427 Side Oiler, good price?

[millhouse77]

I've posted this in another forum, but figured I'd like some input from ya'll too...

I ran across someone that has a 1966 427 side oiler medium riser for sale for $6500 complete, carb to oil pan. It was apparantly owned by a ford engineer that had it in a 57 t-coupe that he drag raced. He claims it ran before it was pulled from the coupe (20-30 years ago).

How he himself got it...well, he says his friend that owned it fell on hard times, and he paid off his medical bills. In return was a ton of old car parts.

Again, he claims it's super clean under the valve covers. This is located in a different state, so I'd have to get a friend to go out and take some pics. A couple more notables. He claims it to have a sidewinder intake and c6 and or c5 markings on the intake and carb (he says all are original). As for the internals, he has no idea. The engine is somewhere in storage and will not be able to be taken apart for inspection.

My question is, is it worth the trouble? Obviously, I'd have to arrange for a friend or family member to look at it, and if it turned out to be in decent condtion, arrange for them to ship it to south carolina. What would the worst case scenario be if I purchased it without knowing it's exact condition