Classic Car Engines – Did you get what you paid for you engine replacement?
The majority of classic car restorations include either rebuilding or replacing the old car engine.
In this post we will address the engine replacement for your classic car, and to ensure that you get what you want, agreed to, and paid for.
First some background with a true story as to why it matters:
Mr P buys an early ‘70s Ford Bronco which he wants to restore with some mild modifications and brings the project to Mr X’s restoration shop to handle the full restoration project. In this case Mr P made quite of few of the classic mistakes that caused restoration delays and a much higher cost for this project. To start Mr X represented the job would be done within a year for a maximum cost of about $140,000. In the end it took years with a final cost in excess of $250,000 for a finished project that may be worth $65,000. Fortunately for Mr P he has deep pockets, but the same cannot be said for most of us. This is also an example of is it worth a restoration or find a complete classic car or truck already restored.
Let us now discuss the engine replacement portion of this project. At the beginning Mr P wanted a mild upgrade to the existing V8 302 Ford motor by agreeing to change the engine for a new V8 with around 325 HP. There should have been more discussion at this point as to what the correct engine sizing both horsepower (HP) and torque should be, but Mr X likes to keep things vague. In short Mr P ended up with a 235 HP motor in his restored Bronco. The real problem here is that Mr P paid for the larger motor and had no idea he got the lesser motor. Now this is an extreme case, but it is relatively easy for a customer to not get what they paid for.
Let’s take the Ford small block in this case and show how this can occur:
All the of the above are small block Ford motors and some of you may know the differences, but most will not. More importantly the cost just to purchase one of these motors can range from $3,600 to over $7,000, and when you add in the typical 15% shop charge that cost difference gets even worse.
So what can you do ?
First get the agreed engine information in writing with your contract so it is clear what you are expecting.
Photos are the next step to ensure it is the correct motor and even your own personal inspection so that you can confirm the engine number matches the paperwork. On Ford small block motors that number is stamped on the rear top of the block.
Next you can match that number with the receipt and dyno report from the engine supplier.
It is also very helpful to get the engine for your classic car dyno tested by the supplier before shipping to verify the performance of the motor.
As you can see there are differences in performance from similar sized motors.
The process of dyno testing an engine for your classic car also provides for the important process of breaking in an engine. The engine manufacturer firsts runs the motor thru a process of warm up and various RPM levels to make sure all the parts are properly lubricated and seated so that the engine will run properly thru its lifetime.
As you can see it is relatively simple for a shop to provide a lesser motor than what was agreed to, and this can happen to any vintage car regardless of make and model since engine variances exist for all manufacturers.
Similar steps can be taken if you are having your existing engine rebuilt. Make sure to write down the engine block number and take photos of your engine. Have the machine shop doing the rebuild provide paperwork on your motor and even have it broken in and dyno tested by the engine rebuilder.
This process is not a guarantee, but it goes a long way to ensure you get the engine you want for your classic car.
