[DeTomaso] 351C 4bolt main shortblock for sale +.030

Tue Sep 1 03:38:03 EDT 2009

Tony,

I value your opinion, perhaps about as much as you do my pricing!  :)  But I've been doing this for quite a while, and I don't think I am out of the park....really!!

Check these current ebay auctions out and tell me why I am out of line?  On second thought, just check it out...you don't need to tell me anything...I won't be listening. :)

110429843427   Sold today
220472409933   Listed today
370221466433   This guy is over priced....but he always is. On everything. But he sells it eventually.

What do you get from me in this deal for a few dollars more?
4-bolt main caps
Good crank, potentially ready to run, already ground.
Balanced set of rods
Forged pistons that may or may not have life left in them but I don't expect them to be cracked and wasted.
Block that could be run if a guy was in a pinch as is. +.040 pistons are fine for a street motor.
Motor sitting on a stand, ready to be loaded into your truck. No hoist required, no greasy tools, no mandatory helping of gravel and dust in the face...not to mention grease in the face, no aching muscles from crawling around under a car unbolting a transmission etc, sunburn, and great burritos!!!

Clevelands aren't THAT plentiful.  Although I must say that I did pass on pulling another 72 2 bolt version out this weekend on Sat. It was 100+ in the wrecking yard and after almost 3 hours in the sun (gathering parts for a serpentine belt conversion project on a Boss 302), I was wiped. Even donated a full rack of 1/2 inch sockets to the next guy that came along!  The motor was 100% together....had the heads etc been off, I would have considered taking it home to offer as a core standard bore block. Price? $300-400.

Why?  Because I want to be compensated somewhat for my time and my labor, and my knowledge! Many folks have NO clue what a Cleveland looks like from the front...nor what a 400 looks like, or for that matter, a 351W.   Occasionally I do it for sh*ts and giggles! Ask Dan Courtney about that!!! ...when he needed a good core block..... I had seen one, told him about it, and helped him load/haul it and put it in his trunk.  I think I earned $.30 there. Yah, I could have bought it and charged him for it.......plus my time and labor, but I didn't. By the time I figure pulling this out and home, disassembling it, cleaning up my mess, and measuring various things and inspecting bits, I'll have 8-10 hours minimum. I believe that I have a right to be rewarded for my time spent doing all of this, so you don't need to! 

This time, no one was looking, and I wasn't about to leave a set of 4 bolt caps on a perfectly good block setting in the yard.....because you never know when someone is going to pop up on this board looking for one......!!!!  And when you can't find one in your area, $275 may look pretty cheap!!!  I could have just taken the main caps and run away too! Perhaps that would have been time and money wiser! But I hope not....

You perhaps live in an area with a few more older cars hanging around and that is great! Here in the bay area with 2 million or so folks, these older cars are quickly drying up and hitting the crushers, and finding good 72 and up (4-bolt capable) blocks isn't an everyday feat! ( I don't consider 1970 and 1971 two bolt blocks although they are usable because I see more demand for the 4 bolt versions from this crowd.)   I have gone weeks and months without seeing any 351C in the yards. (..and I frequent 3-5 yards in the immediate area on a semi-regular basis)  Plenty of 400's and 351M's in trucks but they really aren't hardly worth the $.30 you suggest, unless you are building another motor for your truck!

Be glad you aren't running a 428 Cobra Jet block....I just sold a 1970 short block for $2500.... Why so much? Ask yourself what cars did 1970 428 Cobra Jet motors come in? ......not very common.  Fast forward another 5-10 years and Cleveland core blocks capable of 4 bolt caps will be selling for $600-750. Perhaps more.  By then, I may just consider walking away with the main caps.....cuz I'll be 5-10 years older....!!!

Ciao!
Steve

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Tony DiGiovanna <tonydigi at optonline.net>
>
> Not worth 30 cents, really.
> Cleves may not be plentiful, but I still come across too many stock-bored
> engines to make a used 0.030 over block worth any effort at all.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
> Behalf Of steven.liebenow at att.net
> Sent: Monday, August 31, 2009 12:56 AM
> To: detomaso, mailing list
> Subject: [DeTomaso] 351C 4bolt main shortblock for sale +.030
> 
> Pulled this from a yard last week. D2AE-CA +.030" over block, forged L2416
> pistons with a small dish in them, -.010" on the rods, haven't checked the
> mains but presuming same thus far.  Has been run and I see some slight
> scoring at the bottom of the stroke on the inner cylinders 2,3,6,7. Rod
> bearing lower cap looked nice, but then they always do!
> 
> I will pop a piston out and check for taper but the bore tops do not "feel"
> ridged, but the guage will tell for certain. Will post numbers when I can
> get to it.
> 
> Looks like it may have been balanced slightly as rod ends have
> sanding/grinding contours on them.   No harmonic balancer, it is toast,
> worst slipped outer ring I have seen in a long time!  Was in front of a C6
> trans.
> 
> $275. Located in Santa Clara CA.
> 
> Steve
> 
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