I found a '58 Chevy 348" for $400, should I buy it?

Gosh darn it I'm good, I'm a snoop of the highest order. Anyway I found a 1958 348" Chevy W big block for $400 really close to my house. It's complete, as in generator, pulleys, starter, intake, exhaust manifolds but no carb. The engine is stuck, supposedly when it was removed eons ago it came out of a running car.
The old 235' in my wife's '60 Brookwood is tired, reliable but tired. As far as I know this engine's a bolt in proposition, even to the Powerglide, but it comes with a good three speed.
I'm thinking this is too good to pass up, but I've heard these engines are expensive to rebuild. I looked at the Kanter catalog......whoooooey, the shit's pricey.
But I'm thinking it could be as simple as a hone and a re ring, you never know.

Should I buy it?

 

Be careful, those engines (348 and 409) are known to crack.

 

Really jdubbya, never heard that.
My prior experience with a 348" was in a '59 ElCamino some 13 years ago. I wish I'd never sold her, my favorite car/truck ever.. The big bastard smoked like a bitch, but it took me to San Antonio and back no problemo, 'cept using two cases of motor oil. And the bitch was fast too.

 

In 59 they added a water jacket around the spark plug.

www.348-409.com
www.dr409.com

 

Make sure its a car motor not a truck. There is a site called www.348-409.com tons of info on these motors. $400.00 for a complete is not bad these are expensive to rebuild. Good luck John

 

Nads, one of the fastests cars I was ever in was a 58 chev punched out,with a hot cam and a 4 speed. The only problem I know of is they need screw in studs in the heads.Buy this thing with a give back if its cracked.--TV

 

Hey Nads, a little info on putting the 348 into your 60. You will need 58-64 Chevy big car V8 frame mounts, the ones that bolt to the crossmember. Your cast iron Powerglide from a 235 won't bolt up to a V8 as the bolt pattern is different. 230-250 6 banger pattern is the same as V8. You will need a bigger radiator and a radiator shroud ( a shortened 59-63 big car snall block one works ) as W-Motors run hot if you don't have at least a 3 core rad/shroud combo. The throttle linkage arm and rod need to be changed to a V8 one and you can use one off of most big 58-64 V8 Chevy cars. Hope this helps you out a little. Max

 

Hey Nads,
We (Sealed Power) still offer rings, bearings,oil pump,timing set,cam, lifters,and our Fel Pro gaskets for the 348. We no longer make the pistons, but the 348 is a 4.125 bore engine (same as a Chevy 400 SB) and I've had shops install a rod bushing and use them (cheap!) in these engines if neccesary.
Just a FYI.
Glenn "Purple" Hayes

 

WHat is the difference between the car and truck engines?

 

Egge Machine has pistons if'n you need 'em.

 

buy the damn thing nads. rip the heads of check it out. do you have any marvel mystery oil left from the time we freed up the zodiac. use it. if its a bust put it back together and sell it for five hundred bucks at webster. anyhow glen has parts. DO IT.

 

That mill should have been on your shop floor before you even posted this. you cant loose.

Billy

 

[ QUOTE ]
if its a bust put it back together and sell it for five hundred bucks at webster

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe that was meant to be a joke, but if not, it really sucks, IMO. Just turn around and screw somebody else? Remind me not to buy anything from you!!

 

Thanks Max, thanks Glen, much obliged on the help.
I talked to the wife and she seems to like the idea. I'm gonna go check out the numbers on the block to make sure what it is. I think I'll just go ahead and use the three speed. Will the driveshaft need to be shortened? I think it will, the PG looks much longer.
And TagMan, young Zor's kidding, I would never knowingly screw someone, no way no how.
Plus I've never set up at Webster.

BTW this guy's also got a '60 Sedan Delivery that's got me thinking about horse trading. Man that is a vehicle and a half. It's $4500, all the metalwork's done, it's got no engine or tranny or front glass. All the trim's there plus it has a clear Florida title. He says if I buy the delivery the motor's free.

Dang it sucks to be poor and have all your money tied up in cars and bikes.

 

waste!!!! as said before SBC all the way!! what to do on the side of the road?...think simple fix..your wife will be driving it..hell I tried to give ya motor and trans for 500.00 and nooooooooo to good to shop here huh?

 

Truck engines have a double cut away compression relief in the block seeing as the compression chamber is in the block and the heads are flat. The truck engines are 7.75 to one. Good blower block. If you put in 11 to one pustons you get about 10 to one. That double cut away is the only differance in the block. The truck dist. is allso differant. www.348-409.com
John