Matching Motor Opinions Desired

[Randy S.]

Gentlemen

I recently purchased a 66 Corvette. My prior corvette was a numbers matching small block but I was never into the flight judging.

My current 66, purchased this week, was modified by the seller, not an NCRS type. Car has ZZ4 crate motor replacing the 300HP 327. Powerglide has been replaced by 4 speed, car is currently rally red, originally 972 white, VBP suspension front and rear,etc.

Seller included the original motor but said not likely numbers matching. It has been sitting in his brother's barn for 19 years. So I check out the motor. Block 3782870 F305 date code ( June 30 05?). The car is a November 65 production date. Block has VIN NUMBER derivative and F0II4 HO ( Powerglide 327). Looks like a matching number motor to me!!! All there except carb as far as I could tell.

My dilemma, what should I do about the motor?

Motor is 500 miles away still in the sellers barn. I had no way to transport it home or a place to store it

It seems to me it would be prohibitive financially to restore the car back to original. Even with just matching motor, big NCRS judging hits for tranny and paint mods.

Option A pay for storage and offer to next "custodian". Storage costs may exceed value of motor.
Option B sell it. What would it be worth? 327 300HP sitting 19 years, PG suffix.

Randy

[Tim G.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

I'd hope that if you don't get it to your location that you keep tabs on where it ends up. It would be a shame to have the motor be permanently separated from the car it came in even if the chances of reinstallation are slim. I believe it will always add value to the car and maybe years from now it may be put back where it came from. Try to acquire it and store it.

[John D.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

randy
In or out of the car that engine enhances the value of what you have. I think you should obtain that engine and store it someplace for safe keeping.
It's already in a crate so you can ship it.

[Joe L.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

randy
In or out of the car that engine enhances the value of what you have. I think you should obtain that engine and store it someplace for safe keeping.
It's already in a crate so you can ship it.

John and Randy------


I TOTALLY agree.

[Frank D.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

randy
in or out of the car that engine enhances the value of what you have. I think you should obtain that engine and store it someplace for safe keeping.
It's already in a crate so you can ship it.

absolutely !

[Mike M.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

with a 5 month interval between block casting date and car build date, I'd wanna take a real close look at that pad--broach marks and morphology of the alpha numerics before accepting the block as the cars original . mike

[Frank D.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

Never hurts, but I don't know how many people would have restamped a 300hp motor nearly 20 years ago (purportedly its been sitting for 19 years)..

[Ara G.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

Even if the motor was out of the country I would make sure it stayed with the car. After all these years, doesn't it deserve to stay with the car it was born in?, regardless of enhanced value. You may not have a preference one way or the other, but the next guy or gal may. Just my two cents. ARA

[Edward B.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

500 miles out and back is a day trip in a pick-up. How much room does it take to store an engine? You will never have this opportunity again.

[Leif A.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

It's been a long day so maybe I'm missing something. Car was puportedly built Nov'65...how could the engine have an assembly date of F0II4 (January 14th)?

[Mike M.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

i missed the stamped date of jan 14th in the original post. good catch leif. as dickie wittington would say, "run forrest, run" mike

[Steven B.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

Storage for an engine is no problem. I kept my 2X4 469/283 complete engine in our bedroom for 3 years without a word. I got used to the quiet. Now I just have wheels in the closet. I must be losing my touch.

[Michael W.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

. So I check out the motor. Block 3782870 F305 date code ( June 30 05?). The car is a November 65 production date. Block has VIN NUMBER derivative and F0II4 HO ( Powerglide 327). Looks like a matching number motor to me!!! All there except carb as far as I could tell.

y

It's been a long day so maybe I'm missing something. Car was puportedly built Nov'65...how could the engine have an assembly date of F0II4 (January 14th)?

Reported casting date of F305 doesn't make sense either.

[Loren L.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

Nothing makes sense - 3782870 blocks were used 1962/65; your '66 should have a 3858174 casting. It is NOT the original motor for the car! The prior owner probably set out on a search, found Bubba who quickly stamped the VIN derivative on it and marked it "Sold".

[Joe L.]

Re: Matching Motor Opinions Desired

I think the numbers are not being read correctly. I don't think an engine with a stamped suffix code could have been purchased in SERVICE. So, where would an engine have come from with a blank space for VIN derivative that someone could have later stamped with the VIN derivative of this car?