How do you price a rare Cobra engine?
 

Hi, I'm new to the site, so I hope I'm posting in the right place. I have been trying to help a friend determine an asking price for his 1966 Shelby 289 engine, with a 3 X 2 intake manifold (has approximately 25,000 miles on it). From what I understand, the manifold is 1 of 6 produced by Dean Moon for Shelby American in 1966. The engine is currently in a 1962 Austin Healey BJ7, which is also to be sold (either together or separate from the engine). He has another working engine for the car that can replace the Cobra engine if it is sold separately. Can anyone point us in the right direction to determine a fair price for the engine, or the engine and the car? Does it make financial sense to sell them separately? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Below are the specs we have.

1962 Austin Healey BJ7

approx 55,000 miles on the car itself

little to no rust or dings on body

body is all original (aluminum body / steel : door, fenders, hood, trunk)

original steering wheels : has two....one in plastic / leather, the other plastic.

4 Ansen Wheels : Mag wheels 15 x 6 (uncommon)

Dual exhaust v8 setup for a ford 289 / 302 series

Drive train:

1966 Shelby 289 w a 3 x 2 intake manifold (has approx 25,000 miles on it)

manifold : 1 of 6 manufactured by Dean Moon for Shelby American in 1966

306 horsepower rating w/ a 11.6 to 1 compression ratio

special oil pan taken from a comet (front)

high volume / pressure oil pump

windage tray

Front:

high volume aluminum housing water pump w mechanical fan

distributor - original auto-light dual points no vacuum advance

Interior:

original leather interior bought from AAmco American directly for this model. Still untouched in original boxes

Tops:

3 different tops: hard top, soft top, custom tonneau cover

Suspension:

Koni suspension shock absorbers adapted in all 4 corners

Do you have the casting numbers off the intake manifold, engine block, and heads?


Bill S.

post for sale on Club Cobra
 

When you value car and engine will you be posting them for sale here?

I tried to locate the block # with no success. I think that the exhaust header may have been obstructing my view. I believe the intake manifold # is cr-1628b. The head #, as best as can determine, (viewed awkwardly through a mirror) is d3om01. What is the best way to see the block #, short of pulling the engine? Also, we are open to posting them for sale here once we have established a fair price. Thanks, Mike

Where do you reccomend to check the #s? Also, given that we can prove the engine is what we say it is, can anyone advise on how to price it for sale? Even a ballpark estimate would be very helpful at this point. Thanks!

Well, the D3 is a 1973 casting date, the "D"=1970's and the "3" is 1973. Are you sure this motor is 100% original.


Bill S.

Have you tried getting under the car and looking up? Some of the blocks, I don't remember which ones, had the casting number where the starter is and others had numbers below the heads. If you are correct with your head number, then Bill is right and it is a 1973 head. I don't think they made 289s in 1973 but could be wrong. I thought it was about that time the 302s came out.

Ron :confused:

Thanks, Bill. I am way more sure of the engines originality than of the fact that we got the right numbers. Miror + flashlight + slightly worn paint = hard to be certain. To be honest, I'm not possitve that we're even looking at the right place for each of the numbers that you asked about. The head number we tried to read was raised, within a rectangular shape, within an inch or two from the spark plugs. Is that correct? Also, would the block # be below the exaust manifold?

Model year 1968 was the last year for the 289 and the first year for the 302, but some very early 302 blocks could have a C7 casting date.

Casting number info here:

Engine Block & Cylinder Head Casting Number - ClassicMustang.com

The part or casting number for the block will be on the right hand side of the block, right at the back, above the oil pan, and below the head. It may be difficult to see it without removing the starter. Remember this is the part (casting) number, not the engine serial number. My 200 HP 289 in my '66 Mustang has the following number: C6AE-6015-C.

One quick and easy way to identify a Hi-Po 289 from run-of-the-mill 289's is the damper. The Hi-Po will have a much bigger one.

Wayne

Another thing to note, it can't be a 66 Cobra engine. It's either a 66 engine, or it's a Cobra engine (or it's neither). If it's a Cobra 289, then it wouldn't be a 66. If it's a 66 engine, then it would be a GT-350 Mustang engine.

Also, without both the numbers off the motor, AND some kind of documentation linking it to a SPECIFIC car with those numbers, there's really nothing to prove it came out of a specific car.

The motor surely has value as a hi-po 289, but without documentation, I doubt you'll get "extra" value in the asking price for it being from an original car.

Lastly, if it truely IS an original small block Cobra engine, I'd much rather see you try to track down the current owner of whatever car it came from, and see if they want to purchase it.

Thanks for all the comments and help. It seems like the next step is to get acurate #'s off the block, heads, and intake. I will attempt that on the next moderately warm day we get here, and post them at that time. Now that I know where to look for the casting number for the block (thanks Wayne), I will, but will I also need the serial #? If so, where would I find that? Sal's comment makes me think that there may indeed be a discrepancy between what we thought we have, and what we actually have. Was there a Cobra 289 produced in 65, and therefore possibly in a 66 car? If so, that could explain the notion that it's a 1966, Cobra 289. Thanks again for everyone's help! Mike

Honestly, I am more of a big block guy, but I am quite sure the last year for the small block Cobra was 64. Also, I know some of the small block cars had footbox tags with the engine ID as well as the VIN stamped into them.

The number you gave couldn't be a head #, you have to have the manifold off to see the #. It's under the intake ports in area within the lifter valley.The fact that you indicated paint and seemed to say it was external means you were reading some other number...what I don't know because the date code is under the valve cover... the block number should be above the starter. I would ask again how you are certain it is an original Cobra engine? Ford sold loads of over the counter Cobra kits that went on 289s from Falcons to Galaxies.

Rare Cobra engine....
 

Another thing to check is the bellhousing bolts. I would think most if not
all 289 Cobras had 5 bolt engines. I believe Ford started phasing in 6 bolt
blocks during the 3rd quarter of 1964.

He can also pull the valve cover off a small block ford and the casting number is in the lifter gallery. He can then tell us if it has push in or screw in rocker studs If he really cosniders this a true HiPo block, then he is going to need to drop the oil pan to check it out as the only difference in the 289HiPo block is the wider and heavier main bearing caps. Finally, he can tell us if it is set up for a 5 or 6 bolt bellhousing:D.


Bill S.