Slither
September 21st, 2006, 10:57 PM
As some of you know, I ran across a side-oiler short block (block, crank, and big-bolt rods/pistons) after the hurricane. I lost the toploader and gained the short block. Little did I know that it lived two doors down from me for years! So, I thought about (fantasized of :rolleyes:) having the 427 kit with a real 427, instead of the 289/408 car I was planning, but quite frankly we need a house more than either of them:o.
I tore the engine down, and thought that it would need a couple of sleeves due to rust. I showed it to Maurice, and he said he thought it would build, but agreed that it needed the sleeves. I sent it to Bill at Southern Automotive to check out. For some reason, it had been a marine engine (even though it is a true side-oiler), so I wanted to have it evaluated to see where I stood with it. According to Bill, he had it "acid dipped and shot peened," and it is ready for machining, but he wants to sleeve out all 8 to be sure it will build strong. He said he had it in the machine room waiting to be done, but at about $100-a-hole I am out-a-there. He mentioned that the crank and rods had some rust pitting, so I am not sure if they are usable.
I am not forced to sell it, but I need to be realistic. Compared to a small block, a side-oiler is an expensive toy to build. If I ever get the chance to have a car, it will likely be the small block (and that is just peachy by me:D).
So, could this make someone an interesting starting point for an upgrade or project? I realize that it is not a top-dollar piece, but it is the real-deal. Y'all know our situation down here, so I would ask for some help in determining its fair value. If I part with it, I would surely hope to get a fair price for it, just as someone making a purchase would like to make it at a fair price. This would also give the Unique family first dibs...
I suppose that I could always save it for a rainy day... but it went through Katrina, so that is a very scary thought:eek:!
I tore the engine down, and thought that it would need a couple of sleeves due to rust. I showed it to Maurice, and he said he thought it would build, but agreed that it needed the sleeves. I sent it to Bill at Southern Automotive to check out. For some reason, it had been a marine engine (even though it is a true side-oiler), so I wanted to have it evaluated to see where I stood with it. According to Bill, he had it "acid dipped and shot peened," and it is ready for machining, but he wants to sleeve out all 8 to be sure it will build strong. He said he had it in the machine room waiting to be done, but at about $100-a-hole I am out-a-there. He mentioned that the crank and rods had some rust pitting, so I am not sure if they are usable.
I am not forced to sell it, but I need to be realistic. Compared to a small block, a side-oiler is an expensive toy to build. If I ever get the chance to have a car, it will likely be the small block (and that is just peachy by me:D).
So, could this make someone an interesting starting point for an upgrade or project? I realize that it is not a top-dollar piece, but it is the real-deal. Y'all know our situation down here, so I would ask for some help in determining its fair value. If I part with it, I would surely hope to get a fair price for it, just as someone making a purchase would like to make it at a fair price. This would also give the Unique family first dibs...
I suppose that I could always save it for a rainy day... but it went through Katrina, so that is a very scary thought:eek:!