On the fence about selling my motor..

[Super73]

Well, I was out of work for 3 months and started a new job last week. Since I had been doing sales in the semi conductor market for the last 11 years, it's been dificult finding work. I just started working at a dealership selling cars. Hours are long and to be frank I probably won't have time to do much on the truck for a while.

I've ben wanting to build a bigger motor for some time now. So I'm thinking of putting my motor up for sale to help finance the deal.

I will also need to put some money out to pay for the recent work on the Camaro. I have some money for it, just would rather not take it out of savings.

What do you guys think I should do?


Also probably going to sell the trans and verter too for a glide..

[Outlaw72]

Sorry to hear about your work situation man.....good luck with the new job and your plans for the truck. I know you did a very fine job with the setup.

[jgreene0717]

What are you planning to build? Possibly a large cubic inch LS motor.

[Super73]

There was/is more in this set up. The 3.73's/30" tire were killing things crossing the traps in second.


I would be semi large ci LS motor.. Probably a 408-418ci motor. Most likely still a N20 set up.

[Outlaw72]

Whatever you do...don't paint the truck...it makes for a killer sleeper....lol

[djracer]

What do you lack getting the truck back on the track? I would get it back on the track and price the motor/tranny a little high and see if it sells. If not I would play with it and go slow on the camaro.

[Super73]

If I put the old front end on, well I would pretty much just need to wire up the n20 and get it back on the dyno. It'd be about 100-150lbs lighter, but I want to get the front end on before I go again. Plus Sac and Bako are hot this time of year.

[djracer]

The news just said the heat index is 105 here right now and very humid.


I'm headed to test and tune with a friend.

[Super73]

At least it's a dry heat here.. But either way, I like running the truck in the winter months and spring more so than summer and fall..

[hotrod 80]

I pulled the motor in the Luv when i was half way through a bigger inch build and it was a mistake . I never finished the bigger motor and the project just sat due to lack of funds to finish it . I could have been making passes all that time having fun . I say get it back together and do the swap all at one time after the new bullet is built .

P.S. Now the Luv has sold as my back won't allow me to drive it . I will be slowing down and bracket racing the 68 Camaro .

[djracer]

sorry about the back hotrod!



I guess I'm an addict! I'm gonna paint mine black and race any time I can.

[joeys66pickup]

x2 with what DJ said....a bad day racing is still better then my best day working

[Marv D]

You guys make me feel bad. If it wern't for this stinking heat (and my age I guess) I would be gung-ho. But I think I'm going to sit out the rest of the summer. Kind of sucks,, I', sitting 7th in ADRA and 7th in the Summit Series at the local track. If I were to just show up I think I'd carry enough points to attend the Div 7 ET finals,, which are at my frickin HOME TRACK. This has been a hard decision but when it's not enjoyable, it not enjoyable. And putting on a fire suit in 115° air, sitting in a 140° car, waiting for your call out of the lanes.. it just isn't enjoyable.

which brings me to the point of all that......

Super, Priorities of the moment can really bite us in the butt. With the economy and car sales slumping BIG TIME you have to consider that everyone is fighting the summer slump, worried about the economy and not going to give you nearly what the motor is worth. If the priorities of today mean you are going to sell it, just be prepared to take a beating on it. Just an example,, I'm looking at a 64 Chevelle that sold for right at $12k about 8 months ago. The guy is in trouble and no one will give him $7k. I think in the end I'm going to pick it up for the $4500 he still owes on it. I don't want it,, but it looks to be something I can make a dollar on in a few years when the economy recovers. People looking at you motor are going to be in this same boat we all are.

[Super73]

Very true.. On the flip side, I know where there is a Forged 408 LS based stroker with ported L92 heads ect that could be had for a decent price as well. So I take a beating but could get a good deal on that in retun. It's all relative.

But I really would like to try and go 10.oooh with this current combo (well, maybe with a glide)..

[joeys66pickup]

Well You 73',DJ an Marv are some of the best and fastest racers i have seen(all your trucks are what keeps me laughing at my friends when they say trucks cant be fast..) You if anybody are going to find out whats keeping you from that 10.xxx So its just a matter of if you want to stick it out and run this setup to get what speed your looking for OR sell it get the bigger motor and just blow that old goal to hell and go MACH 1

just a thought from a young kid ya know(anything to go fast....er)

[383Ram]

Here is what i would do, Get it back running again, and advertise the motor at the same time. If you pull it now, in hopes of selling it, two things are going to happen. One, your going to take a bath on it because no one can go with you for a test drive with you and hear it run, and Two, even if you know where a good deal is now and you make enough to buy it, i am sure there will be little incidentals that will add up that you may not have the money for to finish--thus no time in the truck to enjoy it.

I only speak from experience. I kept my small block in my car untill someone heard it run and was sold, but i didnt anticipate the huge costs of doing a big block with a turbo and the car sat for another 4 years while i scrimped to get by and constantly buy parts to get it running. I got so upside down and fustrated in trying to get it running, i sold it at a huge loss just to move it and move on from that particular money pit.

[djracer]

well said 383 ram.

Its been killing me just trying to get another motor built after blowing mine up one year ago. But that's why I race cars and trucks instead of horses. You only feed these when you got the money not every single day.

[383Ram]

Originally Posted by djracer

well said 383 ram.

Its been killing me just trying to get another motor built after blowing mine up one year ago. But that's why I race cars and trucks instead of horses. You only feed these when you got the money not every single day.

DJ, Have you considered buying a warmed over 350 just to get your truck running? Seems to me (at least around here) they are fairly cheap. I may do this myself, although i have a 305 that just needs a cam. I dont like or advise spending twice on parts, but when a cheap deal of something you can just throw in to get it going again comes along for the same price of a set of good headers alone, you got to think about it--ya know?

Mean while, my truck now sits non running (didnt run very well in the first place so i couldn't even enjoy it), i was doing ok on my 383 build up untill i bought a big block, now i am trying to unload the 383 parts i have to fund that.....

[Super73]

The good thing about the 408 that I have my eye on, every thing swaps over with no issue. I'd be getting it throttle body to oil pan. My moto runs and moves the truck right now. All I really need to do is either put my factory front end on or put the glass one on and I could be doing massive burnouts again

[jgh64pkup]

a local drag racer here has a 69 camaro that had a 421 in it
he pulled it out put a nice little 450 horse 350 in and is rebuilding and improving the 421 (18 degree race heads)
i would go with what 383ram said
on your new front clip how are you going to make the paint match
get about 20 different color rattle cans, maybe

[djracer]

383 dude I could never slow my truck down that much. My 548 is getting pretty close to going together and it should be much faster.

Originally Posted by 383Ram

DJ, Have you considered buying a warmed over 350 just to get your truck running? Seems to me (at least around here) they are fairly cheap. I may do this myself, although i have a 305 that just needs a cam. I dont like or advise spending twice on parts, but when a cheap deal of something you can just throw in to get it going again comes along for the same price of a set of good headers alone, you got to think about it--ya know?

Mean while, my truck now sits non running (didnt run very well in the first place so i couldn't even enjoy it), i was doing ok on my 383 build up untill i bought a big block, now i am trying to unload the 383 parts i have to fund that.....

[383Ram]

I understand what your saying, but going back to the days when i raced weekly, i seen people do it just to race weekly and keep going. Of course if your in a class like Pro or Super Pro (or whatever your track calls it) you could have the potential to get kicked from the points for going to slow. But i was hoping to help with a suggestion. Cant wait to see what the new motor does as well as others here too are waiting. keep us informed--you have one badda$$ truck.

[djracer]

Thanks man! I don't bracket race. I run index classes like 7.00, 6.00, 5.30 or 5.00

I have run the first two with the truck but hoping to run atleast the 5.30 class with the new motor on the hose!

[Super73]

Ok.. I'm biting the bullit and buying the 408.. It's coming throttle body to oil pan and will drop right in my truck. The only things I'll need to do is put my electric water pump on. I'll be pulling the cam out of it however and replacing it with a bigger one. It has a little 224@.050 with a lowly.563 lift. I think I'm going to shove a 254/270 @ .050 with .646/.600 in it. I think I'll pick up a good 50-60ftlbs and 70-80hp over my current combo.

It is a 9.5-1 motor though. So the question will be, do I pull the slugs at some point and bump the compression or, do I turbo this one too? It was originally put together with that intention. I don't think I'll gain a ton with more compression.

I'll be able to run a smaller verter too and take more advantage of the TQ the N20 will create.