The hunt.....

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gdrill

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barbee made a thread about the hunt. I went on a trip yesterday not knowing exactly what was coming. There was a 383 listed for $100. It was sitting outside with no pan on a pallet. But it did have hp exhaust manifolds on it. 6 hours one way? No problem. So I drive up and meet a fellow. We look at his 74 Challenger and his 1980 350 4speed Z28 he bought brand new. He asks me if I need a cam. I ask if it’s new. Yup. How much? $50. I’ll take it. I spent a couple hundred in gas and $150 cash for the parts. Now that the engine is apart, I see why it was removed. Number 8 let go! Unfortunately it needs a sleeve in #2 due to rust, so that’s a goner. The crank is cast and will go into the crank stash. But I came out of it with some good stuff. Timing cover, water pump housing, valve covers, a 70/71 intake, a cool carb adapter, main caps for another block I had without, one 906 and one 213 head, HP manifolds and an NOS 484 purple stick. I love these trips.
:)

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barbee made a thread about the hunt. I went on a trip yesterday not knowing exactly what was coming. There was a 383 listed for $100. It was sitting outside with no pan on a pallet. But it did have hp exhaust manifolds on it. 6 hours one way? No problem. So I drive up and meet a fellow. We look at his 74 Challenger and his 1980 350 4speed Z28 he bought brand new. He asks me if I need a cam. I ask if it’s new. Yup. How much? $50. I’ll take it. I spent a couple hundred in gas and $150 cash for the parts. Now that the engine is apart, I see why it was removed. Number 8 let go! Unfortunately it needs a sleeve in #2 due to rust, so that’s a goner. The crank is cast and will go into the crank stash. But I came out of it with some good stuff. Timing cover, water pump housing, valve covers, a 70/71 intake, a cool carb adapter, main caps for another block I had without, one 906 and one 213 head, HP manifolds and a NOS 484 purple stick. I love these trips.
:)

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You scored some goodies there. And, it was a fun adventure.
 
I'd end up saving that block. Unless #8 tore it all to hell.
 
I'd end up saving that block. Unless #8 tore it all to hell.

8 was jammed at the top. That cylinder is actually good. I'll probably throw this in the corner......I just can't throw stuff away. A sleeve would cure it. Maybe boring, I didn't measure the slugs but they aren't marked over.
 
Finding and scoring new mopar parts and cars is like a high. The process of getting to know a new car or evaluate what parts you have is the one of sweetest experiences ever. At the end of the year, my years are usually defined by what cool stuff I found through the year.

This stuff isn't a hobby anymore, it's a life style which is why we have parts all through the house and spend hours and thousands of dollars hunting.
 
8 was jammed at the top. That cylinder is actually good. I'll probably throw this in the corner......I just can't throw stuff away. A sleeve would cure it. Maybe boring, I didn't measure the slugs but they aren't marked over.
Here's how I would do it. Sometimes, rust damage is misleading. Since you'd have to bore anyway, I would take it in let them clean and mag of course, because if it's cracked somewhere not repairable, it's junk. Then let them bore the water damaged cylinder to like .028" and see what it looks like. I've seen stuff clean up at .030 I never thought would. You just don't know till you try.
 
Ya, I'll probably do that. It likely would be ok like you say. Hopefully it's not cracked.

This was somebody's creation. Too bad it blowed up on them.
It is a 68 non hp 383 block, with a 71 cast crank, 71 intake, one 71 and one 69ish hp manifold, standard rods and pistons and a 68 hp 383 camshaft. I measured the cam and that is the closest I can come with numbers. It was built after 86 as the double roller cam gear is dated 86. I think maybe they screwed up because in the disassembly, a #7 rod nut was not real tight. Maybe 8 let go after a nut fell off. In any case, it seems like I'm collecting 383's so this will just be another in the group!
 
That's a C body drivers side manifold, in the past I would toss those.. Not anymore, lotta guys looking for them...
 
Finding and scoring new mopar parts and cars is like a high. The process of getting to know a new car or evaluate what parts you have is the one of sweetest experiences ever. At the end of the year, my years are usually defined by what cool stuff I found through the year.

This stuff isn't a hobby anymore, it's a life style which is why we have parts all through the house and spend hours and thousands of dollars hunting.
I agree, and if i found something I wanted or needed and the price was right, id travel a day stay in a hotel pick it up and come home I'd make a nice road trip out of it,have fun along the way...I ,like most of us,also pay the "shipping charges " on some stuff i really want sometimes it seems, the shipping can almost double the cost. but if its something you need and its right there right now...
 
It was a long day, but well worth it.
Love those trips. Sometimes you get skunked. A couple friends went to Tennessee for a Cuda. Empty trailer down. Empty trailer back.
 
Love those trips. Sometimes you get skunked. A couple friends went to Tennessee for a Cuda. Empty trailer down. Empty trailer back.
That would be a drag. But the possibility was there. Sometimes you just have to take the chance. More often than not, I have come out with solid value and very often a great deal. Time is valuable too, so some times the day is the cost.
 
Dang, those HI-Po logs get $400-600 a set now here! They look like the ones I had, 71 Roadrunner stockers (?). Great for a B in an A as they clear the steering with no problem. Went for a motor, got everything but! I was selling a '63 Honda trail 55 and the guy came over to buy it. Saw one of my 904's in the garage and bought that too.
 
LOL, ain't that the truth. I was hoping for the 383, but like RRR said, it's probably savable. Ya the manifolds were the clincher. They are B-body. I checked my Coronet and they are the same.
 
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