So how much did you guys spend?

[BlazerSpeed]

I'm just curious as to what you all spent on your motor buildups. I know I know, you dont ask a woman how fat she is, and you dont ask a guy for reciepts. I'm just starting on the motor for Black Sunshine, and I'm curious about a ballpark. whether you did it yourself, farmed it out, found it or stole it. Maybe this belongs in the engine Misc section, and if so I apologize.
DEREK

[Bill Howell]

Derek,
I have read this and waited for someone else to respond, but I will jump in and be the first to answer. Maybe a more interesting question, and less personal way to ask the same thing would be what percentage of the build budget is on the engine/drivetrain. Obviously, if you are building a car such as the mule, your engine budget is way more than my entire build budget on my malibu. However, I would bet that percentage wise, we would be in the same ballpark. Just doing some quick math, I can tell you that the last 3 cars I built, the drivetrain packages have been between 1/4 to 1/3 of the total budget. Even with the goat I am working on now, it will still fall in that same general area. Remember now, I am a poser, and may not be an average spender in this area. However, the goat will have a power adder and I am adding that improvement to the cost of the engine budget, so again, I bet my guess is close.
Remember, when asking real numbers, most do not want that info out for a varity of reasons- wife, friends,deals they got, even some that would consider that bragging.
Also, no two people have the same budget, so it would not really matter anyway since regardless of the answer, you probably would do something different with your engine anyway and that would change the price.
I hope this helps answer your question.

[SatisTraction]

what engine are you planning to run? I am running a LS1 backed by a t56. The "average" ls1 pull out combo runs about $4000. Then you add a cam, intake, headers, N2O, pullies, ETC. it adds up fast.

[Mean 69]

I get a kick out of this question. Most folks build motors that run on the street primarily, and tend towards a bit more than they need. Drag race guys are close to being in this category too, nothing bad intended, but that's my feeling. But then again, 1/4 mile at a time is pretty forgiving on a relative basis.

Road race guys? Well, the ones who have race cars usually spend oodles more money on a given engine, and the street rod guys look at them and think they are foolish. BUT! If you want a motor to run reliably, for many hard driven miles, setup and carefully chosen parts are critical. No, most folks don't fall into this category. Two guys I talked to today spent about $6k or so on their motors for really, really nice street rods (one was a stroker Chevy, the other a stroker Windsor motor). Keep in mind, these are show quality hot rods.

My car, in relative terms, is a POS. I have well over $10k into my stroker 383, and that's with me doing the final assembly. Machine work, as in "real" machine work, is not cheap. If you want it right, proper blueprinting is the key. I am not worried about spinning my motor to 7200+ RPM, on a road course, for a long time. A crate motor, or a hot rod type rebuild won't last in that environment. They will, however, last basically forever on the street.

It's all a question of what you want to do with the car. Of course, this is relevant to all other aspects of the car too.

The motor for the current car, which will also be road race durable, but will be an alloy big block will easily eclipse $15k for the long block, without induction. And that's a bargain.

Might be good to narrow the question.
Mark

[Steve Chryssos]

Uhh...'bout $7K? $7500. Don't tell my wife.

[Roger Poirier]

Derek,
I have read this and waited for someone else to respond, but I will jump in and be the first to answer.

Bill, finally a response from you that won't get everyone up in arms.
I think! Ha, ha, ha.

R.P. :slap:

[Bill Howell]

Give it time, give it time-lol
You going to Columbus this weekend? I may just ride up there, I have not been gone enough lately-lol

[shmoov69]

Pre turbo 350, about $1,800 - generic built by me 325RWHP/425RWTQ
Turbocharged 350, about $3,500 - again built by me and a friend 500RWHP/600RWTQ

[formula]

so far.....bout 700 bucks.

this may be why i have less than 200 horsepower.

[yody]

about $6500 from top to bottom, i did all the work myself except for the cylinder honing, and balancing

[Jagarang]

hmm.....
Roughly 11,00 motor...ops forgot something......make that 14,000(getting scary) :crying: :crying: :crying: This doesn't include radiator, hoses, A/C, accessories (PS, alt., coolers, etc.)
2000 on trany
2000 rear end
2500 brakes
Drive shaft ain't bought yet
2500 wheel/tires

I spent waaaaaaay more on the bodywork. Got shafted for a long time on it until Frank and I found one another.

Wiring, front suspension, interior, sound system, add on and on and on. It's the little bits that nobody thinks about that end up costing a BUNCH too. Little rubber bumpers for the ashtray, glove box, license plate, bezels, emblems, I have been through car financier wringer if your sensing some regret....

Very rough estimates haven't done any of the work this second time around. I did it the first time back in high school though mechanically at least....if that helps keep me from being banned from the board. The body was always a basket case since I purchased her in 1987.

[Rick Dorion]

Interesting question but too many variables. I have a spreadsheet for various approaches to my motor this winter. All require changing the rev limiter chip on my credit card.

[Roger Poirier]

All require changing the rev limiter chip on my credit card.


LOL, LOL, LOL..... :lol::lol::lol:

I believe we have all been there before!

R.P.

[CAMAROBOY69]

Right around $3,000 in my engine.
I had someone machine my engine into a 383 stroker. Im using stock cast heads. 194/160 valves. Im not into drag racing but my best time 2 years ago was 12.66 @ 108mph.

My 383 specs
-Holley 750 Double Pumper 0-4779C
-10.5---11 compression
-keith black pistons
-clevite mains and rod bearings
-chrome molly rings
-hydrolic cam
--12250-3 comp cam extreme energy cam 240 --- 246 duration
510 lift 110 lobe separation
.50 duration
-eagle rods
-cast crank
-edelbrock performer air gap intake[edl-7501]
-1970 heads194/160 valves machined for larger springs
-screw in rocker studs
-push rod guides

[69boo307]

I have probably in the neighborhood of $3000-3500 in my 357 combo. That with stock crank and rods and hyper pistons. If I'd bought new forged internals I'd probably be looking at another $2k at least.

I had a very hard time budgeting for my car when I started building it as well, mainly because everyone seems so secretive about that sort of thing for some reason. I had no baseline to go one because I couldn't get anyone to tell me what stuff cost. I don't know what the big deal is, I'll be glad to tell you what anything on my car cost.

[CAMAROBOY69]

I updated my previous post (post 14) with my engine specs so you can match the $$$$ with the parts inside.

[MuscleRodz]

I think I have spent around $4500 on my LT-1 including mods. It should be good for 375-400 flywheel hp on the dyno. AHHH..... the almighty cubic dollar. There have been several magazine articles over the years about that.

Mike

[Travis B]

Mike you have a PM

[parsonsj]

Ummm, let's see.

First ls1 (supposed 5k mile totalled car): $2700. Then I discovered the two spun rod bearings. I invested another $300 for replacement parts and $600 for machine work. So I'm at $3600. Add in a hotcam and I'm at $4000.

But that wasn't good enough. I bought a $3200 big bore from another rip-off artist in the west coast. I won't even begin to describe those problems.

So I bought a new LS2 re-sleeve block from Rapid ($3500), a Lunati rotating assembly ($3500), and a bunch of doo-dads and custom heads ($I don't wanna know). I'm still not done as I need a cam and more stuff.

Anyway, the final answer is $LOTS. As Steve put it, don't tell my wife.

jp

[Mean 69]

You know, maybe this should be split into two different questions. The first, "How much did you spend the first time you built the motor for your car?" The second, "How much did you spend to re-do it because you weren't satisfied with the first go around!?"

Me? Initial ZZ430 look alike was about $6k. Forged stroker kit, porting of the heads, shaft mounted rockers, custom solid roller cam, blueprinted block, road race oil pan..... About the same as the initial investment, maybe more!

Aye-aye-aye.....
M

[BlazerSpeed]

haha interesting set of responses, let me put it this way. I'm looking to build either an LT1, LS1, (also looked into ACCEL SuperRam EFI, and an old Hilborne Style injection system although those are both pretty high $) into a 383 most likely with a roots-style supercharger. i'm looking to hit the 425-450 HP/TQ range and still knock down decent (22+) mpg. My knowledge (what I can do myself completely) is more involved in custom interior pieces, bodywork, fabrication, and overall design(haha credits to a degree in Architectural Engineering :Alchy: ) . I was pretty sure that some of the motor gurus here could give me a ballpark on my figures, and i was just curious about some of the other projects on the boards.
DEREK

[MuscleRodz]

You know, maybe this should be split into two different questions. The first, "How much did you spend the first time you built the motor for your car?" The second, "How much did you spend to re-do it because you weren't satisfied with the first go around!?"

We don't want to go there. I decided a couple weeks ago that the LT-1 will not live up to the standard the Camaro is headed, so it is now going in my 69 Blazer project. :banghead: And the new motor for the 68 Camaro, it will require selling the Blazer to fund the new motor. :naughty:

Mike

[Charley Lillard]

Most people overlook the little stuff when they figure up the total. On the twin turbo Malitude, Stielow tallied up 800.00 in just -4 AN fittings and about 2500.00 in AN fittings and hoses total.

[Nine Ball]

no kidding Charley, I spent alot on fittings and such also. Those little things add up quickly!

I had about $24,000 invested under the hood of my '69. That included the forged internal LS6, ported heads, cam, supercharger kit, wiring harness, fuel system, ignition system, headers and exhaust system, etc... everything I needed to get the car running and looking good. I probably spent $2000 just on polishing and chrome plating though. It wasn't cheap, but it was fun!

Tony

[TonyHuntimer]

I estimate the cost of turning my 1971 402 BBC into a bored and stroked 433 was $8500. That includes the billet 4-bolt main caps, machine work, Custom JE stroker pistons, Scat crank, Scat H-beam rods, head work (on my oval port iron GM heads), roller hydraulic cam, titanium retainers, blah, blah, blah...

Don't tell my wife, even though I spent all that before I knew her.

I could have saved a bunch of money building a 427. If I had to do it again, I'd do the 427.

Tony Huntimer
RaceHome.com

[Roadrage David]

have spent 12500 usd for my custom build 461 pontiac stroker witch included a dyno test turn key engine.edel heads torkerII manifold eagle 4.25 stroker kit srp pistons en all the other goodies ..

[jeff s]

Cadillac Attack was $1500.
Y Gen 3rd Gen $3800 477hp
Evil Spirt $15,000 635hp

[Marty G Cars]

Lets see ... I have 20K+ in the 638 motor and about 5K in the FAST fuel injection, and it still isn't ready to drive. My 68 RS will be a different story as I plan to keep it a small block and pump up the 350 if it is worthy or buy a crate 383 with a total motor budget of around 5-6K.

[BB69]

Just happened to have some receipts handy. I figure this is a more basic build up. I ended up with a pretty stock 427BB. The only pieces that vary from stock specs are the cam, rockers, pushrods, and bolts. This makes for a very high torque (450), low HP (260) motor (breathes thru stuck 2" exhaust and stock intake.)

Cast pistons $326
Rings $43.89
Intake/Exhaust valves $105
ARP rod bolts $75
Valve stem locks $22
Hardened exhaust seats $48
Intake guides $24
Valve job $145
Install guides $75
Install seats $150
Resurface head $80
Recondition rods $120
Press pistons $56
Grind crank $75
Complete block (bore, hone, clean, magnaflux) $425
Taylor ignition wires $54
Head gaskets $91
One piece oil pan gasket $46
Air filter $38
Wire loom $19
Fuel pump $34
Original replacement main bolts with windage tray studs $35
Oil filter adaptor $16
Spark plugs $19
Carb rebuild $125
Complete engine bolt kit ARP $130
Head bolt kit $60
Main bolt kit $35
Timing set $95
Oil pump $30
Oil pump pickup $13
Cam/lifters $160
Oil pan $150
AL roller rockers $160
One piece pushrods $100

There are some small pieces left out, I'm sure. Also, I did the assembly myself. This is a very low dollar/low performance engine, but I have gotten a lot of good times out of it. It won't rev above 5500RPM, but with the torque it makes, it doesn't need to. Hopefully, this gives you some ideas. The best advice I can give is have your machine work done by someone you KNOW is good. I used a place that was recommended by someone who used them before. When I got my heads back, they still had shot in them from being shotpeened. Needless to say, I won't be going back there.

Ken

[USAZR1]

The engine in my 69 is a stone-stock 1971 350 with no mods but coated headers. It was already in the car when I bought it. The short block is is excellent condition so no plans to take it apart,yet. So far,I've purchased a pair of modified Edelbrock Performer RPM alum heads,Lingenfelter 74219 hydraulic roller cam,Comp roller lifters and retro kit,Edelbrock Performer RPM intake,Carb Shop-modified 670 Holley Avenger,and a Mallory HEI distributor. Everything but the HEI distributor was purchased in low-mileage condition. Total investment is less than $2K. Once the new parts are installed,I'm expecting the Mouse to produce around 350rwhp,get decent fuel economy,and live a long life.
Future plans are to build a all-alum 427 BBC.

[Ralph LoGrasso]

Derek,

A h/c 383 LS1 with a roots style supercharger (magnacharger?) will get you WELL over 425-450 hp/tq. You could get 425-450rwhp/tq with just a h/c 346 LS1, very easily on a 383.

[f-body]

Wow I guess I am in the wrong business. Not to be cheap but.. I have talked to several old time roundy round guys who use stock parts for thier engines. Now these are no Nascar high dollar parts. Its stock crank, rods and hyper pistons. I guess the claim rules keep them from using forged pistons, not sure. About the only failures I see are the hyper pistons, the cast cranks and stock rods with good bolts hold up fine. This is at 7000 rpms for many laps.
Now I know its apples and oranges. If you have the money to spend by all means over build your engine so you never have to do it again and it will last for the life of your car. It makes sense to build it right so you never have to build it again and it will handle whatever you through at it.
My little .060 over 350 with cast pistons, cast crank, and stock rods has seen many trips to 6500rpms. I put it together and its within spec but on the loose side. I bet its also slightly rich to stay out off detonation. I have literally chewed up a muncie m21(sheared the teeth of half of first gear), a Borg warner super t-10 and now I have cracked the case on my turbo 350 with TCI internals and 3500rpm nitrous converter. Comp cams extreme 275 grind with 490/490 lift, good valve springs, 882 heads with screw in studs and guide plates(2.02 1.60 valves) heavily ported by me, Smokey Ram SY1 with and 830 Holley, full Msd ignition, 1 3/4 Hedman Hustler headers. this is literally the "little engine that could". When I first built this engine many years ago I took it out and it went to 7400 rpms with a comp 280 grind. (Dont do that trust me) it was tire smoke all the way through third gear. For years this was my daily driver. Then like all things it got to sit up a while and I ported the heads some more and pulled it all apart and put new moly rings and Clevite bearings in it and checked all my gaps and it was still good. So now its got the comp 274 cam and a stall converter and its a lot of fun to drive. I can pull the spark plugs out right now and they are almost perfect with just a little tan on them and totally dry so I guess I did a good job on assembly.

I am saving my pennies to build a better 350 with forged internals for my Old Gale Banks twin turbo carb setup.I have the Dart Iron Eagle Platinum bare heads with 200cc intake ports in the closet waiting for a solid short block, when I decide on cam I will build them up to match.
I keep my eye on ebay for a less expensive richmond 6 speed cause thats also on the list, I dont like the auto. That and 3.73 gears means its not fun on the highway. Eventually I might bite the bullet and get a new one but $3000 for just the trans and then bell housing, clutch and all that will run a grand or so. So its kind of difficult to spend that much on a car that its worth less than that.

I am also looking at a mild forged piston 350 maybe with Edelbrock e-tec 170 heads for my 92 truck, like I said over build it so you can beat on it and not have to worry. Plus using the truck for towing it will see some hard work.

Now my 74 camaro is no where near pretty (ok its ugly)and way under budget compared to all the protouring stuff on here. But its got Global West bushings a-arm and subframe bushings, all moog stuff on the ball joints and steering linkage and Afco rear springs and Competition products subframe connectors. Its set upw with 74 Z28 alignment and it goes wherever I point it, I can steer it with the throttle if needed, (It drifts ok to LOL!!) .All new stock brakes with new rubber brake hoses new calipers ect, ect, what a difference that made. Since this is a street car I dont need to much high dollar stuff and I like to brag on how much I did not spend. But if I had it I would spend it. Not trying to get down on those that have more money than me, you just need to build what you can and make it work. Just understand there are limits to stock components.

As far as how much I have in my car. It would take about $8500 to build the entire car again. Like I said its ugly, but the car is fun as hell to drive. I guess its more of a rad rod as far as looks but its safe. I did all the suspension and brakes and then did the drivetrain. Its only about a 350 hp engine and I do all my own work. I can weld and bought a Tig several years ago so I can do pretty much whatever I need to. Half the fun is building, it seeing what it can do and build it some more. When it breaks you fix it and learn from your mistakes. When I get serious and get the first 74 Z28 restration going again I will most likely spend way to much on that one, but will do all the work myself. Its my first 74 Z28 so I want it done right.
Best bet is get a solid plan and lay it all out and make what you want and what you need. I have learned so much from all the high dollar stuff on here its incredible.

We have all followed all the Builds in the magazines from people like Mark Stielow and others on here and we have seen how his cars have evolved and how he applies what he learns on the next build to do it better or make a well rounded package. If I had that kind of budget I would be dangerous. I have motivation from all of your builds to keep me going. So keep building them! Big budgets or not, we all get to enjoy what others build.

[Taman]

I spent zip. I won the engine from Hot Rod Magazine.

[comp-spec]

Nelson 55k
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[dubbleu]

402BBC was $9000. Rollerized valve-train with aluminum heads. Not even sure about the horse power it will make. I would think over 500hp. Vintage air frontrunner kit pollished was over $3000. T56 magnum with all the jaz clutch, bell housing and hyrrolic clutch kit was $6000.

[TonyL]

I spent about 400 bucks.

=P

[79-TA]

With parts and machining my Olds 403 build came to nearly 6 grand . . . yea for that price I could have gotten an LS2 by the time I finished. Granted, the rest of the car wouldn't have been ready to accept the fuel injected engine.

The block was bored, line honed, and the deck was shaved a bit to ensure it was flat. The stock crank was heat treated, the rotating assembly was balanced to the gram, and the shop assembled the short block for me. The Edelbrock heads were a major cost, as they were 800 a piece. I also got ripped off on my intake manifold, which ended up being the wrong one (price gougers, Team C in Bellflower assumed big block heads meant I needed a big block intake . . . argh)

As a percentage of my build so far, this accounts for nearly half of my expenditures.

[formula]

SWEET GOD BACK FROM THE DEAD THREAD!!! :lurk:

[shmoov69]

Lol!!

[79-TA]

Haha, wow, I only checked the time stamp on a couple of the posts above me. lol

[dadto2jays]

I have about 6k in my engine without counting accessories. All the work was done in house except for honing the cylinders.

[joemac]

Wow this is a wickedly old thread -2005

[Blue67gto]

I've got roughly 3,500 in this:
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/11/460engine1-1.jpg

It's not a pro-touring car. It's a truck and the engine is built to tow. I farmed out all the machine work and did all the assembly myself. It's a .030 1979 ford 460 I ported out the exhaust side and cleaned up the intake, mild cam....blah blah blah. nothing crazy but should be good for around 300-350 hp and gobs of torque at the crank....Which is a major improvement over the stock 200hp rating. With all the little stuff I replaced during the rebuild hoses, mounts, oil etc. I've got just under 3,500 in it. I just got 500 miles on it and I'm planning on taking it to a dyno and running it.