So.. I've got to get a new motor for my C10. I have a few options and was wondering what would would be the best investment for resale value? I could get a new 350 crate for about $2K, rebuild mine for about $1800, or I have a friend who has one with pretty low miles who wants $800. Is the crate worth the investment? What do you guys think??
get a new Chevy 350 260HP engine. they are $1499 right now at Jegs with free freight. i've used a bunch of them . comes with a 3 years 36,000 mile warranty when installed in a GM vehicle
Are you looking for stock, or something with more power? Your buddies engine would be a good alternative, if you just are going for a stock motor.....something with some more power, you could consider re-building your engine, or go the crate route.... Depends on what you want, and on your abilities.... Tom
I could have gone crate for my motor swap, but a friend had a 350 long block that he had played with. It's got worked 305 heads with 2.02/1.60 valves, double roller chain, hi volume pump, etc. I saw it before making my mind up. He tossed it at me cheaper than a catalog long block and I trust his work. knowing him and his reputation, I didn't hesitate to end up with a nice engine, help a friend and save some money. How well do you know your friend?
forgot to say......have you heard your buddies engine run? unless i have heard it run , driven the car and pulled the motor myself i consider used motors cores for rebuilding. eBay and Craigslist are full of motors that " ran good when pulled". i've always wondered if it ran so good why did he pull it?
I don't know the guy too well. He's my friend's brother in law. From what I've been told he's been building cars since he was a kid. He took the motor out of his 69 Camaro and installed a 400 hp 383. He said he would include a tranny with it which I don't really need. The thing is, I may plan on selling the truck soon. I'm not looking for anything high performance. I'm looking for best resale value. Was wondering if its worth the extra $$$ to get the crate. If it will pay off when selling it. If so, how much more do you guys think? Is it considerable or not really? Thx for the replies and advice...
If you're going to sell the truck off, then maybe going with the $800 dollar motor might be a good way to save money and maximize your sale price. With that being said, unless you've seen and heard the motor run, you should stay cautious. The $1499 engine from Jegs is also a great alternative because it's all set to go. Drop it in and start her up.
My 55 Chevy wagon needed an engine. Shoulda went with a crate motor. But bought an old Chevy van for $500 with a fresh rebuilt 350. Turns out it's a 305 with around 50,000 on it. Still, I used the good parts off my tired engine and got a decent runner that's been in there for years. Life's a gamble.
Been a few years but it used to be that GM offered either a brand new engine or a reman. One was called a "Targetmaster" & one was called a "Mr Goodwrench" engine. Big difference in price with the new engine costing quite a bit more. It was my experience that the new engine was assembled in Mexico and was a roll of the dice. Pulled the pan on one and found it full of metal shavings, saw dust, etc. The reman was completely rebuilt in the US, came with the same warranty, was half the price, and was a better engine. No clue if that's still the case.
A recently freshened up 350 for $800 or a $2K crate motor that you'll have to completely "dress" as well. The friend's cousin's neighbor's bro-in-law motor might be just fine and it comes with extras that spell "rebate". My advice is assuming you trust your source even though I smack-talked it a bit (can't help myself sometimes). That advice is that you won't see .10c more money by spending $2k on a new 350 vs a "good one" that your prospective buyer will no doubt drive before they buy. You don't need the trans so you sell it to pay for oil, gaskets, fasteners, belts, and any number of other nickle and dime expenses needed before it becomes fully turn-key. I happen to have a known 350, heard it run, have known the guy for decades and trust him completely. It'll land between my fenders without a shadow of doubt. Just sayin...
what;s the truck worth? will a new engine really be worth it? are we talking 10 k plus or less than 5k?
The truck is pretty much done. Its a 62 C10 short bed. Bagged in the rear, c-notched, 4 linked. Front lowered on drop spindles. New front and rear springs. The truck drives really smooth. New and relocated gas tank. All the work was done by well known shop locally.. Custom bed, all new chrome, new interior, radial white walls with custom wheels. All new electrical, electric fan, aluminum radiator, headers, dual flowmaster exhaust out the side before the rear wheels. Lokar floor shifter, auto 350. New seals, painted engine compartment, chrome pulleys, new alternator, new MSD distributor, electronic ignition with push button start. Great sound system with hidden deck, door speakers, tweeters, and two custom subs behind the seat. Power steering, power disc brakes in the front. New drums in the rear. New Autometer gauges and bezel. The paint is a 10 footer. Definitely a driver, not a show truck. I was planning on dealing with the motor then painting it again which should make it pretty much done. Was also considering bagging the front and trying to get the thing to lay frame but I don't have the capabilities and I know it costs some serious dough to get that done.
If you plan to sell it, I would expect that you'll get a better sale price with a fresh crate engine that's all shiny and new and that has a warrantee. Your truck sounds nice, why even consider humping an old unknown engine into it? The cost difference isn't much.
Not a bad deal. It looks like Summit is running pretty much the same deal as Jegs EXCEPT the crate motor at Summit (with the same GM part number) is said to be only 195 HP. So, I'm wondering, which is it? 195HP or 260HP? Specs seem to be the same. Nevermind, I just read the print: "These Chevrolet Performance Goodwrench 5.7L/350 c.i.d. engines have approximately 8.5:1 compression with an base horsepower rating of 195 hp and capable of up to 260 hp depending on intake and injection setup."
Personally i dont undersand why anyone would go a crate motor even for the same price, when a good engine shop can build exacly the motor you are going to want for your driving style and vehicle weight
I second that, with all the talk on here about out of country parts why would you buy a crate motor made in mexico just to sell it to some other hot rod guy? A good engine shop can rebuild your current motor for the same or a little less then the crate engine.
...or do it yourself. A small block Chevy is a fairly simple engine to rebuild, and takes no special tools to speak of. But, then, I've always enjoyed building engines. Body work, on the other hand, I hate!
Sounds like you have gone carte blanche so far. Why not go the "Full Monty" and command all the money possible. I suggest crate engine. Funny thing that happened to me is I did the same thing and sold my '64 truck couple weeks ago before I got my $2000 completed Mr Goodwrench 350 V8 engine installed. Buyer didn't want the crate engine. So now I'm looking for a rolling chassis to put it in.
go with the friend's motor and use the other $1200 on.... unless you consider the guy on craigslist a friend...
personally, I'd WAAAY rather have a motor I'd built myself than a crate motor assembled by some guy I dont know from adams off ox, but thats just me...
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