Finally buying an FE!!!

[kurtmart]

PJ4myboo.

A complete engine can run in a car but end up impossible to rebuild. The block needs to be sonic tested ( like ringing a bell, if it goes thud instead of ping it's cracked) Also it could already too overbored and not allow enough metal for fresh machining. If you think an assembled short block will take away some of the assembly fun you can source a good straight tested, measured block and start there. I had many tense moments on the 428PI engine I got out of a 60's drag boat. Lucked out on the sonic but had to sleeve two cylinders, not cheap.

Whatever you decide it will cost more than you think , be more fun and satisfying than you could have imagined, and you kids will remember it for the rest of their lives.

What are you waiting for?

[Ron61]

I am not sure how this would work for you, but my experience with the FE engines is they are expensive. If you want a chance for your sons to have a chance to see how everything works and goes together I would suggest talking to one of the reputable engine builders and see if they will sell you a short block unassembled but with the correct pistons, crank, rods and etc and then you could assemble it. We used to have a place here that built engines and they would do that and sell them in any stage you wanted all the way up to a complete engine. The nice thing about it was that everything was matched for whatever you wanted. Correct heads, cam and etc.

1985 CCX has a good suggestion also. And for a street cruiser you don't need 500 horsepower and all the trick heads and such that really run into money.

Ron