Co$t of engine rebuild 1967 327/300
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Member Since: Sep 2008
Location: Bloomington IN
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Co$t of engine rebuild 1967 327/300
dear corvette experts. Babyblue (1967 trophy blue convertible) developed a 'rod knock'. My engine guy diagnosed a damaged rod bearing. He bored out the block and rebuilt the engine with new cam, high performance corvette parts including new pistons, also higher output oil pump and replaced steering box. It is running well with more power. My wife was very unhappy with the bill, $4750. I told her I would consult with experts whether this was excessive or not.
#2
Drifting
dear corvette experts. Babyblue (1967 trophy blue convertible) developed a 'rod knock'. My engine guy diagnosed a damaged rod bearing. He bored out the block and rebuilt the engine with new cam, high performance corvette parts including new pistons, also higher output oil pump and replaced steering box. It is running well with more power. My wife was very unhappy with the bill, $4750. I told her I would consult with experts whether this was excessive or not.
Did he pull the engine and put it in?? Most shops now are getting 70 to 100 dollars an hour!!
#3
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, Indiana
Posts: 26,118
Received 1,843 Likes
on
1,398 Posts
Are you afraid of your wife?
#4
Melting Slicks
Post the parts list with prices and the list of services itemized, plus taxes and fees, doesnt sound outrageous assuming it a legal smegal outfit that did the work and not some guy in his garage (nothing against guys in the garages) . Who did the R and R? Plus the while you are at it stuff, like the WP hoses belts add up too.
#5
Racer
Steering Box
You said he replaced the steering box - how much was that?
My cost a couple of years ago for a complete rebuild of a BB was $3650. Of course many more $$$ before it was back into the car.
Vetterway
My cost a couple of years ago for a complete rebuild of a BB was $3650. Of course many more $$$ before it was back into the car.
Vetterway
#6
Team Owner
I'm not sure of the point of the exercise. Are you going to carry the bill back to the shop and ask to have $1,000 knocked off the price because your wife and some folks on the Internet think its too much ?
Will you wife even believe anything folks on here will say ?
If the car is running superbly with a quality rebuild and you drive it like most of us enthusiasts it will probably outlast YOU. How many things have you bought that will give a lifetime of pleasure for $4,700?
Will you wife even believe anything folks on here will say ?
If the car is running superbly with a quality rebuild and you drive it like most of us enthusiasts it will probably outlast YOU. How many things have you bought that will give a lifetime of pleasure for $4,700?
#7
Safety Car
Member Since: Nov 2000
Location: Clinton Township MI
Posts: 4,750
Received 118 Likes
on
97 Posts
Cruise-In III Veteran
It would be interesting to better judge all of what was done if you could post up an itemized bill for the work. No need to display the shop name.
I agree with others here that IF this was a legitimate shop, the cost to pull, totally rebuild the motor (was any headwork done...that's not cheap) and, before reinstalling, the engine compartment was cleaned up, I'd say once you add up hoses, belts, fluids plus replace the steering box, the $4,700 you spent doesn't sound too unreasonable. Assuming this was a legit shop, there's got to be a warranty for all this work right? I'd say having all of the above done, you and your wife should not be having "buyer's remorse."
Jim
In God We Trust!
I agree with others here that IF this was a legitimate shop, the cost to pull, totally rebuild the motor (was any headwork done...that's not cheap) and, before reinstalling, the engine compartment was cleaned up, I'd say once you add up hoses, belts, fluids plus replace the steering box, the $4,700 you spent doesn't sound too unreasonable. Assuming this was a legit shop, there's got to be a warranty for all this work right? I'd say having all of the above done, you and your wife should not be having "buyer's remorse."
Jim
In God We Trust!
#8
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, Indiana
Posts: 26,118
Received 1,843 Likes
on
1,398 Posts
Until the OP supplies a copy of the billing for parts/labor breakdown, it's impossible to guess whether he got screwed or not as others have said.
Personally, I wouldn't pay that much to have that amount of work done because I can do it myself. Others can't so they have to pay.
#10
Safety Car
Even taking a engine to a shop doing Bore, heads,cam, lifters and pistons can run 3K , you needed a crank and if they removed the engine and a new steering box it don't sound fare off in price. Remember your a Corvette dude now and money means nothing when it comes to your Corvette.
#11
Burning Brakes
I'm in the process of a rebuid on my 1960 and the cost will be north of $3,000. The tear down and build are't costing anything as I have an engine builder friend. Machine shop and parts are not cheap
#12
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, Indiana
Posts: 26,118
Received 1,843 Likes
on
1,398 Posts
If the assembly labor is free, somebody's gettin in yer shorts for about half that!
#13
Burning Brakes
Probably spending more on parts than I need, but I chose to replace some parts that could probably be reused.
Last edited by dharris45; 06-07-2011 at 06:23 PM.
#14
Team Owner
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Greenville, Indiana
Posts: 26,118
Received 1,843 Likes
on
1,398 Posts
Lotsa' people make this mistake. If you're my age, you don't have to replace parts that can be reused as they will probably outlast you, your heirs and their heirs anyway at about 2000 miles/year.
#15
Not so, I'm buying the parts myself. The engine had already been bored .060 over so rather take it to .125 and leave nothing for any future rebuild we are going to .080 over which meant custom pistons. Have you priced those lately?
Probably spending more on parts than I need, but I chose to replace some parts that could probably be reused.
Probably spending more on parts than I need, but I chose to replace some parts that could probably be reused.
#16
Team Owner
The money is spent ... it apparently is not that out of whack for the work done ... and it seems to be a good rebuild. All this analysis might have been great before the work was done, now its merely mental masturbation.
#17
Melting Slicks
dear corvette experts. Babyblue (1967 trophy blue convertible) developed a 'rod knock'. My engine guy diagnosed a damaged rod bearing. He bored out the block and rebuilt the engine with new cam, high performance corvette parts including new pistons, also higher output oil pump and replaced steering box. It is running well with more power. My wife was very unhappy with the bill, $4750. I told her I would consult with experts whether this was excessive or not.
#18
Burning Brakes
Yes, we could have sleeved the cylinders. I'm absolutely no expert in anything, but seems to me if there is still good metal in the original block casting I would prefer to bore it out a little more. But you know what, It's my money and I am enjoying do most of the restoration myself. I have rebuild everything on the chassis so far myself. The differential, transmission, front and rear suspension, wheel and master cylinders ( and yes all new bolts, nuts, and washers), new fuel and brake lines (stuff that came out of the old brake lines looked like mud).
Last edited by dharris45; 06-07-2011 at 07:47 PM.
#20
Le Mans Master
Like what was posted above, we don't know what was done or what was included. I've had several motors done by the best shop in town. They are well known among professional racers as THE place to have work done. The only problem is the wait during race season. To have them, dis-assemble, hot tank, bore, hone, re-size rods w/ new ARP bolts, grind the crank w/ new 77 bearings, new cam bearings, new hypereutectic pistons, moly rings, balance the rotating assembly, re-assemble and include a Fel-Pro complete gasket kit runs $1100. Add $300 to have the heads redone (valve grind and guides). These prices are what I paid last week to have a 301 short block done and that included sonic testing the block to make sure it would take a .125 overbore. I can't believe some of the prices people pay to have work done.
Jim
Jim