Hi Guys,i would like to ask you what you think this 396 is worth keeping in mind that it is the correct casting #,correct engine id,within 3 months on my cars bld date,and is a 4spd id motor which my car is and came out of the same exact yr,model ,and powertrain setup.

This motor is as correct as you could get with the exception of the correct vin on the motor so with that being said along with the motor ibeing s as close to #'s matching as i could find what do you think its worth taking all this into consideration.

The motor is a 1969,396,325 hp for manual trany car. The orginal matching parts to the motor when it was built that are included are the 272 block,063 heads,067 intake,crank,and q-jet.

The block has been checked for cracks and was just bored .030 from std bore to a 402 and looks real clean. The heads will need a std valve job/rbld with guides and the crank is std and will likely need at the least an .010 cut. Rods,pistons,oil pan,timing cover,harmonic ballencer,and distributior are not included,just the matching block,heads,crank,intake,and carb
are included that are as close as you can get to #'matching for my car that i have seen.

So what do you think it's worth keeping in mind #'s matching is fairly important and worth something to me,this is not just a street hotrod where it would not matter.

Thanks....Scott

Scott, an assembled, running, and fresh NON NUMBERS matching 396, I sold for $1500, which is 300 less than I wanted. Add the numbers 'premium" to that 1500-1800 range.

pls

396/325HP engine... I would think $1200-$1500 to someone looking for that specific motor and if really "complete" (pullies, brackets, intake/carb/dist, etc).

The block has been checked for cracks and was just bored .030 from std bore to a 402 and looks real clean. The heads will need a
std valve job/rbld with guides and the crank is std and will likely need at the least an .010 cut. Rods,pistons,oil pan,timing
cover,harmonic ballencer,and distributior are not included,just the matching block,heads,crank,intake,and carbBlock, heads, crank, intake and carb is all??? I'd say $400-$500, maybe a little more for the fresh machine work, and possibly some for the "numbers", but IMO, not wortht more than $700... Of course, it depends on how badly YOU want this engine... But a 325HP is not desirable in stock form, except to a "restorer"


And think about this (no offense, honestly), but how anal do you want to get? No one will ever see the crank, the head numbers will be hidden, the intake and carb... As for the block, who's ever going to see the date? or the casting number? If the stamped numbers are still there, then everyone will know its not the original motor...

If the owner is asking more because ofthe "numbers", then he is looking for a sucker!

Tony you definately have a point that nobody can see most of the casting or pt #'s when the motor is in the car but hek if the car is in mint cond with the original chrome,interior,wheels,
body is great as is the paint then it becomes a value thing for me.

I was thinking the car would be worth conserdirably more with a motor that matched all the requirements for a # matching car with the exception of the correct vin on the motor but all else being correct.

Now if the car was not in good cond with all the other original parts still there i would definately aggree that it would not be worth paying extra money for a good #'s matching motor. I was just wondering what you experienced guys thought the motor would be worth taking into consideration the #'s matching aspect i was thinking about in making a decision to buy the motor and at what price.

Thanks for your insite....Scott

ttt,Anyone else have an opinion on this?

Thanks....Scott

You keep pushing the numbers matching thing!
what are you looking for?

If it's not the motor that came out of the car,
it wouldn't mean a thing to a person who's looking for a numbers matching car!

To someone like me, a period correct engine is just another car that had It's engine replaced, and a round about way to say not original.


Rocky

My 66SS is the same way, although I never looked close enough at the numbers to see how apart the motor was built compared to the car.

I wasnt looking for a matching #s car when I bought it (93) anyways, and after realizing that its not matching (Impala engine) but a correct year 1966 engine.

I like the fact that it is close enough to be original but I can personallize it the way I like it. I never was a stock numbers type anyways.

As for the 4 speed Muncie, its a completely different 1967# that came out of who knows where.

Chris R.

Rocky,chill,i am not out to fuffle any feathers, i just was looking for some opinions on the question i had because i was in a position to buy the motor and was wondering what some fellow T/C's thought it was worth.

The #'s stuff means a lot to some people and nothing to others,i guess it's all up to the individule.

And by the way your red 66 SS looks like a real nice car .

Scott

I'm not sure what you want me chill about, you asked for an opinion and I gave one! I was just wondering what it is your looking for anyway with all the period correct non original questions.
Here in the local paper a freshly machined 396 was going for $1200.00


Rocky

I would guess in the $500-600 dollar range. Im more in to 66/67 stuff and really not up on the 69 intake and Q-jets value but the block should be $200 + 100 for fresh bore, heads about $150, crank $75, intake & carb I would guess 100-150 maybe?????. A lot of other factors would affect the value in your mind. It sounds like U really want a period correct and original appering motor, so that would make it worth a bit more and how long have U been looking for the stuff???? Ive havent seen a late 67 block or heads locally for my 67 in 5+ years. Then to get most of the correct dates at once. It takes some people a couple years to find correctly dated components and that's paying a good amount for the stuff. What is the guy asking for the stuff?? U never said

Man, you guys are making me feel that I ripped someone off by selling a fresh, running 396 for $1500. Yikes, they've gotten inexpensive. Sorry Scott, I was really high on that one, apparently.

Scott,

Personally, I too would rather have something closely dated (Casting number-wise) to the car then not, and I probably would be willing to spend a little extra for it, but with such a common piece as the 1969 325 HP block, I wouldn't pay a huge premium...

I am pretty sure these blocks (same casting numbers) were probably also used in full-size cars and maybe Camaros. Its not like there are differences between "Chevelle" blocks and "Impala" blocks, or manual trans versus automatic. They are the same! and with the "stamped" numbers, EVERYONE will know its not original to the car...

I hope you realize, I am not bashing you or your ideals, just trying to help keeping you from getting taken advantage of by someone trying to make more money off you because its a "Chevelle" block...

To each his own. To me, once the original engine is gone, its gone! It will never be matching numbers again (thats why matching numbers are so desirable) . With a "correctly dated" replacement engine, its almost (IMO, almost) the same idea as a clone (oh boy, maybe I shouldn't have brought that up). To replace it with the correct casting number block is okay, and even thinking about the casting date if one has a choice of pieces (although seems a little anal and fishy if someone is only searching for correctly dated pieces), to make it "appear" correct... And by the way, I personally don't mind clones.

In reality, it is worth what ever you are willing to pay.


Gene, you said your was an assembled, running, and fresh NON NUMBERS matching 396, I sold for $1500Scott was saying only block, heads, crank, intake and carb (no rods, pistons, etc. I am assuming no tin, and no bearings, gaskets, labor, etc)... :rolleyes:

$1500 isnt bad for fresh 396.... were talking a partial 396 with only the block being machined. By the time U add crank grinding, valve job, cam & lifters, T. chain, oil pump, gaskets, and time to assemble. In this neck of the woods U can still find rebuilable 454's for $500 range but good running ones are considerable more. I just seen a guy pay 850 for a 67 396 longblock that was dated corectly for his car.

I have a question concerning a "matching numbers" car: I assume that if a person has only an original block with the correct VIN number that from there they can acquire "period correct" heads, intake and exhaust manifolds, carb, distributor, tranny and rear end and validly, based on what I'm hearing, have a matching numbers car and attain all the high esteem and monetary value attributed to it. Of course, "validly" means that they are out of integrity concering the add-on stuff, but if it's all or nothing then, unfortunately, few will choose nothing. It seems to me that if some middle ground is not established that with advanced stamping techniques we will see matching numbers cars magically develop at an increasingly rapid rate.

Scott: Buy it if your in doubt as it's better than $$ in the bank. BB 396's are becoming scarce but remember that alot of engine shops are grinding off casting numbers to accomodate guys like yourself that want to get close to all original. 90% of the Chevelle guys just want a crate 454 or 502 to drive as getting close to original will only be close but NO cigar. In the end some smuck will as the big question. Is everything exactly original and never been removed and you'll say NO.... BUT...! But then again when you pop the hood at a local cruise it's always nice to be somewhat close but I guarantee the nit pickers will come out of the woods to find some fault with your ride. Anyway-Buy the engine even if it's $3000...You'll be glad you did in 10 years.