[JSPONT]

Paul Carter did a nice thread on an IA block someone bought and all the stuff he had to do to get it correct.
I am not bashing trust me, but as a guy a a very tight budget, if I knew the block just needed a piston bore to what I wanted, I would go for it. But needed line bore, cap work, deck work, not sure if they fixed it but oil galley work.
I am just saying I think more might buy it then.
I can not tell you my source, but he has looked at many blocks not 1 was a bore and go. They all need work from what I am told.
Please don't take this as anything but constructive critisizm

[GTOGEORGE]

Originally Posted by JSPONT

Paul Carter did a nice thread on an IA block someone bought and all the stuff he had to do to get it correct.
I am not bashing trust me, but as a guy a a very tight budget, if I knew the block just needed a piston bore to what I wanted, I would go for it. But needed line bore, cap work, deck work, not sure if they fixed it but oil galley work.
I am just saying I think more might buy it then.
I can not tell you my source, but he has looked at many blocks not 1 was a bore and go. They all need work from what I am told.
Please don't take this as anything but constructive critisizm

Someone on a tight budget shouldn't be trying to go FAST/QUICK! With going fast/quick comes added SAFTEY equipment.......that cost MONEY!



GTO George

[JSPONT]

Originally Posted by GTOGEORGE

Someone on a tight budget shouldn't be trying to go FAST/QUICK! With going fast/quick comes added SAFTEY equipment.......that cost MONEY!



GTO George

George once again a non sense statement, fast to some is slow to others. Old Pontiac blocks are getting harder to find, the good ones anyway and guys want big $$ for a good specific block. Plus 40 year old iron that should only be bored 30 over makes good blocks scarce for whatever et you want to go.
Think a little before wanting to start chit.

[GTOGEORGE]

Originally Posted by JSPONT

George once again a non sense statement, fast to some is slow to others. Old Pontiac blocks are getting harder to find, the good ones anyway and guys want big $$ for a good specific block. Plus 40 year old iron that should only be bored 30 over makes good blocks scarce for whatever et you want to go.
Think a little before wanting to start chit.

Everyone has an opinion, yours is WRONG but this a America so knock yourself out. Street guys alway want to make LOTS of HP cheaply but don't want to spend the money to do it correctly/safety, hey you guys can spit a rod or crankshaft out just as quickly as a Drag Racer. To QUOTE a movie "with great power come great responsibility" get over it!


GTO George

[bpenrod]

Originally Posted by GTOGEORGE

Everyone has an opinion, yours is WRONG but this a America so knock yourself out. Street guys alway want to make LOTS of HP cheaply but don't want to spend the money to do it correctly/safety, hey you guys can spit a rod or crankshaft out just as quickly as a Drag Racer. To QUOTE a movie "with great power come great responsibility" get over it!


GTO George

Do you get your water from the Flint Mi. water system?

[JSPONT]

Originally Posted by GTOGEORGE

Everyone has an opinion, yours is WRONG but this a America so knock yourself out. Street guys alway want to make LOTS of HP cheaply but don't want to spend the money to do it correctly/safety, hey you guys can spit a rod or crankshaft out just as quickly as a Drag Racer. To QUOTE a movie "with great power come great responsibility" get over it!


GTO George

Read the post George, seems like alot of people agree with me. A bunch of street guys that do not want to race, would buy a GOOD block instead of working with 40 year old stuff.
We all know about saftey, not what this is about. Seems to me the big racers with all the safety stuff blow up more stuff than the street guy, even with diapers the oil tracks down. I know you were at Norwalk and witness this.
Carry on Georgie!

[JSPONT]

I just spent $750.00 just for splayed caps on a 1968 block. Machine work was done last year. I hate that there is pitting on the side of the block but can not spend 4-5k for an a/m block.
Before I did that I would buy a LS motor from a junk yard and add my turbo.
Think about another 10-20 years from now, good 400 blocks will be even harder to find.

[ho428]

Originally Posted by JSPONT

I just spent $750.00 just for splayed caps on a 1968 block. Machine work was done last year. I hate that there is pitting on the side of the block but can not spend 4-5k for an a/m block.
Before I did that I would buy a LS motor from a junk yard and add my turbo.
Think about another 10-20 years from now, good 400 blocks will be even harder to find.

Here's three scenarios for a "street or sportsman" engine.
#1 Pay $250+ and pull the first one out yourself, take it home and dismantle it, haul off all the old scrap, take block to machine shop, $75 to tank and flux.
Ok, it's cracked, you're out $325 and a weekend unless the yard has another one to pull and repeat the process.

#2 Write a $2000 check. Remove LS from pallet, order install kit.

#3 Order a new $1500-$1800 replacement block (that doesn't exist) and Eagle cast crank rotating kit, new Hyd roller and ready to bolt on as cast Aluminum heads. Basically every part is new and shipped to your door.
Have local shop check clearances and assemble. You've now got a new 500 hp Pontiac engine for not a lot of money.

I'll take option 3 all day long just to keep it Pontiac.

[GTOGEORGE]

Originally Posted by JSPONT

Read the post George, seems like alot of people agree with me. A bunch of street guys that do not want to race, would buy a GOOD block instead of working with 40 year old stuff.
We all know about saftey, not what this is about. Seems to me the big racers with all the safety stuff blow up more stuff than the street guy, even with diapers the oil tracks down. I know you were at Norwalk and witness this.
Carry on Georgie!

A lot ......3.....4, it's like this you guys want to spend the money buying twin turbos, shinny aluminum valve covers, expensive wheels....etc BUT don't want to spend the money keeping it together or buy the safety equipment for your 1000 HP, 120+ mph blast with 20 lbs of boost down the E-WAY.......just saying! Something just doesnt make sense!



GTO George

[ho428]

Originally Posted by JSPONT

Old Pontiac blocks are getting harder to find, the good ones anyway and guys want big $$ for a good specific block. Plus 40 year old iron that should only be bored 30 over makes good blocks scarce for whatever et you want to go.

I found a 4 bolt 400 block locally a few weeks ago. $650 and it was already bored .060, worn out and needed probably another .010 to clean it up.
That is a risky proposition to sink thousands of dollars into.

I understand the risk of investing in such an aftermarket block, the ones offered now can fill the bill but were mainly done for the racers.
I have no idea if it would be profitable, I think it would, but I'd just like to have the option.

My little .060 over 350 block has a sleeve in it, now that I see it has a busted piston I'd just as well build a 440 street engine using an Eagle cast crank rotating kit, nothing crazy, just a good street engine, but I don't want to go scrounging for another 400 block. Last time I took several into the shop to have vatted and fluxed just to find one that wasn't cracked.

[WARPed]

Originally Posted by JSPONT

Paul Carter did a nice thread on an IA block someone bought and all the stuff he had to do to get it correct.
I am not bashing trust me, but as a guy a a very tight budget, if I knew the block just needed a piston bore to what I wanted, I would go for it. But needed line bore, cap work, deck work, not sure if they fixed it but oil galley work.
I am just saying I think more might buy it then.
I can not tell you my source, but he has looked at many blocks not 1 was a bore and go. They all need work from what I am told.
Please don't take this as anything but constructive critisizm

Just to help clarify this is true for all aftermarket blocks no mater who makes it; there are just too many different ways builders want their specs to have a off the shelf "drop in parts" block.

[tooski]

Originally Posted by JSPONT

Paul Carter did a nice thread on an IA block someone bought and all the stuff he had to do to get it correct.
I am not bashing trust me, but as a guy a a very tight budget, if I knew the block just needed a piston bore to what I wanted, I would go for it. But needed line bore, cap work, deck work, not sure if they fixed it but oil galley work.
I am just saying I think more might buy it then.
I can not tell you my source, but he has looked at many blocks not 1 was a bore and go. They all need work from what I am told.
Please don't take this as anything but constructive critisizm

I know my comment is a bit late on this aspect of this thread, but I just came across this thread.
I am fairly certain I read (if it is the same) Paul's thread on his machining of an IA block that needed much work. It was pointed out that the block was nearly destroyed by the poor workmanship of the original builder, not a new casting.