350 Chevy

[eoinjohnusa]

Hello,
Not knowing anything about engines, I have been offered a 350 chevy V8 all new crate engine with a new auto trans, Torque converter , 1 year GM warranty 5595.00 how does this package sound? This is for a new project, I don't want to be able to drive the car on race tracks.
Any advice appreciated.
Eoin

[Tim Brewer]

Everyone is going to want to know what kind of project. If it's a Cobra, there's two things strictly taboo; Chevys and automatics. That said, and maybe you have a different project in mind, but have you ever checked out Jegs.com? Chevy 350s can be had fairly cheap.

[tcrist]

Concidering that he is not from the states, the Chevy and auto trans might not be an issue.

[vettestr]

Well I am betting you won't get a lot of love from my fellow Type A gear grinders on a Cobra board but here goes. You need to look up your exact components to get accurate pricing but it does not sound like a fire sale price by any means.

Don't know what project you are building but think hard about installing a stock automatic tranny in anything except your tow rig and then 350 inches is too small. I'm a Chebbie fan myself but a stock SB with an Auto tranny sounds ............ boring.

[eoinjohnusa]

I'm living in Dubai, hence why I was considering the recommendation of a Chevy with automatic transmission,(Chevy parts easy to get here) if I do leave here then I'd have to sell it and I'd think I'd have difficulty selling it with a manual trans?
The Kit I'm looking at is one from *B&B Manufacturing - :::: - Feel the Thunder - :::: - Hotrods from Kit to Turn Key - ::::.

[vettestr]

Here is a list to compare engine prices but GM is still best source GM Performance - JEGS High Performance and GM will have tranny info as well. A word or caution on newer Auto's ... make sure car computer interface does not become an issue. I have always found a car with an automatic tranny appeals to a MUCH smaller market and build cost is higher. I am a big believer in building whatever works for you. Most of my builds use a GM engine and that niche market works for me but an Auto really limits MY resale options.

[blykins]

Resale value for a Cobra with 1. An automatic trans or 2. Chevy engine, are very low. A combination of the two may put you in a spot where it would take an extremely long amount of time to sell it.

[CHANMADD]

He did say that he is in Dubai and there he would have difficulty selling a manual trans'd car.

[392cobra]

Having worked out of Dubai myself and being familiar with the area,I can't see how a manual trans car/truck of any type would be in any way difficult to sell.

I'd rethink putting an auto in your Cobra.

[vettestr]

Originally Posted by blykins

Resale value for a Cobra with 1. An automatic trans or 2. Chevy engine, are very low. A combination of the two may put you in a spot where it would take an extremely long amount of time to sell it.

Hey Blykins, I agree with you on the time it may take to sell a Cobra with a Chevy to a Ford buyer. The Cobra has such an appeal and great body lines that us Chebbie gear heads like them too and a Cobra with a Chevy is not a hard sell. I have owned a couple automatic cars, each were purpose built for drag racing. Again limiting resale to the G. P. but then easier to a smaller group. I built one for a guy who did not know how to drive a manual ... his check was good as gold. I like the manual tranny and the feel. Jeff C

[tcrist]

Just about anywhere except in the good ol USA people could care less if a cobra replica had a Ford engine in it or not.

Log on to the CobraClub in Europe and you will see very few Cobra replicas with Ford engines.

Not sure if it has something to do with the smog requirments for Ford powered cars over there or what it is.

[Ozgur_Tan]

g'day,
i'm also located on the other side of the pond @ istanbul. ford v8 spare parts and used/crate engine prizes more expensive than chevy v8. that's why i've always use SBC at my scratch builds. there's some pictures at my web site ozgurtan.com
peace,
ozgur