found a 383 for sale on CL

[djais1801]

my 383 spun a bearing and is being rebuilt...found this on CL. They're asking $900. There's no paperwork, and no way to hear it run.
Is it worth the risk for getting back on the road for cruising season?
what would you pay?

"This 383 was in a matching #s 1968 cuda,
Built by a long island speed shop for a guy that went over to a crate motor.he paid 2100.00
Its estimated at 400+ HP.
Has maybe 2500 miles on it. You could eat off the inside of this motor.
Carb is not included unless i get my asking price.
You wont find many of these left."

 

[Cranky]

Man, the first engine I bought in my life I got burned on but I learned a lesson. I learned to never by an engine without hearing it run unless a written guarantee came with it (however good that is) and only if it was cheap enough or allow me to pull the heads and oil pan to check the internals. The 383 I bought wasn't even a 383, it was a 361. Something that wasn't desirable back in 1970 so I learned two lessons. Back then I had no idea that engines were ID'ed the way they are lol. Also, what happened to the car this engine is supposed to match? Is he trying to find someone that maybe has the car? Sounds like he knows where the car is so it being a numbers matching engine doesn't amount to a hill of beans anymore.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

NOPE! Like Cranky says with out a warranty or guarantee skip it, unless you are willing to tear it down and put in fresh parts so you know what you have. I would tear it down and replace rings bearings etc, for $900 you can afford to do that for the risk.

Another option is to tear it down and have a machine shop sonic and mag test it check all the bores and decking. Warranty!

Come to think of it I would tear it down and have a shop check and fix anything! for another $300 you still have a good motor and know its fresh and checks out. Heck you might even get them to put it together for you.

When I went on the hunt for my 440 I made everyone I talked to give me a verbal that they would give me a refund if a shop said the block was crap, good thing too cuz the first one was a **** sandwich!

 

[djais1801]

i am currently having mine rebuilt..was just being impatient. i know that mine is gonna be about 4-5 wks.
that was my original thought..at least i know that mine is getting built with no surprises.
unless i find one that i can hear run first.
thanks guys...and now with Wifey pregnant w/ twins..and she's out of work- i do not have $900 to risk.

 

[Cranky]

i am currently having mine rebuilt..was just being impatient. i know that mine is gonna be about 4-5 wks.
that was my original thought..at least i know that mine is getting built with no surprises.
unless i find one that i can hear run first.
thanks guys...and now with Wifey pregnant w/ twins..and she's out of work- i do not have $900 to risk.

Man, thought I was impatient lol. In your situation, the smart thing to do is wait on yours. No use in having a possible 900 dollar boat anchor sitting around. Last used engine I bought I asked the guy if I could pull the heads and pan so I could look at the cylinders and some of the bearings and he agreed so I brought my electric impact and tool tray that holds push rods etc in order. Within an hour, I saw what I wanted to see and put it back together enough to stick it in the back of the truck. The agreement was if it was what he said it was but if it needed work, we would adjust the price and so long as the bore looked good and was still stock bore as advertised and the crank was still standard, I would buy it.

 

[tpodwdog]

i agree with Cranky on this one Dj...wait for the rebuild....save the 900....plus whatever youll have to put in it!....by that time,,,youre should be done anyway!

 

[djais1801]

i agree with Cranky on this one Dj...wait for the rebuild....save the 900....plus whatever youll have to put in it!....by that time,,,youre should be done anyway!

true...plus the next 5 weeks i am working 7 days/week including 20hrs on thursdays. so i wouldn't have time to drive her anyway.