Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines NOS 261s

I was at a car show today and a man asked me if I would like to buy two 1958 NOS 261 shortblocks still in the plastic bags. I have not looked at these blocks yet, maybe next week. If in fact they are as he says I have no idea what to offer him. I have no need for them but I know some of you guys are hot after them. I would like to know what the low/high dollar number would be. I wouldn't mind if I broke even to just pass them on, but don't want to be upside down in the deal...SCRAP

I'd take one in a heart beat. email or pm me

In California a complete engine (used) sells for $600-$750 +/- depending on the condition.

It's the shipping tha kills ya, buying from the mid west, as they must be shipped 'common carrier'.

See if the guy will take $1,000 for both.

Good luck.

The 1957 Chevrolet master Parts manual shows a price of $135.00 for a 1957 261 short block. At that time, gasoline was about 25 cents per gallon and first class postage was 3 cents. So, if a new 261 short block's cost increased by the same multiplier, a factor of about 13, the NOS short blocks should go for about $1755 apiece. I recall that someone in St. Louis paid $178 for a new short block in 1960.

If I had not just recently acquired a 1954 261 short block in "nearly new" condition, and two late-model (i.e., 1959-1962) complete used 261s that turn-over easily, I would get into a bidding war for one or more of the NOS short blocks.

If James Larrowe gets well over $600 (as he asks) for used blocks, who knows what a NOS short block is worth? Whatever the market will bear. The owner should use ebay. Or, as John M suggests, offer $1000 for both and then start negotiating. As my lawyer friends tell me, "All things are negotiable, even death and taxes."

I got a fully rebuilt short block from Tom Langdon,forged pistons,bull dog cam $1400.00

Dear Bill;

That's a good deal from Langdon's, but "rebuilt".

These are NOS engines, with ZERO hours on ALL components.

Happy trails.

If I bought one of these NOS engines I would tear it down and check for damage do to setting in storage for 49 years and to relube all bearings and cam surfaces before I ever tried to turn it over. Also to make sure rings hadn't stuck in piston grooves. I would think that gaskets and seals might be affected by 49 years of storage.
Just my thoughts.

In 1988 Patrick Dykes was selling NOS GMC 302 shortblocks for $500.00 each. i bought one and still have it.

Any New Old Stock part or collection of parts is . . . New--that is, never used . . . Old--that is, subject to the depredations of time, not least of which are corrosion and dirt . . . Stock--what the factory specified in weight and performance.

At the least, any NOS assembly like this should be torn down, cleaned, checked in all its dimensions, and reassembled as we should assemble any engine we have "rebuilt." Most of us would, i think, want to replace many parts with an eye to performance and durability.

Bought right, it's a great opportunity.

God's Peace to you.

d
Inliner #1450

A couple of years ago I bought a 1960 or 61 261 from a Buick guy. He had bought a pile of old Buick engines and this lone 261 was in the pile. It was an odd engine, but he knew what it was. No grease was evident on the outside of the block and no paint--only rust. But not heavy rust--it was rusted like it just sat in an unheated shop for 40+ years. It had the normal truck bellhousing on it, and I couldn't turn it over no matter how hard I pried against the flywheel. I pulled the head and oilpan, and the inside of the engine was pristine. If you've ever pulled the oilpan off of an old 235 or 261 that has gone 100,000+ miles you will know how odd that is. He wanted $400 for it, and I couldn't get him to come down a nickle, no matter how much I protested about the engine being locked-up. But I took a chance and hauled it home. It was locked-up because all the oil had long ago turned to varnish and the varnish had long ago hardened into dried glue. I had one heck of a time. I finally cut the bellhousing off with a sawzall because I couldn't rotate the flywheel to get to the upper p.p. bolts. I put the engine on a stand and soaked the crank and cam and pistons with carb cleaner and diesel and WD-40, and anything else I could think of, and finally... finally... I got it apart. Cylinders checked out perfect. Crank checked out good--just needed a polishing. Cam looked brand new--no wear on the lobes at all. Lifters looked brand new. I re-used the original armoured pistons and just put new rings on them. This engine is the closest to NOS I've ever seen in a used, 40+ year old engine. Bargains are still to be had out there.

By the way, the teeth on the ring gear on that flywheel were also not even rounded over. So this engine is a mystery--for some reason it sat in someone's shop or warehouse for many, many years until a couple of years ago. [img]http://www.pbase.com/robere210/image/74359117[/img]