428 FE whats it worth?

[MCDSiena]

New to the forum and about to start a cobra build, just narrowing down vendors now. I have an opportunity locally to get the below engine I am curious as to what it is worth and what I should be paying for it. Also any ideas on what HP I should expect from it. I am unsure of Compression ration or cam grinds at this time, should have that information next week. Thanks in advance for your help.

This motor is a late 60's vintage 428 ford motor used in Mustang's and Torino's The motor is a fresh rebuild, the block has been blue print square decked, bored .030 over, forged TRW pistons. crane cam, the crank has been indexed ground 10-10,the connecting rods have been rebuilt on both ends, rebushed on the small end and resized on the large end with new ARP bolts, the rotating assembly has been balanced, the heads are 428 police intercepter heads that have been machined for larger valves, intake & exhaust, new valves , springs, retainers, keepers. The heads are ported and polished and port matched to a edelbrock torker intake manifold.Every thing is new , just needs to be finished.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by MCDSiena

New to the forum and about to start a cobra build, just narrowing down vendors now. I have an opportunity locally to get the below engine I am curious as to what it is worth and what I should be paying for it. Also any ideas on what HP I should expect from it. I am unsure of Compression ration or cam grinds at this time, should have that information next week. Thanks in advance for your help.

This motor is a late 60's vintage 428 ford motor used in Mustang's and Torino's The motor is a fresh rebuild, the block has been blue print square decked, bored .030 over, forged TRW pistons. crane cam, the crank has been indexed ground 10-10,the connecting rods have been rebuilt on both ends, rebushed on the small end and resized on the large end with new ARP bolts, the rotating assembly has been balanced, the heads are 428 police intercepter heads that have been machined for larger valves, intake & exhaust, new valves , springs, retainers, keepers. The heads are ported and polished and port matched to a edelbrock torker intake manifold.Every thing is new , just needs to be finished.

if it seems too good to be true, it usually is, in this case and THIS CRAIGSLIST AD, I would say RUN FOREST, RUN!!!!!!!!!!!! and leave it at that.

[MCDSiena]

It is a craigslist ad but the guy has all reciepts for work done at a local machine shop I respect and know does good work. All my experience is with Ford small blocks in my conv 66' stang so I am all new to the big blocks.

[patrickt]

Malta?? Man, I wouldn't buy anything from there. Well, maybe milk balls. Malta milk balls are one of my favorites.

[cobrakiwi]

Welcome
If the engine is close to you, go look at it or take some one with you that knows the FE engine. If it all checks out it could be just what you need.
Nothing wrong with finding a good deal.
Good Luck.

[jhv48]

I've been to Malta. PASS!

[Danr55]

What does he mean by "just needs to be finished"? What's left to do? I would look very closely at the motor and make sure it's the same one listed on the receipts. There was this guy once at band camp.... anyway he bought an engine and got all the receipts and history only to find out the work had been done on a different motor. Sounded too good to be true and it was.

[MCDSiena]

Good point. "just needs to be finished" means the lower end is assembled, the heads, intake, ect... still need to be installed.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by MCDSiena

Good point. "just needs to be finished" means the lower end is assembled, the heads, intake, ect... still need to be installed.

If it seems too good to be true, it usually is. Pass on this one.

[Young1]

For my money I need to see and feel it run in a car or see it on a dyno. Then you know. It all has to be assembled right. Even the good guys have stuff leak and blow up on their dynos ..... once in a while.

[Danr55]

So if the heads and intake are not installed, the engine has not been run and you really have no idea what you are buying? Sounds like a pass to me unless the seller is willing to assemble and run the engine and prove that what you get is what you bought. Just my $.02 worth.

[rpatton3]

All the preceding posts were good advice. Do you feel lucky?
As a CPA, doing an audit, I was taught caution is a virtue.
Happy 2013!
Russell

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by rpatton3

All the preceding posts were good advice. Do you feel lucky?
As a CPA, doing an audit, I was taught caution is a virtue.

Well, in that case, we can all agree that he should indeed go ahead and buy it sight-unseen.... And we'll just add a small explanatory note at the back of the opinion indicating we believe he'll get screwed in the process.