Many people overthink all of this. Things wear and eventually wear out to the point of replacement needed, some characters may wear out faster than others due to their position in a gang holder, at what position/angle the holder is hit by an individual, how many different people right and left handed used this tool over how long of a period and finally lets not forget minor differences in different manufacturers that provided these stamp characters. Do you really think that an auto manufacturer really cared what someone would think 50+ years later or weather the stamping was consistent, straight, crooked, deeper on one side verses another etc? As long as it was readable and correct for the application (and sometimes not) it made it out the door. Quality control was NOTHING like it is today compared to 50+ years ago in the auto industry.

 

Along those lines, there is the idea that people tend to categorize by best examples. For instance, if I showed someone a picture of a robin and asked them if this was a picture of a bird, they'd instantly say yes. If I showed them a picture of a penguin or an ostrich and asked the same question, they'd probably hesitate. That's because most people's best example with regards to birds is a robin or something similar. The implication being that people may reject something if it doesn't fit the ideal.

 

Thanks for the info everyone! Any idea what this engine would be worth? It is disassembled, but I have everything from the intake to the oil pan.

 

This block has considerable value for someone who is trying to do an NCRS restoration of a '66 Corvette that is missing its original engine. This hypothetical car would have to have been assembled after about March 15, 1966, corresponding to a serial number above approximately 17,000.

Even if no attempt is made to add a serial number stamping, the block would score 325 out of 350 NCRS judging points allocated to just the block.

For the right buyer, the block alone would likely be worth $2000, and the entire engine would likely be worth $3000. The "right buyer" is someone trying to restore a 1966 Corvette to NCRS judging standards, where the car is missing its original engine. For any other buyer who just wants a period-correct L79 engine, the value would be considerably less, probably under $1000.

As a seller, you would likely have to be prepared to ship the engine (at the buyer's expense) to any location in the USA. That requires securing it to a pallet, so there is some extra effort required.

In terms of advertising the engine, keep in mind that the "right buyer" is pursuing an NCRS restoration. So, you need to list the engine in places where such buyers might be looking. Examples include the NCRS web site classifieds, Corvette Forum classifieds, and ebay.

 

List all the casting numbers, (and pics), of the additional parts to know if they actually belong to this engine to know their worth also, and thus the complete package "worth".