Since they have distributors they are probably late 70s early 80s engines. Too bad they are not 109 blocks.
Still, they seem like a bargain for someone with a project car that needs an engine. Pay $800, bolt engine in, you're done! I am tempted to buy one and shoehorn it into my Corolla for an instant HP upgrade.
It is a good deal, but , no one seems to want them. I have complete 2 carbureted turbo motors that no one wants. I did contact him and they are 140 blocks which are 20 bolt pans, not as strong as 109 blocks. I would think the Jeep guys would be all over them. They used them in mercury Marine I/O drives too.
Not sure how rare they are, it was GMs highest production engine from the late 70s until 2007. Unfortunately most of the cars that used them have been junked a long time ago. They are of little value to the GN guys not being 109 blocks. If they were 109s he would have a gold mine! The biggest markets for these engines are Jeeps and Mercury I/O boat engines.
Rare in the sense that there can't be many of these left in a crate. Have to break the 3.8 down further than the 70s to 07.. way too many variations and casting differences to paint them all with one brush. Unfortunately I'd say that these are likely the least desirable off the group. 109 blocks or grandma's series II fwd would sell fast..
When you contacted him, did he mention how complete the engines are? Intake/exhaust manifold, flexplate/flywheel, and carb included? If so, that would make them a great deal IMO. If just long blocks, not as much, although I still like the idea of a cheap crate engine that is ready to install in something, as opposed to taking a used engine apart and rebuilding it. If he didn't give that info, maybe I will ask him and report what he says.
I think the only real target market for these is people who want to buy them to swap into stuff. And that’s a small amount of people unfortunately
I agree. But I see ads all the time for cars for sale--CHEAP--that are in great shape...except the engine has died, and in some cases has already been removed. Prime candidate for stuffing one of these V6s into, provided you can mate it up in the engine bay and to the transmission. Heck, there's probably a 1976 Skyhawk near you for less than $1000 because the engine has 200K miles on it and is burning oil. Painless Transplant!
I agree 100%. The issue is there isn’t many people like you and I anymore. The general population has no interest in thinking the way we do they simply use and abuse vehicles then send to the junkyard once they have sufficiently neglected the maintenance.
These are long blocks, no manifolds. These would be great for a 66 to 71 Jeep, 62 to 67 Special/Skylark/Cutlass, 74 to 87 Regal/Cutlass/Bonneville or Mercury I/O. These engines were workhorses for a lot of years, it would cost at least $2,500 to rebuild one, $800 is a steal.
That's what I was thinking as well. You couldn't rebuild one yourself for less, probably. And I am determined to find a Skyhawk for sale in Joe's neck of the woods.
I'm glad you took my comment light hearted. I've been at this Buick game awhile and I've never seen a Skyhawk out in the wild and can't recall seeing one for sale! I know there are a couple race cars out there but I've never seen a driver..
