Rebuild or crate?

[truckresq]

350 chevy to rebuild or buy a crate motor.

Ok, Im at that point, and figured this would stir ALL kinds of controversy. Let me have it, give my your good, bad and ugly stories. Any ideas? Best bets? Any NorCal machine shops? Good buddy deals?

350? 383? Looking for around 300-350hp

[67Fleetsidedream]

If you know how to and have the resources, buy and rebuild a SBC 350. If you don't then buy a crate motor. It has a warranty and basically a drop in motor. Rebuilding a 350 will cost much less.

[Randy70C-10]

If you're looking for 350 horses, then it's a no-brainer........crate engine is the only way to go. You get a warranty, and for the price you couldn't build one! (trust me on this, the last one I built cost $1,000 more than crate)

[junkyardjohn]

I'LL SECOND THE YOU CAN'T REBUILD ONE FOR WHAT A CRATE ENGINE COSTS. SBC USUALLY COST ME AROUND $2000 - $2300 TO BUILD. ANYBODY THAT SAYS THEY CAN COMPLETELY REBUILD ONE CHEAPER, WITHOUT CUTTING ANY CORNERS UNDOUTADLY HAS NEVER TRIED.

[gr8scott51]

I know I'm probably beating a dead horse to death. I bought a rebuilt 350, approx 300 hp. New style block (1 pc rear seal, 1 pc oil pan gasket), older vette heads, rv cam with a 3,000 mile warranty (I know it's not as much as a crate engine from GM) for $895.00.

That's not as much as a crate engine from GM either.

The bad news is the outfit is up here, not in norcal.

good luck, scott

[dinnut]

thats prtty good deal.

[tom hand]

I would love to tear that $895 motor apart and see how they do it...I don't see how they can make any money on that. The last SBC motor I had rebuilt without cutting any corners cost me $1200 dollars and that was in '86. Crate motors rule!

[Randy70C-10]

Originally posted by gr8scott51
I know I'm probably beating a dead horse to death. I bought a rebuilt 350, approx 300 hp. New style block (1 pc rear seal, 1 pc oil pan gasket), older vette heads, rv cam with a 3,000 mile warranty (I know it's not as much as a crate engine from GM) for $895.00.

Bad thing is that I can put a junkyard engine together with no machine work, build it to produce 300 horses and garantee it for 3,000 miles (with the old bearings)!! Not saying that this was your case, but with a crate engine you get a brand new engine!!

[junkyardjohn]

"ANYBODY THAT SAYS THEY CAN COMPLETELY REBUILD ONE CHEAPER, WITHOUT CUTTING ANY CORNERS UNDOUTADLY HAS NEVER TRIED".

THE KEY PHRASE HERE IS WITHOUT CUTTING ANY CORNERS.
I'M ALSO TALKING ABOUT REPLACING EVERY THING IN A MOTOR & NOT JUST REPLACING THE PARTS THAT ARE BROKEN.

[72moneypit]

I had my 350 rebuilt (normal rebuild, no high performance stuff) for $1,600. That's the cheapest I could find, and I got a 3 year warranty with it. 2K miles on it so far, with no problems. Runs great!

Word of warning, though. "Rebuilt" doesn't necessarily assume using all new internal parts. I found I had to explicitly state that I wanted all new parts. Apparently "remanufactured" is the proper term for a rebuild with all new parts. Seems like a marketing gimmick to me.

[truckresq]

THANKS for all the QUICK replies... It really does help me alot, Its not beating a dead horse either, the more the merrier in my case. I have been promised from a local engine build(trusted) that he can get me the parts and machine work for around $700-$800 and a set of heads(1.94) rebuilt with NEW components for about $300. Additionally i CAN do the assembly myself as I have in the past, but I have been hearing so much about crate engines that I had to ask. I have heard all bad up until hearing from all you guys. Most bad has been that these engines ore built assembly line style and you get some good and some bad. Some cheaper crate engines are warrantied but hard to collect on that. But Its good to hear from a more trusted group about the positives.

I will keep you updated, and keep your comments flying.

[miket]

Just take a look at all the combo's available...take a look at Sallee Chevrolet . If nothing else it's good reading/benchmarking.

[rickspickuppart]

over the years we have put in at least a hundred of the gm crate motors and I can't think of one that was ever a problem the last one we got was 1407.00 dollars and a core (you can give them any small block they don't care)

[Tx Firefighter]

Yup, the crate engines are built assembly line style. Remember, it's the freakin GM assembly line.

A Goodwrench crate engine is a new 350 4 bolt main engine. NEW! New heads, valves, pistons, rods, crank, block, everything.

You get a zero mile 4 bolt engine to use. Then down the road, you still have a standard bore, standard crank engine to rebuild if you ever wanted.

I will stand up here and say right now, there is no man alive that can build a comparable engine for less money than a crate engine. Things like new valves, valve springs, rods, pistons, all cost bucks.

Oh, 3 year 50 thousand mile warranty that includes labor at any GM dealer if it ever fails. Think about that when you are halfway across the country sometime. That local engine rebuild guy ain't going to help you if it scatters out in BFE somewhere. With a crate, just have it towed to the closest Chevy dealer, and they'll take care of it.

Kevin

[miket]

The warranty's for GM crate engines vary.....just make sure you know what you are getting!

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I got a crate engine in my blazer and a motor fully rebuilt by myself in my yota.. I think the crate motor is the way to go ,but there is no satisfaction like sayin I built that motor.....

[gr8scott51]

My remanufactured 350 is a 4 bolt main, all new TRW parts (rings, bearings, etc.) Old crank, old pistons, everything disassembled and measured to be in tolerance.

I wasn't looking to do anything more than hiway cruising, so it fits the bill. It isn't the right thing for everyone. I had to strip a lot of parts off my old 307 to finish it - intake, carb, dist, fuel pump, etc. Also had to buy the correct flywheel.

I'm sure the folks that took the time and had the ability to rebuild their engines themselves, bought some trick **** to build more than a stock engine.

scott

[86SILVERADO]

Crate.

The satisfaction of saying "I built the motor" is not worth the extra 1 to 2 g's that you will spend on it. I know, and have been wishing I had two 1500 dollar 350's instead of one 3000 dollar one now that I have my 67.

[Spoof]

I'm with FRENCHBLUE72,
Saying you built the motor yourself sets you apart and gives immense satisfation. If it's a one off for a special vehicle your going to drive for a long time enjoy the experience of doing what we all want to do but many fear, overhaul it yourself!
On the other hand if swapping engines is a common task or a purely practical matter I seems evident a crate can't be beat.

After all it would be cheaper to buy a new half ton than restore it! It's a zen thing.

Speaking of crates: its post 454 for me....whoa it's a sign, I must get a crate 454.

[truckster]

Hey, Spoof, I noticed you're up to 455. Are you going with the Ponch or the Olds? I'm definitely not going with a 260- I had one once.