HELP, Need engine advice, does this look okay?

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jmlcolorado

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
1,839
Location
The flat plains of Elbert County, CO
Sooooo........I was making some good progress on the rat, till I built the exhaust and went to fire it up and fond the engine has spun mains :(
Well, I've never built a motor before, and the rat has been pulled out of the garage till I get a motor built. It's been a few months now.
I'm afraid if I don't get fuel to the machine soon, ill loose all interest and it'll just finish rotting away in the yard :(
I don't normally come across money, and I was hoping to build my own motor, but the clocks a tickin.

SO, with my tax return, and some extra side work, I've got some cash to play with. Not much really, but some.
My thinking is to snag up a halfway decent motor and I think my motivation will return.
I came across this on Craig's and I want some opinions from guys who know SBC's. is this something I should entertain?

http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/3590347851.html

"SBC 383 Short Block, Forged Internals, Roller Cam - $1600 (Morrison)
383 Stroker (350 with Stroker Kit)

Block: studded 4 bolt 350 block , fresh t/p bored and honed, align honed,durabond cam bearings and brass freeze plugs

Crank: New scat 9000 series hi per stroker crank

Rods: SCAT 4340 I BEAM 5.7

Pistons: Forged ARIAS.10.:1 cc

Timing components : TRUE ROLLER DEGREED TO SPEC

Oil System: Factory oil pan, . New m 55 Hv pump and steel rod/ with welded pick up

Cam Shaft: CROWER Hyd Roller
New Comp Retro Hyd Roller Lifters

Misc. engine parts: Arias file fit rings, Clevite 77 tri metal bearingss,
all components , and timing cover , oil pan studded for custom appearance.

Balancing: All work performed on Sunnen digital equipment
$1600"






By the looks of it, he has quite a bit of the major components installed.
I have a set of heads, though they are likely completly wrong for this setup, but maybe I can rebuild my iron heads with new valves sized properly for the 383?

I dunno...... It's either this or I buy a totally unknown running crap sbc for now till I come across another pile of money I can have one built.
I don't mind putting more effort in an engine to "finish it up", just not sure I'm game to learn the entire process just now.

Realistically, I need someone that has the ability to walk me through the process. If I get this short block, give me direction as to what I need to finish it up.
 
that is a healthy short block. the cam and lifters are an easy 500 bucks new. the pistons are forged, so timing, and octane must be right, for fears of detonation. as long as the ad is true and complete, then it is a reasonable price.
 
I don't have much direct experience ... but I always have an opinion.

I say get your project on the road ASAP since you already feel the motivation slipping away.

You could go check this thing out and have all the big parts:

--

http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/3597083233.html
1972 Chevy C10 Classic Truck - $1000 (Aurora/Tri-state)
72 Chevy 2 wheel drive pick-up truck. Rebuilt 350/350 auto. Power disk brakes and steering. bah blah blah

--
Best of luck! [;)
 
I don't have much direct experience ... but I always have an opinion.

I say get your project on the road ASAP since you already feel the motivation slipping away.

You could go check this thing out and have all the big parts:

--

http://denver.craigslist.org/cto/3597083233.html
1972 Chevy C10 Classic Truck - $1000 (Aurora/Tri-state)
72 Chevy 2 wheel drive pick-up truck. Rebuilt 350/350 auto. Power disk brakes and steering. bah blah blah

--
Best of luck! [;)

Hum. You might be into something here.
I could hear the engine run, and maybe even drive it. Buy the whole truck, part it out, or scrap it. Though part would be getting rid of a 72. I had a resto mod (before resto mod was a term) 72 In high school. I'd sure like one of them too :)
Might hit this guy up and see hp what he has to offer.
Thanks!
 
Looks like that's what the parts should run and he's throwing in the machine work for free.
Has he already put the short block together ?
On the compression ratio. That may be with 64 cc heads. If you use 76 cc heads, the compression ratio would be lower and you wouldn't have to run higher octane fuel.
 
Looks like that's what the parts should run and he's throwing in the machine work for free.
Has he already put the short block together ?
On the compression ratio. That may be with 64 cc heads. If you use 76 cc heads, the compression ratio would be lower and you wouldn't have to run higher octane fuel.

I agree, I don't think I could build the short block with the same parts and machine work for that price.
I don't know if he has put it together yet, I haven't contacted him.
Realistically, I wold love to get a block that is already machined for parts, and all the arts included and leave it up to me to put it together. This route would allow me to gain some knowledge about the process, without the brain damage of finding what parts to match up.
 
Just built a 406 hydraulic retro roller myself, although i enjoyed the build, just about every piece is custom, that my friend =$$$
I don't know about you but they say hind sight is 20/20, with that being said I would buy a crate motor!
 
Man I just read through your build thread-your truck is freakin awesome don't loose your motivation. I'm with wickedfast-buy a crate motor and get that beast on the road!!! I bought a pretty wicked short block for my Stingray years ago and spent alot of time and $$ getting it on the road.
 
Man I just read through your build thread-your truck is freakin awesome don't loose your motivation. I'm with wickedfast-buy a crate motor and get that beast on the road!!! I bought a pretty wicked short block for my Stingray years ago and spent alot of time and $$ getting it on the road.
Thanks a ton! It's taken me a long while to get it where it is. It's been quite an adventure and honestly, I couldn't bring myself to loose sight of the finish line of this project. This truck means more to me then it really should, just because of the literal blood, sweat and tears I've put into it. Plus, as with many vehicles people put their hearts into, my asking price would be beyond realistic for anyone to bite :)
BTW, I commend you for going through my whole build thread. That thing is LONG! Your attention span is obviously much higher then my own :)

buy a crate motor and dress it up yourself to save a buck or two. If yu get it on the road, you will get the motivation again.
I truly think if I had any engine in between the rails, and got it to fire up, motivation would come back full force. But at the same time I don't want to be constantly be questioning if the power plant I decided to put into The truck is gonna let me take the truck on that next trip, ya know?
I think I'd have the same doubt if I scratch built my own as well, due to my lack of building knowledge.
So in that respect, a crate engine is a no brainer.
However, the learning experience and total satisfaction of piecing together my own power plant would be tremendous! And I'd almost feel guilty just snagging a crate and plopping it in without my own fingers in it, since the rest of the truck has had nobody else on it but me.

Moral dilemma here :)
 
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Aright guys, here's the low down on this short block.
I talked to the guy this morning via email, seems nice enough with some minor joking through the correspondence.
This may seem superficial to some, but I would immediately be turned off if the guy was standoffish.
I asked if he had this built yet, if so when was it built. Also asked if he had any miles on it and if he had receipts for the parts and machine work.

He replied back asking for my social security number, address, full name, mothers madden name ect, in order for him to provide the info I requested :) (see above comment)

He said it is currently out together but recommends the rings and bearings be checked prior to adding heads. (This sparked additional questions from me)
He said you can see the part numbers on the crank, pistons, rods ect with no heads on it. So I can verify parts at least.
He does not have receipts for the work on it, and all he has is the "build sheet" posted on CL.
:/

I returned his email saying: it sounds like you've run this engine then. I asked what he was using it for, street, strip ect?
Also asked what kind of miles are on it and what his reasoning was for selling just the short block and not at least a long block.

His response was that he had never used it. He bought it with the intention of getting heads and stabbing it into his nova. He never got to it and has too much going on. Paid over $2k for it and the guy he got it from used it on the street but "not many hours on it and it spins freely"

So with that said, it looks like I would be buying someone else's stuff who bought it from someone else. Who doesn't know the total history of the motor.
I think I'll heed your advice and keep the cash in the pocket till I can order a crate to my specs. At least at that point, I would "know" the entire engine is new, and likely get a warranty on it.
Would you agree?

DAMN!! Now I gotta wait LONGER! :)
I think it's time I clear out the garage and get the truck back in there and start doing something, anything, to it. I have a list of all the things that need to be done anyways so I can work on suspension, brake lines, ect till the funds are more readily available.

Geeze, that was a long winded post :)
 
I can understand your dilemma-but man you have done so much and did such a killer job. Get her on the road-you can always build a motor later on down the road and use the this motor for your next project-cause you know there's gonna be one! Besides it never hurts to have a "spare" motor sitting around, just in case you push her a little to hard and break something!
 
Okay, how bout this route.
I buy an older vehicle, with a running, driving engine. I test drive the vehicle before pulling the motor. Use that to temporally bring the truck to life. Drive it now and then, and in the mean time, go this route:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-Block...pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

This way I could buy a totally new long block, all parts already matched to make a predetermined power plant, then I could put the thing together myself.

I feel like this covers the best of both worlds. I have an engine to finish the build and get me by while I actually out together my own, new setup?
 
Smart move on passing on the short block.
It seems most of the time the sellers always seems to leave out important information.
The engine on dabay, is not all bad, if you didn't live so far from Tennessee.
The freight might eat you up.
I'm with ya on the, get one that's running, slide it in your rig, get it driving and play with the other one as time and currency allows.
Isn't there an engine shop close to you that would work with you on a similar build ?
Take the specs to them ask if they would supply the parts, do the machine work and let you assemble the engine.
I've got at least 8 or more shops around me that does this all the time.
 
Smart move on passing on the short block.
It seems most of the time the sellers always seems to leave out important information.
The engine on dabay, is not all bad, if you didn't live so far from Tennessee.
The freight might eat you up.
I'm with ya on the, get one that's running, slide it in your rig, get it driving and play with the other one as time and currency allows.
Isn't there an engine shop close to you that would work with you on a similar build ?
Take the specs to them ask if they would supply the parts, do the machine work and let you assemble the engine.
I've got at least 8 or more shops around me that does this all the time.

I have a number of shops near by, but I dint know many local people with any experiance with them to get reviews. I had a buddy go get a crate motor from a "reputable" shop, but has had nothing but issues from them. They cut brackets and "welded" them back together, poor timing adjustments, all in all, just was not a good experience.

But, I will certainly talk to shops around me and get there thoughts.
 
Man.....don't ever give that stuff (information) out....

He replied back asking for my social security number, address, full name, mothers madden name ect, in order for him to provide the info I requested (see above comment)

It sounds like a scam and with your SS number all that other info.....you have Identity theft.....you are a lucky guy you didn't send him that stuff...my guess it's a total scam....probably doesn't have jack ...no motor nothing....total scam....JMHO.....
 
He replied back asking for my social security number, address, full name, mothers madden name ect, in order for him to provide the info I requested (see above comment)

It sounds like a scam and with your SS number all that other info.....you have Identity theft.....you are a lucky guy you didn't send him that stuff...my guess it's a total scam....probably doesn't have jack ...no motor nothing....total scam....JMHO.....

He was completly joking. In my origonal email to him, I had applogized for drilling him with questions. His response was simply "lightening the mood".
He did reply with answers to all my questions.
 
Summit sells pre-machined SBC blocks for around $600 and you build it. I would do that or buy a standard crate engine for what you expected to pay for the other. I am a big fan of buying a running driving car and you may get spare trans and rear end and sell off parts of what is left to buy upgrade stuff. I got a strong running Olds 455 for $300 and it had a good trans as well.
 

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