The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 307 engine

I have a 307 engine just curious as to what the value of something like that would be...it does run! Just NO carb, dist, or intake. I'm thinking about selling it for another engine I want. What are your thoughts on a fair price these days.

I have to wonder how well it runs without a carb, dist, or intake.
I like the 307 engine. It has a long stroke so it has good low end torque.

I'd say it's worth about scrap price, maybe a little more...$100??? SBC's are everywhere in that condition (missing parts).

What do you think it's worth?

Mike B

they have a 3.250 stroke and a 3.875 bore, all of them where cast cranks ..... not worth very much , if you think you can find somebody that might want to buy it, sell it for anything the guy will pay you for it. if you can't find anybody to buy it sell it for scrap as Mike B said. if you could sell it for 200.00 your doing real good.

Thanks guys for the input...I know 307's arn't a valuable engine but, for what its worth I think ill just hang onto it and buy a book that will teach me how to rebuild SBC's. Not that its worth to rebuilt but, it will be a great engine to practice disassemble/reassembly.

Also, why does the 307 have such a bad rap among small blocks?

307 crank + a 350 block = a large journal 327, for an idea. A lot of guys (idiots, mostly) seem to think a 350 is something magic or some such nonsense, and like to hate on everything that isn't a 350. I like all kinds of engines, personally. My current DD C-30 has a 283SB that does well, and will get a fresh 292 I-6 soon. My C-10 has a 250 I-6, another great engine, and another one will be going in its place. My flatbed C-30 has a 292, and might eventually get my 400SB, or even a BBC for greatly exceeding design loads with tall 4.10 gears and a gooseneck trailer.

Like 66Submarine said, because they are not 350,383 etc.
A 307 has the bore of a 283 and the stroke of a 327.
They make a good torquey Jeep engine with there long stroke.

The 307 had teething problems when GM first used them, mainly head and camshaft issues. The same people that love a stroked 350 (ex.383) hate a stroked 283 (307). We ran a circle track car that was in a class with a 312ci limit so others gathered up the much harder to find 302 which was legal with a 0.060 overbore. We used a homemade 307 with a 4 bolt splayed main caps 0.030 283 block and the 327 steel crank. With good heads and good internals including roller cam and rev kit both the 302 and 307 could turn in the 7800-8100 rpm range and live. Only thing is the longer stroke 307 just killed the 302's off the corner and won the season championship. With that said, a factory 307 is perfect for you to practice your mechanicing on since it will weigh the same as scrap assembled or disassembled.

307's, 305's, & 287's got a bad rap as they were created more for smog compliance than for performance. They generally under-performed in larger vehicles. In some cases parts to rebuild them cost more than a standard 350. The great thing about small blocks is the parts interchangeability and the potential for performance.
Fred

I understand what you guys are saying, I can see if you were trying to go with an "original" restoration, I'm sure the motor fit it original intended purpose but it seems if you arn't married to the idea of going 100% original, just from an purely economic standpoint getting a 350 might make more sense, in some cases...If I understood everyone correctly.

Side note: It sounds like the 307 could become a performer with aftermarket heads and a mild camm, is that correct? Also you mentioned interchangeability. If I played around with this 307 for a while and I got aftermarket parts like a dist, carb, intakes, heads, headers etc...would they possibly work on a later intended build I've been planning for like a 400sbc? (or something similar)

Before you sink a bunch of cash in it consider that you can get a 350 crate engine delivered to your door for about $1700. (Jegs & possibly others). Of course you still need the carb, manifolds, dist, etc. Aftermarket heads that meet a 307 specification may not be a good match for a 400.
Fred

So just to clarify on just about all small blocks carbs, manifolds intakes and dist, are all interchangeable, right?

It all depends how fussy you are, intakes, carbs, headers will swap between all small blocks but how effectively the function is another story. It takes more fuel and air for a 400 engine than a 307 to start with. The cylinder heads for a 400 have steam holes drilled in them because the 400 has siamese cylinders, so cylinder heads are not just interchangeable. Another issue is that the combustion chamber on a small block head can be anywhere from 64cc to 76cc which makes lots of difference. Long story short, spend more time planning what you want to do and don't just buy stuff thinking it will work on any small block.

Vortec heads make things different manifold wise.