Liquidating 383 - Advice Needed

[jclow]

So I need some advice from those of you in the know...

In '00-01, I had a 383 stroker built for me by Frank Beck and Beck Racing Engines in Phoenix, AZ. At that time, I intended to put the motor in a project vette I was going to use for open road races. Due to an unrelated business failure, the motor was never installed. In fact, it is still in the same crate that Beck shipped it to me in. Also due to the same unrelated business failure, IRS and my accountant have every shred of paperwork related to this motor.
Repeated attempts to locate the missing receipt and specs have come up unsuccessful. :cry:

However, I can, upon legitimate request, verify approximate amount invested and approximate engine dyno results. I have a little over $20k invested in the motor. It dyno'd at around 550hp naturally aspirated and mid 600hp with NOS.

Does anyone have an idea what I might expect to get for this motor at sale? I had someone tell me to put it on Ebay with no reserve but just can't stomach the thought of it selling for $1k. What are your thoughts on method of sale? Any help/advice would be very greatly appreciated!!!

[hammertime]

Depending on the parts in it, brand new or not to me its a used motor because its not coming straight from the motor shop.
If it has good parts 3-5k right now with a soft market. I am sorry to say 20k for a motor like that is wayyy to much.

[kw89425]

if its been sitting for 7 years in a crate unturned i dont expect youll get much for it. i could be wrong it happens.

[jclow]

Thanks for the replies so far! I realize I'm not going to get much for it and have no disillusions about recouping even half of my costs. That said, would I be better parting it out? I know everything on it was top quality 7 years ago... but I'm sure some of it is obsolete now. Any thoughts on that?

[kw89425]

well you never know like hammertime said the market is soft seems like nobody has any extra money

[bbchevy]

There Sure are some GREAT,SALEMEN out there!!!383ci=550HP.But,there NO Way that i see it ADDING up to 20G's?And,7 Years ago,did it come with a CHASSIS?
Lets be Realistic!
Later
G 8)

[jclow]

I paid too much for the engine, I GET IT!

Rather than rub in the fact that I got robbed, why not offer some friendly advice as to how to recoup as much as possible? Sheeesh!

[bbchevy]

I WAS NOT Rubbing!@
What i was SAYING?Its a GODDAM Shame,that Guys can do this and Get AWAY with it?
We Are ALL in the SAME GAME!
Sorry if icame OFF That Way!
Later
G 8)

[hammertime]

tell us some parts in the motor, we can tell you more about what its worth parted out or together ??

[john858]

hammertime is right a parts list would help ,like block-heads-intake-rockers-carb,but you still might be better off to take it apart take pics and that way theres no guessing what you see is what you get .i like to see what i'm buying .good luck

[jclow]

As I remember, I paid dearly for what was then a "state-of-the-art" computer and engine management software system that worked with Windows '98 in what was then a very user friendly format. Perhaps you can recall other tech breakthrough's that have since become much more affordable (basic pc's, dvd's, plasma tv's, to name a few...)

Just looked on Beck's website- still sells a 383 LT4 for $12k... pretty easy to get that up to $16-18k when you add in ignition, engine management, and NOS grade parts. Factor in the premium paid back then for that computer/software and "paying" him to figure out how to install it and program it...

I don't doubt I paid to much for the thing... at this point, I don't care. I just want to know what I can get for it and if it's parts are worth more than their sum of the whole.

If BRE were in the business of ripping off customers, I doubt they would still be in business today... I guess I was the sucker :oops:

[john858]

parts add up & labor ain't cheap thats what we would like to see a parts list,
at least a parsal one so we can try to help you out .

[jclow]

I'll post back here as soon as I put together a short list of parts and pics. Thanks!

[kw89425]

i had a 496 built here in ky i took a bare block and bare heads to my machine shop (not mine but where i go) with machine work all parts put together it cost me 5,500. that was with the stroker oil pan i had vavle covers carb and dist. that was including head work and new bigger valves and springs. eagle rotating assembly and je pistons. i have since changed to roller cam and rockers. it is a pump gas motor making almost 600 hp. it has been together several years now without any problems and it hasnt been babied. not saying anything against anybody but 20,000 for a 383. i think ill just keep dealing with my local guy

[hotrodharley]

I'll post back here as soon as I put together a short list of parts and pics. Thanks!

just my 2 cents worth but i had sort of same deal once myself.i built a nice high dollor[at that time]496bbc. never started it.came time where i had to sell[got sick and was on short term disabilty]tried everything to sell as complete engine.even had all paper work on everything in engine.still no luck.most everyone had coments that just because i had paper saying what was in that engine doesn't mean that those parts was from another engine.long story short..no buyers on complete engine..so i took engine apart and listed it that way.part by part got sold and i broke even on engine except didn't recover machine work but i did get money back for parts..

i'm thinking you would come out better selling the parts;;these being high grade parts then they are selling for lot more today then they did 7 years ago;;everything[prices]has gone way up in past 7 years;;example[a set of JE pistons 7 years ago sold for say $500.00;;today that same set of pistons would be $750.00 or there about]and today they are still top line pistons..so using that as example;;you could ask $500.00 for your pistons and it would be a good buy today for buyer and you would get what you paid for them 7 years ago..