Projects 454 truck engine

I ran across a 454 truck engine yesterday. ( Are these any good for hot rods? )All disassembled. Appears to be complete though. Also found a 283 or 327(didn't run the numbers). Turns over by hand.
The guy that had these was a do it all kind of guy. Not a hot rodder by any means. My question is should I try to get them both and what is a fair price to pay for unknown engines. I can almost guarantee they're not junk. The party that is responsible for clearing the estate doesn't know a whole lot about these. They're a non profit so all the money goes to a good cause. I just don't want to over pay nor do I want to be insulting and offer too little.

 

How much are you willing to gamble?

 

A compression test was one way of det. value. Guess I'd look at piston wear & cylinder ridges

 

What are you planning to do with these engines, if you get them? That might make a big difference in how much money you should offer for them.

 

Want vs need in my opinion. I/e I need a BBC right now for an OT project, so I'd be apt to pay more for it than wait for the perfect one to come along. I don't need a SBC right now, so core price is all I'd pay for one in front of me. If I didn't need either, then core price is what I'd pay for both.

 

It is an old, used engine. Assume it will need a full rebuild and offer accordingly.

 

Just thinking of picking them up for a someday project. So the consensus seems to be core price. What is a core price?

 

depends where you are...but usually $50-500 depending on the rarity of the engine.

 

Consider them as cores and make an offer accordingly.

 

Mark IV 454 is getting rare
GenV has no fuel pump boss
$500 is fair for an assumed rebuilder.
That's what I paid for a complete 454 to get the 4 bolt block.

 

Set your mind set along the lines of, "if this motor is any good it would be in a vehicle running". With that being said, offer low because we are talking about a truck engine and not an L-88. I would not pay more than 250 for any motor , because you never know.

 

If the 454 is a tall deck it's not worth much. See people try to give away running engine no one wants tall deck block. The crank is all that's good in that engine.

 

Chevy never made a tall deck 454. The tall deck was the 366 and 427, used in medium trucks. 454s were used in cars for a few years, then in pickups and motorhomes for a long time. (1/2 through 1 ton rating)

 

Sorry it was a 366.

 

The tall deck 454 casting number is
10114182 according to the info I can find.
Most likely found in a motor home built in 1991 or later.
Most big block casting numbers listed here http://www.roadsters.com/bbc/
I did find a tall deck 454 on Ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/V8-454-Mot...njected-Tall-EFI-Block-10114182-/182825901949

 

Buy it as if you have to rebuilt it as others have said.

 

I have a tall deck 366 in my OT 76 C65 chevy ten wheeler. Great engine for a tow rig. Good torque and will use much less fuel than a 350. The 366 crank is steel it will fit in 396 - 402 and 427 blocks if its rebalanced.