# rebuild or replace engine? Need your 2 cents



## docmark1 (Feb 27, 2009)

After shopping for rebuild prices for the existing 350 in my 70 lemans sport convertible the bottom line is going to be about $5500. Will have about $12000 into the car, not including the $2000 I paid for it 15 years ago, and it will be fully restored. I can replace the engine with a new 400ci for about the same price. The kicker is the current engine is the original matching numbers engine. I'm not worried about having a street rod or a performance engine. The car is going to be weekend driver. The place where I'm going to have it done says after rebuild, boring 30 over I should get about 290 to 300HP. Should I keep it matching numbers car or will make that much of a differnce in value of the car replacing it with the new bigger engine. The pros to the new engine would be warranty and more horses, the cons, numbers won't match. Appreciate eveyones thoughts.


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## Jstreet (Mar 9, 2009)

If I had a chance to keep mine original, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Keep the original and liven it up a bit with stock-look to the outside.


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

I second the keeping the original engine and have it mildly warmed up inside. The $5500 sounds a little high but I don't know where you live for local pricing or what all they intend to do for that cost. Either way I think you will be happier in the long run to keep it original.....:cheers


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## Koppster (Jul 27, 2008)

:agree


I would kill to have my original motor....


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Who the **** is quoteing $5500 to rebuild?? Wholey crap BatMan, find another machine shop!!!!


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## docmark1 (Feb 27, 2009)

Rukee said:


> Who the **** is quoteing $5500 to rebuild?? Wholey crap BatMan, find another machine shop!!!!


Tell me about it, that's what I said. I've called every place within a 75 mi radius and they all are within a few hundred dollars of each other. This does include them pulling it and reinstalling it. All the places say if it was a chevy 350 it would be about as much as a $1000 cheaper due to the "price of pontiac rebuild kits". I found some one who rebuilds "on the side" and he wants $2500 but won't pull it or reinstall it. The cheapest I can find to that is $1500.00! I'm in Asheville Western North Carolina, 45 minutes to Greenville and South carolina and Spartanburg SC, 2 hours to Charloote NC. Any suggestions?


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## X~Nightstalker (Mar 28, 2009)

Going with a cheaper shop wouldn't necessarily be the best route. $5500 is pretty steep, but that is with them removing and installing it in addition to the rebuild. I would go with the shop that has the best word of mouth reviews. Find a local classic car club and see who they recommend. For a lot of these guys, their cars are their 3rd arm, so they know who does the best job and who doesn't. In the long run paying a few extra bucks is worth it if the engine shop does a great job. My father is a career mechanic and I hear him talking about the horror stories of bad engine rebuilds.


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

docmark1 said:


> Tell me about it, that's what I said. I've called every place within a 75 mi radius and they all are within a few hundred dollars of each other. This does include them pulling it and reinstalling it. All the places say if it was a chevy 350 it would be about as much as a $1000 cheaper due to the "price of pontiac rebuild kits". I found some one who rebuilds "on the side" and he wants $2500 but won't pull it or reinstall it. The cheapest I can find to that is $1500.00! I'm in Asheville Western North Carolina, 45 minutes to Greenville and South carolina and Spartanburg SC, 2 hours to Charloote NC. Any suggestions?





X~Nightstalker said:


> Going with a cheaper shop wouldn't necessarily be the best route. $5500 is pretty steep, but that is with them removing and installing it in addition to the rebuild. I would go with the shop that has the best word of mouth reviews. Find a local classic car club and see who they recommend. For a lot of these guys, their cars are their 3rd arm, so they know who does the best job and who doesn't. In the long run paying a few extra bucks is worth it if the engine shop does a great job. My father is a career mechanic and I hear him talking about the horror stories of bad engine rebuilds.


If you don't have the space and resources to do the R&R, then this price may not be out of line. Pontiac parts are more expensive then Chevs. 
X~Nightstalker has a valid point too.........if the shop has a good reputation and it is a drop-it-off-and-pick-it-up-deal, it is reasonable.......not cheap......but reasonable.


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## ppurfield001 (Jan 21, 2008)

Too Many Projects said:


> If you don't have the space and resources to do the R&R, then this price may not be out of line. Pontiac parts are more expensive then Chevs.
> X~Nightstalker has a valid point too.........if the shop has a good reputation and it is a drop-it-off-and-pick-it-up-deal, it is reasonable.......not cheap......but reasonable.



I could not find a shop to do some restoration work (suspension, exhaust, pull engine to fix seals, rear end, new seats, seat belts, etc.) near me in Connecticut. I heard through "word of mouth" about somebody on Long Island (50 miles away) and decided to use him to do the work. Best decision I ever made. He wasn't cheap, but did a good job and stands behind his work. Regards, Paul


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