A friend had a new engine block cast for a $500,000 1908 Thomas Flyer.

The transport company had explicit instructions not to start the car but did so anyway. Piston rod came through the block.

Insurance paid to have a new block cast using the method you describe. It indeed was $50,000+

1950 Chevrolet 3100 (Ol' Roy)

1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)