I have a 76 L48 with 115,000 on it. It is the original engine. Runs good but is a pig! Am I better pulling this and rebuilding it or replacing with a GM crate motor. I can get one complete 330 hp 350 inc. carb etc, for around 3500-4000. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated

 

ttt

 

For the price of a crate, you end up with two motors. If by chance you put a hole in the block in the crate, not a big deal, but if that happens to your original block, there goes the value of the vette.

The rebuild will be the close to the price of a crate, parts, machine work, etc.

 

Why have two motors, when you can just rebuild the one you have? I'd say it depends on your intended purpose of the engine.

I can rebuild a 350 for not more than a couple of hundred bucks. including a couple nice upgrades - cam, intake etc. $3000 -$4500? I guess if your considering that, price is not an issue.

 

In case of disaster...thrown rod through the block will render the original block a boat anchor and the value of the vette goes down.

Not if you do the job right...100,000 mile blocks, more than likely will have ridges...can't hone the ridges...and throwing in a set of rings and bearings on teh cheap is not the proper way to go. Maybe Bubba's way, but I would think most on this forum would opt for .030 over pistons, resized rods, possibly balanced, boiled block, hone with the plate installed, and the list goes on and on...can't do all that for a measy few hundred bucks.

 

Thanks for the input. I priced some parts...cam, manifold, etc and depending on what you buy, they are over 200 each. I'm sure the machine work to the heads, block has to be 4-500 then add bearings, rings gaskets, water pump, timing chain, oil pump..so on, It adds up fast. I am not looking to race, I just want something streetable with some ***** behind it.

Thanks

 

I would do the crate and store the original. Many of the new crate engines are 1-piece seal blocks that don't leak like the 2-pc. Roller cams, better heads, etc. It is hard to argue with new for the money.

 

Been thinking crate motor for my 78....live in Cali where smog now is forever for Vettes 76 and newer....think a 290 HP crate can pass emmisions with some "tweaking" on tune,otherwise I'll re-build the L-82...
At 122,000 miles on original L-82....

 

Later 350 blocks can have minimal wear if they've been taken care of during their 100,000 mile life. Id still have the block checked, you could be right in that it would need bored, but you could be wrong. I pulled a 76 350 from a chevelle malibu with 80,000 miles, the cylinders looked brand spanking new after a hone job. no ridges.

As for value of the car, when mine was appraised the appraiser didn't care that the engine was original or not since mid 70's Vette engines weren't "special". If you've got a rare engine (nothing in 76 vette was rare) then I'd think of "saving" the originals.

 

Won't get an argument from me on this one...

The buzz word is originality/numbers matching. These have been thrown so loosely, that peeps advertising cars for sale state numbers matching when they have no clue what it means. People purchasing automatically ask if car is original, numbers matching...some know what they are talking about, some just say the words.

Let's assume, sometime down the road, the originator of this post has a chance to purchase a ride that simply knocks his socks off, and must sell his 76. Potential buyers will ask the obvious about original motor, etc. If the original motor is trashed (blown) his chances of a sale may be greatly reduced, as he has to find a buyer who doesn't care if the 76 does or doesn't have the motor that came from the factory. Purchasing a crate motor serves a two fold purpose, decrease down time, and ensures that no harm comes to the original motor...if and when the time comes to sell, the owner can state that the motor is bagged, preserved, sitting on a stand. At that time, he may if he chooses, include the motor in the sale or charge extra. Keeping ones options is not a bad idea.

 

Yeah, I can see that part of it too.

 

You can do a decent rebuild on a 350 engine for around $1000, assuming:

1. No major damage to the engine block,
2. No major machine-work necessary, beyond honing the cylinders, and
3. No "sexy" speed-parts.

Most of the parts you need can be had for EBay for dirt-cheap. I've bought a lot of car-parts off of Ebay, and with careful shopping, you will be amazed what you can do....

My .02 (regarding originality) is that anyone who will buy a '76 from you down the road, will NOT be buying it as a "collector car." Frankly, it will never be any more collectible than my plain-vanilla '74 smogger Vette is... That point being made, I see no real advantage to the engine collecting dust and spiders in your garage, when it should be doing what it was meant to be doing- powering your toy.

If you're honestly considering the price of a crate engine ($2K and up, minimum), you could make your current engine VERY healthy for that much... And still have some money left over for headers, better ignition, etc...

 

I kept my original 45,000 mile engine and bought a stroker short block. Put all the original parts, except for flywheel, back on the original, and it sits on an engine stand in the basement.

You never know, even a L-48 matching numbers, may be worth something in coming years.

 

I agree with Breathial. Get the work done on your original. Who cares about future value unless you have something rare or pristine. Neither of which are you. Look at the muscle car market. Resto rods are where it is at. Modernize and customize. I actually looked for a NOM car to start with anyway. Cheaper to begin with and then carved it up.

 

That's what they said about the 68-72 when the C2's were restored to factory specs...and now the 73's are climbing in price...when a model year becomes financially prohibitive to purchase, the next model year is the choice, and where there is a demand, the price goes up...simple Laws of Economics



I don't think so...Just look at the 60's to early 70's muscle cars from GM, Chrysler, Ford, that been restored to factory specs...all bring top dollar. Just because a car rag does a feature on a resto rod does not mean that is the way to build a ride. Take a look at the auto auctions, sure you will see a lot of nice rods getting top dollar, but at the same auctions, restored cars outnumber the rods 10-1, and the bidding is in a frenzy for these restored rides.

BTW, where in Cleveland do you live? East or West Side? Member of Corvette Cleveland?

.

 

West side. No. And I still disagree. I see modified cars bring as much or more than restored cars unless it is something rare. Hemi cars, COPO's, etc. Plain Jane restored Camaros fetch a decent buck but Modifed Resto Rods hit big bucks. Plain Jane 1976 cars are NEVER going to be high dollar cars. They are too slow and underpowered in stock form. Modified, with a big block then someone may have some interest. I saw MERLIN go for 60-70 grand and the guy had 250 in it. It drew decent money since it was modified but no where near what he wanted I am sure of that!!! That was the one car with no reserve where the guy went home crying. Heck, I saw rodded NOMADS bring 60-80 thousand. There is no way a stocker brings that kind of money.

 

the l48 is not rare or desirable, and i doubt it ever will be. as far as originallity then, i say ditch the l48 as i dont think it is the best platform for a build up. if i am not mistaken, it is a low performance 2 bolt block. get a crate, save the original, not because the original will ever be worth anything, but because it is not worth a build-up, and why not keep it around? nice to have a spare engine. maybe you blow your crate, have to wait six months to save money to fix it. in the mean time you have your trusty l48.

 

Not rare or desirable, yet. Check back in 20 years.

Could you use your prognostication powers on my stock portfolio?