Engine compartment total redo/ pricing???
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Engine compartment total redo/ pricing???
I'm wanting to buy a new crate engine (probably a 383) and redo everything in my engine compartment. My father and I are do-it-ourself-ers but I want to get an idea of what I will realistically spend. I know just for the engine I'm talking around 6 grand if I go turn key. I also want to sand blast and paint before the new engine goes in. If any of you have paid someone else to do the overhauling that pricing would be useful also. Thanks for your personal info in advance. I know you all take pride in your vettes just as i do and I want to know how much it will cost to get this thing done right. Thanks guys.
Holmes
Holmes
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
you need more definition of what you want,
100% NCRS restoration every nut and Bolt ?
Full Custom, Chrome ? Alumn. Billet ?
Do you just want to clean up and look good ?
or Do you want to win every car show you go to ?
You need to define what you want to level you wish to obtain.
You can pull and refurbish nearly every part, for cheap,
Design your complete Engine package, instead of adding a part here and there.
69VETT
100% NCRS restoration every nut and Bolt ?
Full Custom, Chrome ? Alumn. Billet ?
Do you just want to clean up and look good ?
or Do you want to win every car show you go to ?
You need to define what you want to level you wish to obtain.
You can pull and refurbish nearly every part, for cheap,
Design your complete Engine package, instead of adding a part here and there.
69VETT
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 833
Likes: 4
From: Mexico NY
you need more definition of what you want,
100% NCRS restoration every nut and Bolt ?
Full Custom, Chrome ? Alumn. Billet ?
Do you just want to clean up and look good ?
or Do you want to win every car show you go to ?
You need to define what you want to level you wish to obtain.
You can pull and refurbish nearly every part, for cheap,
Design your complete Engine package, instead of adding a part here and there.
69VETT
100% NCRS restoration every nut and Bolt ?
Full Custom, Chrome ? Alumn. Billet ?
Do you just want to clean up and look good ?
or Do you want to win every car show you go to ?
You need to define what you want to level you wish to obtain.
You can pull and refurbish nearly every part, for cheap,
Design your complete Engine package, instead of adding a part here and there.
69VETT
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 128
Likes: 0
Well, here is kind of an idea. I want it to look really good but does not have to pass any NCRS inspection. I want the bay to be repainted and all parts replaced with chrome and new hoses and such. Also the new 383 stroker I intend to use. Here is a idea of what I am talking about. Don't know if the pic will post though.
I used steel wool and hot water and soap and some 400 grit sand paper, then used a wire wheel and those black porous cleaning wheels on the frame areas then used black primer and semi gloss paint on them
before
__________________
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...tag.jpg:thumb:
blknblu68
View Public Profile
Send a private message to blknblu68
Visit blknblu68's homepage!
Find all posts by blknblu68
Add blknblu68 to Your Contacts
#10 02-11-2008, 06:46 AM
blknblu68
Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007
Location:
Posts: 210
RE: cleaning up the engine compartment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
after
I used steel wool and hot water and soap and some 400 grit sand paper, then used a wire wheel and those black porous cleaning wheels on the frame areas then used black primer and semi gloss paint on them
before
__________________
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n...tag.jpg:thumb:
blknblu68
View Public Profile
Send a private message to blknblu68
Visit blknblu68's homepage!
Find all posts by blknblu68
Add blknblu68 to Your Contacts
#10 02-11-2008, 06:46 AM
blknblu68
Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007
Location:
Posts: 210
RE: cleaning up the engine compartment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
after
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Everything is a big word ! and lots $$
Brackets, ? pulleys ? ....I would not replace parts just because they are old
sounds like you want to clean up, remove and paint everything you have.
go pick out valve covers and thats about it?
also remember this is Corvette most standard Chevrolet items will not fit under a Vette.
don't toss out your Alternator for chrome bling, rebuild and clean or polish your orginal !
remove every part clean , and paint it either orginal,
or choose a color scheme that matches your car. 69VETT
Brackets, ? pulleys ? ....I would not replace parts just because they are old
sounds like you want to clean up, remove and paint everything you have.
go pick out valve covers and thats about it?
also remember this is Corvette most standard Chevrolet items will not fit under a Vette.
don't toss out your Alternator for chrome bling, rebuild and clean or polish your orginal !
remove every part clean , and paint it either orginal,
or choose a color scheme that matches your car. 69VETT
Last edited by 69Vett; Jun 10, 2009 at 03:22 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,221
Likes: 4,311
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Holmes,
I'm a big fan of engine compartments.
I think CLEAN is the key word. If everything is clean and fresh looking I don't think 'HOW MUCH $$$' you spent is as big an issue.
I also think that the compartment needs to have a 'THEME', not just a bunch of parts. It could be stock, billet, race or.....?
Regards,
Alan
I've posted this picture often, and people seem to like it very much.
It's just very stock and very clean.
I'm a big fan of engine compartments.
I think CLEAN is the key word. If everything is clean and fresh looking I don't think 'HOW MUCH $$$' you spent is as big an issue.
I also think that the compartment needs to have a 'THEME', not just a bunch of parts. It could be stock, billet, race or.....?
Regards,
Alan
I've posted this picture often, and people seem to like it very much.
It's just very stock and very clean.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 2,231
Likes: 7
From: Fort Pierce Florida
Clean engine compartment makes all the difference. Just check out what a little cleaning can do:
Before:
After:
Seriously though....if flat black is easy, cheap, and looks great. Sand it, primer it, flat black it, organize the typical snake pit of wires and vaccum lines, and call it a day.
Before:
After:
Seriously though....if flat black is easy, cheap, and looks great. Sand it, primer it, flat black it, organize the typical snake pit of wires and vaccum lines, and call it a day.
Last edited by SuprJames; Jun 10, 2009 at 09:14 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 4,711
Likes: 552
From: St. Louis MO
2020 Corvette of the Year (appearance mods)
C2 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
CI 4-5-7-9-10-11 Car Show Winner
CI 2-3-4-5-6-7-9-10-11 Vet
Here's my '65 before-after cleanup 
ZZ4 Long block $3229 delivered.
TKO 5 speed $3195 delivered
Flywheel, clutch setup, A/C, Brackets/chrome/Intake/Carbs/more chrome/fittings/??? Guess $4000+ maybe $5000
George
ZZ4 Long block $3229 delivered.
TKO 5 speed $3195 delivered
Flywheel, clutch setup, A/C, Brackets/chrome/Intake/Carbs/more chrome/fittings/??? Guess $4000+ maybe $5000
George
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
I polished every (and I mean everything) possible, even the bellhousing, all stainless hardware, etc.
If I had to do it all over again I would keep everything the way it is, just blast/paint/clean things up. You can spend an eternity and a whole lot of money chasing that little sutff down.
Nothign like an ultra clean stock "appearing" motor.
If I had to do it all over again I would keep everything the way it is, just blast/paint/clean things up. You can spend an eternity and a whole lot of money chasing that little sutff down.
Nothign like an ultra clean stock "appearing" motor.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,589
Likes: 5
From: Salisbury Maryland
I think we're loosing a little focus on what he's asking about. $6 grand is a pretty nice 383.
I chose to rebuild my 350 and stroke it to a 383. New heads, pistons, machine work, everything from the ship was $3000. I'm upgrading to electric fans, HEI(bought from forum member), and have bought a new Hayes clutch, intake and Holley carb(which I got a deal on!), powder coated a few things, so I'm up to about $2000 in parts, so far. We've(my neighbor restores cars, but has been slow, so he's giving me a huge break, plus I'm doing a lot of the labor) finished painting the engine bay and the areas underneath the sidepipes. We'll be custom fabbing side exhaust to mate up to the new Hedman's and fit under the 69 covers. I figured this would cost me about $6000, and I should be in around that when it's done.
I'm planning on Carlisle this year since I've missed the last two, and I can't wait! I welcome everybody to come and see it finished!
I chose to rebuild my 350 and stroke it to a 383. New heads, pistons, machine work, everything from the ship was $3000. I'm upgrading to electric fans, HEI(bought from forum member), and have bought a new Hayes clutch, intake and Holley carb(which I got a deal on!), powder coated a few things, so I'm up to about $2000 in parts, so far. We've(my neighbor restores cars, but has been slow, so he's giving me a huge break, plus I'm doing a lot of the labor) finished painting the engine bay and the areas underneath the sidepipes. We'll be custom fabbing side exhaust to mate up to the new Hedman's and fit under the 69 covers. I figured this would cost me about $6000, and I should be in around that when it's done.
I'm planning on Carlisle this year since I've missed the last two, and I can't wait! I welcome everybody to come and see it finished!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
Engine/tranny cost depends on what you buy.
Clean up your engine compartment parts, paint them and replace and damaged stuff with stock parts...and you do the work...$1000 [assuming that present components work OK]. Have someone else do the engine compartment (as above), $3000. Do the "bling thing"...$5-7K DIY. Have "bling thing" done for you, $10K. {That's my 'guess'...}
Clean up your engine compartment parts, paint them and replace and damaged stuff with stock parts...and you do the work...$1000 [assuming that present components work OK]. Have someone else do the engine compartment (as above), $3000. Do the "bling thing"...$5-7K DIY. Have "bling thing" done for you, $10K. {That's my 'guess'...}
