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MEDIK418 · 10-12-2002, 10:58 AM

I agree with DLB on building your own. If it goes BOOM at least you know it wasn't someone else who got to you. I've built three engines this year, a 306, a 414 and my tired old 300 inch six in the truck. I did buy the 414 stroker (short block) for the boy's Bronco and I still feel uneasy about it and probably won't do that again. The biggest problem with building your own is all the little added expenses you don't budget for. With a used block, you can count on machine costs from 200 - 500 bucks depending on who's doing it. freeze plugs, cam bearings, are the lifter bores going to need work? Every time I do one of these things I sit looking at my poor smoking checkbook and wish I'd bought the thing outright and yes you can come out about the same but there's a lot of decisions budgetwise to get there. Watch the guaranteed shortblocks too. A lot of them only guarantee the engine if an ASE certified mechanic installs it. Good thing to do, but most folks don't go that route.
Good luck

10-12-2002, 10:58 AM	#3
MEDIK418 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Amarillo, Texas, USA Posts: 780	I agree with DLB on building your own. If it goes BOOM at least you know it wasn't someone else who got to you. I've built three engines this year, a 306, a 414 and my tired old 300 inch six in the truck. I did buy the 414 stroker (short block) for the boy's Bronco and I still feel uneasy about it and probably won't do that again. The biggest problem with building your own is all the little added expenses you don't budget for. With a used block, you can count on machine costs from 200 - 500 bucks depending on who's doing it. freeze plugs, cam bearings, are the lifter bores going to need work? Every time I do one of these things I sit looking at my poor smoking checkbook and wish I'd bought the thing outright and yes you can come out about the same but there's a lot of decisions budgetwise to get there. Watch the guaranteed shortblocks too. A lot of them only guarantee the engine if an ASE certified mechanic installs it. Good thing to do, but most folks don't go that route. Good luck __________________ 1986 four-eyed LX coupe, 358 Cleveland, Tremec TKO600/centerforce clutch, dish cut Probe forged pistons, comp cams hyd.roller cam, .579/.588@224/230, Edel.performer, 670 holley street avenger, CPR custom built long tubes, ported and polished 4bbl heads, manley valves, beehive springs, MSD peo-billet dist/MSD6AL, fluidamper, 5 lug conv. with 17x8 bullits there's more but it's still not finished yet. Oh, and the oldest boy is turning his 89 GT into a FFR cobra this next summer.