Quote:
Originally Posted by TAKerry
Putting a crate motor with a warranty is almost a no brainer imo.
For all the naysayers, I had my 400 built, lots of extra HP, for $3200. I just got a quote from the same guy to do the 400 for my 79, same price.
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I will agree that if you have an engine that the rebuild cost can be done (with connections) for about the same as a crate long blocks. But, and this is a big one, when my mechanic rebuilt my engine in the 75 T/A, I gave him and original pile of parts. When he started going through them and pointing why I need a new timing cover, etc., I bought it. He didn't make money on the parts. I bought them (mostly from Butler) and took them over. Here's a list of what I replaced on the internals:
oil pan
timing cover
harmonic balancer
valley pan
windage tray
pulleys
motor mounts
When you add it all up, if you have 3 timing covers and make one work, you do that, but when you pay for all this stuff, it's not cheap. I love my Pontiac engines, but when I know I also want a rebuilt 400 transmission and it's only $1200 for a Chevy with a warranty, ok... I get to drive the car. When the hood isn't up, it's still a hot rod. When the hood is up, at least it's not a 301.
Thanks for the input... I won't change the outside other than get the dent painted, and I'll clean the interior and add a stereo. Should be a cool car when I'm done. What I didn't realize until now, is that this Trans Am is about the lowest flash T/A I can imagine. It only says T/A on the deck lid and on the fenders, no bird and a neutral color. Whoever ordered it didn't want to be noticed.