Motor build cost.

Most of us are afraid to know, we might talk in our sleep.

I'm out just under $4000 for my 276 '50 Mercury engine. That includes cleaning, mag test, pressure test, turn crank, bore (includes one sleeve), balanced, deck the block, surface the heads, new hi flow valves, new guides, new LZ springs, new seats, hollow adjustable lifters, pistons, rings, resize rods, regrind cam, all new bearings, gaskets, 95% filter parts. I still have carburetion to go after it is broken in. I did the assembly myself with plenty of advice from the generous folks here on the 'Barn. Now add rebuilt clutch, transmission rebuild parts, electric fan, clean and add 2 outlets to radiator, rewire the engine compt and it turns into an expensive project.
 
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The stocker rebuild for my 8ba ran around 3 grand. That included mag test, sonic test, boring, hot tanking, decking the block, surfacing and blasting the heads, all new internals (from Red's), new french rods from SoCal, rebuilt pumps from Skip, all new valve assembly (Chevy valves) and one seat, plus assembly of the short block. The crank didn't need to be turned. This doesn't include the carb rebuild that I had Charlie N.Y. do a while ago, the Bubba Chevy diizze, or the 4 row radiator from the Brass Works. Add those costs and you're looking at over $4500.00. That said it sure runs good.
 
40cpe said:
Most of us are afraid to know, we might talk in our sleep.

I'm out just under $4000 for my 276 '50 Mercury engine. That includes cleaning, mag test, pressure test, turn crank, bore (includes one sleeve), balanced, deck the block, surface the heads, new hi flow valves, new guides, new LZ springs, new seats, pistons, rings, resize rods, regrind cam, all new bearings, gaskets, 95% filter parts. I still have carburetion to go after it is broken in. I did the assembly myself with plenty of advice from the generous folks here on the 'Barn. Now add rebuilt clutch, transmission rebuild parts, electric fan, clean and add 2 outlets to radiator, rewire the engine compt and it turns into an expensive project.
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Sounds to be in the ball park. Doing a rebuild properly can easily go between $4k & $5k.
 
About 7 or 8 years ago a rebuild of my stock 59ab cost somewhere between $3000 and $4000.
 
A built 8ba with all new internals heads intake strombergs.
Pistons rods are new crank 4 1/8th slingshot intake custom grind cam from new blank not that isky stuff. And all the knowledge can absorb building the motor next to a master flathead builder. And pretty sure I'll get one of the first aluminum blocks when casting starts.
 
My stockers run about 4-5k, others about 10k. Upper amount includes extra machine work, valve bowl work, larger valves, port matched intake manifolds, proprietary cams, lifter/springs, Ross pistons, NOS rods, crank work if Merc or Scat crank as is, balance, run in on test stand re-torque everything 3 heat/cold cycles, hand made headers, cermachrome coatings on intake, headers, all ARP fasteners, new heads, chrome pan, ignition, new water pumps, system 1 remote oil filter or spin on. In this area, that is what it costs for premium machine work. Blower motors are 2-3 times as much.
 
deuce_roadster said:
My stockers run about 4-5k, others about 10k. Upper amount includes extra machine work, valve bowl work, larger valves, port matched intake manifolds, proprietary cams, lifter/springs, Ross pistons, NOS rods, crank work if Merc or Scat crank as is, balance, run in on test stand re-torque everything 3 heat/cold cycles, hand made headers, cermachrome coatings on intake, headers, all ARP fasteners, new heads, chrome pan, ignition, new water pumps, system 1 remote oil filter or spin on. In this area, that is what it costs for premium machine work. Blower motors are 2-3 times as much.
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Exactly the route I'm going.
 
deuce_roadster said:
My stockers run about 4-5k, others about 10k. Upper amount includes extra machine work, valve bowl work, larger valves, port matched intake manifolds, proprietary cams, lifter/springs, Ross pistons, NOS rods, crank work if Merc or Scat crank as is, balance, run in on test stand re-torque everything 3 heat/cold cycles, hand made headers, cermachrome coatings on intake, headers, all ARP fasteners, new heads, chrome pan, ignition, new water pumps, system 1 remote oil filter or spin on. In this area, that is what it costs for premium machine work. Blower motors are 2-3 times as much.
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deuce_roadster,
Can I ask who is doing the machine work for you? I'm just down the road from you.
 
I am just finishing a 258" complete rebuild with a .010/.010 crank and stock rods, Speedway 1/8" over pistons, etc. It does have an Isky Max-1 cam. With the Offenhauser heads and one of my carburetor setups (2 different four barrel combinations and a couple of dual carb setups), I will be into this engine for less than 2K. The one caveat here is that I have owned some of this stuff for a while, so the "Present Value" equation doesn't work out.

I have a couple of other 8BA's that just need a "ring 'n valve" that I will be in for a lot less than this. Other than "Heavy" machine work (boring crank grinding, etc) I do all of my own work.

You can go "1-800-Credit Card" or sit and watch what is available. Your choice.
 
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Midnightcaper said:
Curious as to how much money u all have into your flatheads. Whether it be stock or modified.
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This may not qualify, but I bought a used 1940 engine for my truck.
Cleaned and painted everything in my garage. Like others, got pounds of crap out of the water jackets. All new gaskets. Got it running a couple years ago.
I have about $1000 in it including the water pumps and coil rebuild, but not including the Reds headers.
IMG_0216.jpg
If I blow it up I'll probably do another used engine freshen-up.
 
I am doing the assembly next to him. The 1-800 credit card comment cracks me up. If I wanted a stocker that's what I would build but this is far from it. My block is fully machined. I still haven't decided if I want to move the outside exhaust ports, not sure if I want to go that route or not.
 
Scott H in Wheaton said:
This may not qualify, but I bought a used 1940 engine for my truck.
Cleaned and painted everything in my garage. Like others, got pounds of crap out of the water jackets. All new gaskets. Got it running a couple years ago.
I have about $1000 in it including the water pumps and coil rebuild, but not including the Reds headers.
View attachment 295020
If I blow it up I'll probably do another used engine freshen-up.
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Scott that looks very nice!
 
Moving the exhaust ports doesn't add much, if anything, save your money. I think some of you should read the " Practical flathead". When I see prices like this, I sometimes think I should go back ti building them. However, I help a few friends build them and I see the cost have gone up allot. Most of my 276 engines went fro around 3 grand, some less, some more. Depending what he buyer furnished. There was allot of used stuff around back then and tha brought the price down. I did my own boring for 100 bucks and had a shop fit the pistons. I did all the porting and valve work and assy for 500 dollars. That went up to 600 later. The dollar doesn't buy as much as it did back then and there were allot of machine shops. My crank grinder was 80 dollars and balancing for 125 to 150 depend ing on rods. I did allot of street balancing back then to save the costomer some cash. Give the balancer one piston, rod, rings and bearings and just spin the crank. Most engines had good rods back then ah Egge pistons are well balanced. Knurelling the stock guides and putting a few shims under the stock springs and the L-100 cam ( re grind the stock cam $80) PAW valves were $3 IN,$5 EX And I under cut them myself. The list goes on but, but there's always the Greed factor that you can't compinsate for.

PS Horsepower ran from 135 to 150.
 
My figures were for my own NOS blocks and everything else new. I have one NOS 59 series block left for a spare for 3 cars I have with that series engine and a couple of used 21 stud LB engines for spares for my 33 in case I ever need them. Of course you can find a running engine for a few hundred bucks, hone and re ring and put new bearings in it and get a fair bit of life out of it, but for new and as good as you can get it--it is expensive. It all depends on what you want in the end. Also, I am talking about the present, not the past.
 
deuce_roadster said:
My figures were for my own NOS blocks and everything else new. I have one NOS 59 series block left for a spare for 3 cars I have with that series engine and a couple of used 21 stud LB engines for spares for my 33 in case I ever need them. Of course you can find a running engine for a few hundred bucks, hone and re ring and put new bearings in it and get a fair bit of life out of it, but for new and as good as you can get it--it is expensive. It all depends on what you want in the end. Also, I am talking about the present, not the past.
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Agreed as good as u can get brings the cost up.
 
I think a lot has to do with where your at. I could be wrong but up here in the pnw I don't believe there is as many flathead enthusiasts as in other places. I will take the chance to apologize if I came off as a "***". Please understand I'm just very passionate about these motors and my dream is to become a great engine builder for them. As I get older I realize we live in a world where the youth is interested in a hot hatchback,that's just not me. When I saw my first flathead I just had to know how it works and what I could do to make it better. I do value everyone's input and comments. I thank you fine gentleman for any input,ideas and tricks of the trade.
 
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