427vette66

I purchase a 66 vette a few months ago locally and am in the process of restoring it, the car didn't come with a motor or transmission. Recently found the original motor 427 and 4 spd Muncie tranny to it. The issue is the current owner wants $21k for it all together. The engine/tranny has 56k original miles and has been sitting in a barn since it was removed from the car, but will still have to be rebuilt.
My question is the price right for what I'm getting?

JohnZ

That's about $15K more than it's worth, even IF it's really the original engine and transmission (if it was any good, why was it pulled and left in a barn?).

63split63

So you bought a 66 bb car without the original engine and you found the needle in the haystack !
If I was that lucky the next thing I would buy would be a bunch of lottery tickets .

Bill

427vette66

Car was sold with motor/ to him a year ago he sold the car and kept the engine and tranny. Has three other 427's sitting next to it. I saw the numbers on the block it's the real deal.

DansYellow66

My 2 cents are it's not worth anywhere near that. If they are original they will probably need $5 to 6,000 minimum to rebuilt unless you can do the work yourself. I doubt you will gain $27,000 in net value in having an original motor in your car.

After verifying the numbers on the motor and transmission I would make him a take it or leave it offer on the motor and be prepared to walk away. Even though it may be original to your car, it's not worth more than $3 to 4k to anyone else at most.

What would that offer be? Maybe $10k in my opinion if the motor is legit and You can pull a head or the pan to verify no damage and just typical wear. But, I'm not an original motor type of guy.

63split63

I suggest you have an expert check the authenticity of the engine including all the parts, heads , carb , intake , manifolds , block , water pump , starter, ex manifolds. If all the parts are the real deal I would then have a professional motor builder have a peek inside .

If all is positive I think 7 or 8 grand would be fair for a 390 hp package .
Bill

thoyer

Once you walk away his price to the next guy will be about 75% less.

If you really want it, make him a reasonable cash in hand offer, but like Dan said, be ready to walk.

You gotta figure he already made some money off the sale of the car and now he is dangling the original drive train in front of you asking a ransom price for it. Takes kahunas........

Tom

427vette66

Well $20k for
Motor
Tranny
Driveshaft
Fan shroud
Radiator
Starter
Fuel pump
Water pump
Distributor
Bell housing
Fly wheel
Shifter

Pretty much everything but the clutch

427vette66

The owner is a race car driver, I'm thinking since he's in the world of motors and racing, I'll give him $15k for everything if he can prove the engine runs and doesn't smoke or rock or anything. So basically if he rebuilds I think I'll offer him $15k for everything.

Nowhere Man

Where did he come up with that price?

427vette66

He said that he put the motor on eBay before but didn't sell for what he wanted and that he had an offer of $20k for the engine and tranny.
I don't believe this, I think he's strong arming me since he knows I really want the motor. The person that put me in contact with him told him I already I had the car. He as all the leverage.

Westlotorn

The block may be perfect and may be junk, it will take a neutral machine shop to tell for sure. Tear down and verification can be done for less than $500, maybe well less than that. I would spend the money for that information.
Search for recently sold 427 390 cars and see what value a original vs non original engine brings to the sale price. I know this is hard because the entire car can raise or lower the values. Keep in mind a 454 could be built for 4,000 and offer better power and look nearly identical under your hood. It is all about what you want in YOUR car.
Everyone else is correct, you are the one and only one that would pay a ransom price so negotiate that number down to reasonable. Even 10K is high. But do your research and see.

63split63

* Are these parts numbers matching to your build date ? Every part that matches is added value .

Boyan

Dont let him rebuild it ..... Pay 10-15k for it .

bluestreak63

Sounds like a scam to me.

So you purchased a 66 BB without the motor/tranny that the previous owner removed and stuck in a barn. And then someone puts you in touch with him, telling him you have the 66, so you go and try to buy it from him, but he's basically holding your feet to the fire.

And there are 3 other 427's motor/tranny combos sitting there in the barn as well? Something tells me there are 3 other mid-year BB's out there local waiting for someone to tell the owners that the 427's are in the barn and somehow the owner of the 427's will know this.

corvettekent

What does he want for one of the other 427's? I bought a used 427 last year for $2,000 and put it in my '66 Sting Ray.

biggd

There is only one original engine and trans to that car and he has it so it's worth what ever you are willing to pay for it. It doesn't really make any difference what he's asking for it, he could put 100K price tag on it, it's only worth what you are willing to pay because you have the car that it matches. So I guess you have to determine if that motor will add more than 25K to the value of your car.

tjstarduster

Once again, there is a difference between "matching numbers" and "original drivetrain". Without extensive documentation and contact with previous owners, it is very hard to prove original drivetrain, but for less than 21,000, you can have a matching numbers drivetrain. Just my 2c. TJS

AZDoug

Nobody offered him $20K for that motor/trans.

I would have my doubts it is the original motor, it is probably a restamp. Unless you paid maybe $10K for the car, paying that much for the motor is stupid.

I too would ask why the motor was removed from the car.

The sales price of an original motor car, complete, is more than the sales price of selling a motor less car, and the motor to someone else.

Doug

Crunch527

Screw that dude...he is a liar...nobody in their right mind offered him $20K for that motor...ok, maybe the guy from Nigeria who was sending his shipper over to do the deal for him

The economics don't work...you have any idea the kind of BBC you can buy for that kind of $$$...check out Shafiroff Racing's 540...this will be the best $10K you ever spent...and then you have $11K left over to buy a TKO600 5 speed kit, and whatever else needs doing. You could be back on the road in a coupe weeks and you will have a beast of a car. Once he sees you have moved on emotionally, he will lower the price because no one else is going to pay that kind of money.

Another option is to sell what you have, and go buy a 427/390 car that is done.

just my thoughts...

frank