The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Cost of rebuilding 1958 engine

I just inherited my dad's 58 GMC pick up. I took it to a mechanic and he gave me an estimate of $4,5000 to get a 350 Chevy engine, rebuild it, replace everything new that makes the truck run..wiring, gas tank, transmission, rear end, etc. Is this a fair price?

welcome to the shop JC - have to know a lot more about the truck condition and your plans to judge estimates, and you'd have to know what trans and rear were suggested as well as what you want to do with the truck - does it need a totally new drive line? .... sounds like he wants to build you a hot rod with bits he can get readily, you might prefer to keep it more original and 4,500 would go a long way on body work and paint

Bill

I'm thinking you have one to many zero's? $4500 sounds kinda steep, does the truck really need that much work? Why let someone else have all the fun of working on it? Take some pic's let us check it out for you! Remember 58/59's are getting harder to find. Do you want to restore or hotrod?

This site is a haven for Do It yourself types. You should do most of that stuff yourself. It's not hard to replace a tank and driveline if you need it. As far as building an engine, maybe a mechanic would be best. you can buy engines that are running in a car or truck so you can evaluate them, for $400. We can help you do everything. The gurus on here are good at what to do with a truck once you get it, change all the fluids, clean the undercarriage, see what leaks, what makes noise, etc. they will give advice on starting an engine that has been sitting. Maybe you are rich and don't want to do the work? You don't know if it needs all that do you? if all you want is an opinion on the price, It's too much! But mechanics have to make a living also, so if he's good, work with him and have him check everything and tell you what is good and what needs repair. It depends also if you are looking for a daily driver, a weekend driver, restored or show qualities. Figure that out first. I love GMC's, Bartamos. OOPS1 looks like Yakima was writing about the same thing a few minutes before me.

You guys rock, thanks for the replies. The truck has been sitting out for about 12 years. It does not have the original motor. I don't have a lot of money, but know nothing about trying to do it myself. The truck will be a daily driving vechicle for my son, it is a wedding gift, so I was trying to get the motor running, a nice paint job and new wide rim tires. It is hard to know who to trust when you have zero knowledge about working on cars.
I am meeting with him tomorrow and I will ask him more questions. Should I asked for an itemized estimate?

My opinion is a sbc 350 in a gmc is a crime. There is nothing wrong with keeping the original 270 6 cylinder or the original 336 gmc(pontiac) v8. I don't think $4500 is all that expensive for what your mechanic wants to do, but I would suspect it will be $8500 by the time he is done.

Get it running first.
Work on the brakes next
then work on the electrical.

It has an oldsmobile engine in it right now. One guy couldn't get it to run so we towed it to this guy on a recommendation. He suggested to junking it and getting another engine. Since it is not the original engine, what engine would be best to put in it?

I guess that you should know that I am a woman, and am totally at the mercy of others at this point. Thank you so much for sharing your opinions and knowledge.

IN my opinion that is a decent price for parts and labor. I just had a rebuilt 350 put in my '99 Tahoe (I know, different animal), and it was just over $3,200 including a new cooling system and tax etc. If your price is a new tranny, rear end etc, plus the installation, that would not be too bad. My opinion only.

Where in Texas? Maybe someone local can look it over. I am in the Austin area.

For you and your son, Put a Chevy 350 engine in it. It will be the cheapest, long lasting, easy to find parts for, and everybody in your area will know about it. Any 6 cyl engine will be too small for him and harder to find. If you were a different person on a different mission, you should return it to "stock like". Your Dad was more of a "hot rodder, V8 guy" probably. So go with that. Chevy's have been put into every vehicle ever made and in most car shows cars and in every driver imaginable. They are the Holy Grail engine. There are a Brazilian parts at any discount auto store for them and they are plentiful used or rebuilt or crate. Sell the oldsmobile eng. Don't junk it. Find a friend who knows trucks and engines to help you or you will get taken to the cleaners. Your son will have friends who may know.
Remember for a young driver (I assume pretty young even though he is getting married) , in a big city, it does not have seat belts, modern brakes or Air Bags, but it does have good iron around him. IF, IF, IF you & your son are not motor heads or old truck lovers, sell it and get what he likes. It's worth some money, GMC's are worth a little more usually. I am trying to place myself in your position and not speak like a Stovebolter. I do realize, however, that it doeas have tremendous nostalgic value to your family. Bartamos

350s are the holy grail? What have you been smoking? 350s are like belly buttons.

But for what the lady wants to do it's probably the best bet. If it were mine, I'd go back to a GMC engine. (Six cylinder engines are not "too small".)

My dad was the greatest, he bought this truck when I was 5 years old, and therefore we will never let it out of the family. My son is 30 years old and of couse will have a learning curve, but I really think that he can handle it. He lives in Bastrop and the truck is in Weatherford. I will take pics tomorrow and then repost the finished product.
I really do appreciate all of the help and advice. It has helped me a lot.

How do you know it has an oldsmobile engine in it? The early pontiac engine may be mistaken for an olds by somebody who doesn't know. I look forward to seeing pics.

That's a good point about the engine big daddy. Cletis, what's been smoking are those old babbitt bearings. When I said small I didn't mean size and weight, I meant horse power. I didn't stop making those engines, GM did.

And toe nails.

If you are going with a 350 sbc, you might as well get a crate engine with a warranty.

With a GMC you already have something that is "unique" these days. You should treasure the uniqueness since 350's are a dime a dozen. I find no real satisfaction seeing "another" 350. If it has an original type GMC engine, I would love seeing that over a sbc any day. IF you are determined to go SBC, I'd try to dress it like an older 283 or 327.

well at least install a crate engine and not a rebuilt one.

Couldn't agree more Cletis. I am finishing up a 56' 235 and cost is about 5k. That is machine shop work, new pistons, crank,cam, valves, all internals, clutch kit, mounts, carb.and exhaust. Before some of you bench guys jump on the price, go find a good machine shop who will work for less than $50.00 per hour and buy quality parts.


You can pretty much count on a 40 plus year old engine needing some help. Used is an option, but I couldn't find anything that still did not need internal help locally.

If you want to do a 350 and go fast, then use a Camaro or Corvette product, these old 6 bangers have character and they are fun. My .02.

Hank

You guys were right, it is 302 Pontiac engine. The mechanic is wanting to put a 305 Chevy engine. I took pics, but I have not figured out this site yet and trying to discover how to post a link.

Which transmission does this truck have?

GMC had a 302 6 cylinder that is considered the "holy grail" by GMC enthusiasts. They didn't have a 302 V8. The stock V8 was a 336 in '58.

I live near Weatherford and would be willing to look it over and tell you what you have and what it needs.

305 is OK, the reason he wants to do that is that he has one. It came out in 76 and is a "smog engine". fair performance, good gas milage supposedly. Very widely used thru the 80's. It's a Small Block Chevy (SBC) like the 350 is. Most parts are the same as a 350. You really have to get the numbers off the engine, There is no V8 Pontiac 302. There is a 301 and 303 and many more.....316,347.....according to : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_V8_engine. I do not know about Pontiac engines. The others guys do know allot about them.

OK, a little befuddled here.

Let's start from the beginning.

What does the ID tag say on the driver's side door jam?

Is the engine in there now a 6 cylinder, or a v8?

Does this truck have an automatic transmission, or is it a manual shifting transmission. (if it is Manual, there will be brake, clutch, gas, and a starter pedal on the floor.

We really can't suggest what to do untill we find out what you have, and what condition it is in.

If you have a 302 6 cylinder, and it does spin, you may just want to get that motor running. Those 6 cylinders are plenty tough, and could probably survive the 12 year hibernation.

Miss 58, If Cletis offers to look at it, take him up on it ASAP. That is worth gold to you. A nice gesture. You can count the spark plug wires to see if there are 6 or 8 of them going to the engine. if they go to different sides of the engine it's a 8. Same side 6. The 302 6 Cyl has a Military and a civilian model. 1952-1959/60. It is a Monster "Bullet Proof" engine. And I agree, after reading on it, the Holy Grail 6. Even Hot Rodders love it. Put them in dragsters. Sounds neat to me to use it if it's that. Maybe Cletis would take it home and rebuild it , won't hurt to ask.

I have learned a lot from you guys, unfortunate my learning curve is very steep. After meeting with the mechanic yesterday I feel very confident that he is honest and will do a great job on the truck. Cletis, thanks for offering, if I had done this before I would have certainly taken you up on looking at it. Don't think that you are getting off though, I will probably ask more questions as this process unfolds. I have a lot of decesions to make before we are finished.
Again, thanks all!!

The honesty of your mechanic is not in question. What you have under the hood is. In the long run, a truck with a stock engine will be worth more than a truck with an small block chevy.

Of all the small block chevy engines out there, the 305 is the worst choice for a swap.

Step back, evaluate what you have, and make a plan to go about fixing it. This may very well require an engine swap, or it might involve running what you have. It seems to me your mechanic is not familiar with the old gmc trucks and wants to do what most people do... make it a chevy. There are plenty of excuses for going this route, but few of those excuses truly have any merrit. The gmc engines are tough and reliable, and contrary to belief there are parts available for them.

Does your truck have a 6 cylinder or an 8 cylinder motor?

I'm still waiting for the answers to these questions. How about some pictures? We LOVE them.

I think she is going foreward and has thanked us for now. My advice now is: Do what you think will make a great wedding present in your Dad's spirit. Keep that engine in your back yard, covered up, until you REALLY know what it is. It may sound crazy that so many guys want you to use it if it's the proper one, but preserving these old trucks and their parts is what the Stovebolt is about. It's OK to modify and swap as you wish, lots of people do that. The fact that you are saving it is great. It can always be brought back to original. That's what a Stovebolter will do someday. Congratulations to you and the newly weds. We really do want to see it and the engine, we live for that. A 305 is OK to use. I have one, runs great. Someone PLEASE help her post pics!!!!!

I dispute they can be brought back to original. They are only original once. You can restore it to stock configuration but you can't restore it to original.

It's still the same old truck, three new engines, one new fender and a new cab but it's still the same old original truck. Once the oil is changed they aren't original anymore.

The Chevy 305 is a dog engine in my opinion. Poor performance street-wise and economy gas mileage.....not good either. If your are going to go V-8 replacement then the 350 is a better option than that 305 he is trying to stick you with. 305's make great boat anchors.

The 305 is OK, here are the vehicles it has been in. 350 is good also. Keep in mind, though, the 305 should be cheaper than a 350 or no deal. They are not as popular and a you can get a running used 305 for $250-$350 around here and a 350 is $450-$650 generally speaking. So the rebuilt cost should be lower due to the "core" costs and popularity. It would not be real easy for him to get rid of the 305. But using a 305 is still OK. Hope you are talking about a V8 305 and not a V6?????? GMC had a 305 V6. Don't do that.

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