of the money is. The trans, like $75, the rear, like $100 plus the value of the brakes if they're fairly new. I'd suggest selling it as a lot and let the next guy deal with splitting it up. You might be able to pull more if you can show it was fully drivable and in good shape when pulled. When I sold the drivetrain out of my '50, which had a 235 but it was junk, the trans sold about a year later, I sold the bellhousing, most of the motor went to scrap and after about a year of ads so did the manual ratio rearend. Of course, a few months later someone needed one.
I have no idea of value, but put it on Boise cl. There are a bunch of guys talking of going to Portland swapmeet .
I think the trouble you'll have is finding a buyer looking for your exact setup that is local... I wouldn't pull it until someone can hear it run and see it drive. 1500 is a deal for that perfect someone...how many of those can you find?
I would agree that the most value in the drivetrain is the engine. Don't be afraid to break it up and sell the engine separately, as many people might not want the trans and rear axle. It will take the right person to pay full value for a straight six, and those will be folks who have a car they want to keep powered by a six. There are people who just love them, and will consider $1500 a fair price, but you're dealing with a smaller audience than you would be with a more popular engine. Also consider what someone might pay to have their 235 or other Chevy six rebuilt, and how your price compares to that cost. If it's not a real bargain by comparison, you might wait awhile to sell it. And the swap meet at PIR or Expo is a great place to sell, but you'd need to take the whole car out there so people could hear it run. Might be too late to get a space if you haven't already got one.
I'm guessing a grand max. Its a real low demand item. Most would prefer a rebuilt small block for the same money.... Its cool, and probably worth 1,500, but you are gonna have trouble finding "that guy"
Whatever you can get. I'll play lowball because thats all I get thrown, and say 750-900 for the engine, 50-75 for the trans, and 100 for the rearend. Used is used, regardless of what the condition is. I have a 427 chevy with 2,000 miles on it, and am in the same boat. No one wants to approach what I have in it, and still want to pay either core, or 1989 prices. Don't take me wrong, I'm not putting anything down, just giving you what I have been encountering recently.
one thing for sure, a running drivetrain in a car is worth more than one sitting in the garage with a guy saying it runs real good. $1500 doesn't sound bad for someone who needs the whole thing.
Receipts are great (every engine is "rebuilt" without them) and having the powerglide ratio rearend is also a big bonus. If I was doing an early Chevy like that, I'd be interested in this setup, but I think I'd want to pay less than a grand. At $1000 or more, then I'm thinking about swapping to a V8 or doing something different. If I wanted to sell, I'd ask $1200 and hope to get $1000 or close.
I'll agree with some of the above that the $1500 price is probably fair as long as it's still in the car and any potential buyer can drive/hear it run. Once it's out on the floor it'll be just another old used motor to the majority of buyers, receipts or no receipts.
If you were closer to me I'd be talking to you about that 235. I will likely be in need of a good one soon.
I think there is no doubt that even truly interested 6 cylinder fans would LIKE to buy this setup as cheap as possible......BUT....if they are determined to keep a 6 cylinder, and several here on the HAMB claim that, then comparing a documented rebuilt engine and trans and a highly desired rear end ratio, with the cost of rebuilding your own, and sourcing the rear gears, it's a "deal" at $1500 or so. Agreed, not everyone fits that mold, and some that do are a bit distant, but it only takes one guy, not dozens, to make a deal. Those valuing the rear end at $100 should ask themselves, if THEY had 3.55 PG rear end to sell, would they take $100, given the constant demand for them here on the HAMB, not to mention other venues? Same for the rebuilt trans. I may be wrong in my opinion, and I am not so much "defending", as explaining my reasoning. I do agree with those that say it needs to be in the car, and able to be test driven etc. to get decent money, even from someone who really wants it.
I think $1500 is real fair, and if my 52 station wagon deal hadn't fallen through, I'd be sending you a money order.
I may be out of the loop, but I'm in the $900-1000 ballpark if it is still in the car running and driving an no more than $500 for all if it is pulled. When pulled it's just a core. I'm one of the people that would pay to have a core machined and build it myself rather than buy a pig in a poke with no warranty. Paperwork helps, but doesn't guarantee anything
that PG rear is easily worth 150-200. they ain't making any more of em, and they didn't make too many to start with. ( not counting Patricks gear swap kit)
I just bought a 61 235 with headers chrome valve and side covers and a new in the box petronics ignition system plus other new parts for 200 dollars and it ran good,it came out of a 51 Chevy 2 door hardtop that is getting a V8 and the mileage on the motor is unknown. If you have the paper to prove the motor is rebuilt you should have no problem getting 1500 or possible a little more for the complete drivetrain but getting someone to take the whole lot might be hard unless they have the same car,you will probably have to sell it in pieces with the motor going first since it will fit may years and models but the rest wont.
WOW! Thanks for all the replies! ALL of them! I had no idea I would get two pages out of this thread! I agree, I feel that leaving the engine in the car to sell is better than sitting in the carport. I also agree that the 3.55 rear is kind of a rare bird. I further agree that things are only worth what someone is willing to buy them for. All said, I think Ill try fto hit the 1500. Ask a bit higher for the haggling. Ill try selling as a combo first, and if theres no takers, Ill part them out. I will be at the swapmeet for the 50th anniversary! I havent missed the swapmeet ever for 34 years in a row! Been going to every meet since I was 5! haha! The only thing in my life Ive done annually non-stop.
That's the exact setup I will be looking for once my body work is well under way. I think your asking price is fair. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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