The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Rebuild cost,

I'm thinking of having my 51, 235 rebuilt.It has hyd lifters (Car engine). Any ideas on what it usually costs? Sometime back a shop told me $1800. That seems alittle high to me. Heck it seems real high.

Glenn,

Last quote I heard was for a friend of mine. He was quoted $1,500.00 here in Colorado.

I think you're in the ball park. 2+ years ago mine was about $1800 for the machine work, balancing, etc. with me doing the porting and polishing, etc.

I had Jasper completly remanufacture my '55 235 about 4 months ago. The pick it up and deliver it back to the shop. 3 year 75k mile warranty. Took about 3 weeks from pick up to return. Not cheap, about $2700. But you can't beat the warranty and they aren't cutting any corners.

Steve

Glen, I took a dis-assembled 235 into a local shop tonight, it's going to cost aprox. $550 to clean, ridge & hone the block,polish crank, rings, main, rod & cam brgs., new cam & lifters and valve job on head. I'll do the final re-assembly

Hey Arch,
Any comment on the intake manifold water heat I see you've got?
I also see you have the Edelbrock air cleaner. It's a nice look. I suspect a 4-bbl under it. Going with dual Carter W1 on a Offenhauser.

ndnchf,

I was curious and checked Jasper. I didn't find any listing near your vintage so I am guessing that your rebuild was sort of a "special". You used their expertise and were charged on a time and material basis. With their background, I would agree with you...not a corner was cut! I saw the pictures of the engine on your site and it looked perfect, even down to the brass long nuts that hold the header pipe on.


Stuart

Whats another $1800. I'm up to about $16000. on this frame off now. Any advise on what to tell the admiral? :-(

There are many variables here and also if the main shop farms out part of the work, there is an extra cost for them to do that.

Someone mentioned a price including "ridge removal and honing". In that instance there wouldn't be a rebore operation and that is a major expense. Many shops would not condider align boring to be necessary in every instance.

On the other hand, the really low priced shops might not do some of the important things like removing all the internal plugs and tanking the block.

Jim Carter is your best supplier for everything!

oldchevytrucks.com, fully rebuilt shortblocks:

$1385 54/55.1 235
$1275 55-59 235
$150 core charge

$455 for head with valves and hard seats.

$1850 for 261 longblock when available, no core charge.

Well, I can't let this one pass.
American Classic Truck Parts pays about $100 a month for to the hosting company for this site. So, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that kind of support.

We always check with ACTP for parts first because of that. Stuff they don't have, we've gotten from other sources.



Thanks,
Peg

At $1800 I'd suspect some corner cuttin or Chinese parts. Check around & look for quality. Remember--price lasts 6 months, quality is forever. Good luck with your motor1

Atomarc,

I heard about Jasper from Sweet and his '51 Green Machine. He had Jasper remanufacture his 261 and was very happy. So I did the same thing. I just called the 800 number, and told 'em what I had. The said no problem. They came and picked it up 2 days later and brought it back about 3 weeks later. They don't do GMC motors, but will do Chevys - go figure.

ndnchf

gemson - In the unlikely event I have a problem I know it will be immediately resolved by decent considerate folks. that is why I choose Jim Carter when at all possible.

Peg - I'd happily pay a membership fee to use this wonderful site. Unfortunately ACTP was rude in the past when they actually did reply to 1 of my 3 email requests sent to them. They made it clear to me that they simply don't care about having me as a customer.

Autozone will also supply you with a rebuilt replacement engine. I looked a couple years back and a hyd lifter 235 replacement (they take your engine as a core) was around $1300.00. The engine was listed as 30 over on the pistons. They must do them all the same. I don't know where they get these from but they have a very well stocked engine replacement program.

Not affiliated with Autozone and didn't buy the engine. I had mine rebuilt locally. The entire bill was just over $1600.00 2 years ago.

Bill Schickling

Back when I was in business Jaspers was the only reman I would sell. Great products & they really stand behind them. If a customer wanted something cheaper I would let him buy it himself.

I spent a total of about $2250 on a 261. This was for not only the complete rebuild, but also the block itself and an 848 head. I think it was money well-spent.

Now, I'm stating this from memory. These are the kind of things you might not write down, if you know what I mean.

I recently bought a long block '62 261 (new everything and 848 head) from the local stovebolt rebuild guy in my area. It was $2,100.00 exchange. Being someone that grew up with these trucks (that is to say, never paid over $500.00 for a good rebuilt 235) I about cr#pped my pants when he quoted me the price.

But I was living in the past and I bought an engine from a guy that lives local, knows what he is doing, is respected, and has treated me like a friend, rather than customer. My local truck friends told me it was a solid deal and they were right. Plus my dollars goes to a guy who will spend it with other local businesses I want to see stick around.

I am not saying what's right for all, but for me, I just don't see any big corporation hanging with friends of mine at the local swap meet and having the guy who rebuilt my engine ask me how it is running. Knowing that, and the fact that his truck and the hotdog his kid is chowing on might have been helped with my dollars, makes me want to buy the next round.

Plus, that engine rocks.

My $.02
Steve O

Redrose has a 235 listed in the for sale section, rebuilt 6 months ago, wanting $650 bucks for it..might be worth considering,,,,It is in ct..Fred

A local machineshop quoted me $2,800 to rebuild, balance and blueprint the engine.

I paid $1,200 in machine work to flux, tank bore, balance internally (pistons/rods/crank), sleeve two cylinders, turn the crank, shot peen and true the rods, replace the cam bearings/freeze plugs/rod bolts, deck the block 50, press the timing gear onto the cam, and all the head work- flux, valve seats, valves, guides, springs, retainers, 3-angle valve job, mill the head 50, etc... and rebuild the rocker assembly.

For the $1,200 I supplied the pistons, freeze plugs and cam bearings. The rebuild kit cost me about $500.00 w/pistons/gaskets/bearings and another appx. $200.00 for the cam.

When I assembled it and wished that I had remembered to ask the machine shop guys to drill and tap the crank to tighten down the pulley. It took me an hour or so to do myself.

Assembling it myself was a worthwhile experience, though time consuming. I plastigaged/micro'ed everything and it was all perfectly within spec.

This isn't fair to the rest of you but a local machine shop charged me $850 to rebuilt the fire truck engine (261) from top to bottom with parts & everything included. The rest of the effort(and cost) is considered a donation. The shop owner remembered the truck from the 1960's when it was in use in our community.

I was happy they helped me get the motor back to like new and contributed the fire truck restoration effort. The rebuild is supposed to be finished late this week and I'll get some photos out as soon as possible!

Virginia Fire Truck- Congrats!

Sounds like the machine shop donated the labor and charged you for parts only.

I'd love to see some pictures of the engine when its done!

Just a thought on one part of the rebuild process- the cam. I sent my cam (62' 235 4 dot) up to the guys at Delta Camshaft in Tacoma, Wash. They did a performance regrind in mine to a 252/260. Charged me $60 plus $10 for UPS. Turn-a-round: 1 week. Even got a t-shirt out of it.

Thanks. I'll get some pictures out ASAP.

BTW: My fire truck motor was not finished on Thursday as they found two pistions had been cracked due to "pre-ignition." They had to order the replacements and the motor will be delayed until later next week. They say the parts are avalable but they had to get them in.

I'm glad to know this before the truck restoration was finished as it would be a pain to pull the motor once we put it back together. I hadn't planed to rebuild the motor originally as it only had 20,092 milies on it. But I figured as long as it was out of the truck, we might as well get it done. Now I'm glad I did...

Before: [img]http://www.iaffl2924.com/motorb4.jpg[/img]


Motor after: [img]http://www.iaffl2924.com/motor2a.jpg[/img]

Side shot:

[img]http://www.iaffl2924.com/rebuiltmotor3.jpg[/img]

Virginia,

That sure is pretty all cleaned up and painted fresh. Hope it runs as pretty as it looks.

Kanter shows overhaul kits for $700-$1100 for your year 235. Thats basic to deluxe (more part=more money) with lifetime warranty. Labor should be at least that much more. This is a heck of a long URL but it'll take you right to the page. No matter what you do it won't be cheap.
http://www.kanter.com/p03-eok.html?...sid=9f35205b-4dfa-434f-83fd-e862d94ed52c

Jed: I hope so too! It does look great. What a world of difference in appearance.

We haven't put it back in the truck yet so I don't know how it runs. Cab came off yesterday to be blasted, primed and painted so maybe, we can get the motor on once we get the frame clean.

I was told $1200.00 here in calif. for my 235
The price for a 216 was even more!!! All based on parts availability, older being more costly, they said. So one guy asked what I was doing w/ this truck. He suggested a 250 or 292. So in my next two phone calls I had located a recently rebuilt 292 w/ 140-145 psi in all cylinders, 55 psi oil and 20'' vacuum. that was $600.00
So started my next years series of events and new direction w/ our bolt.
good luck on yours.