I bought a Chevy 4-bolt 350 today for $200 that had #461 camel humps on it.

The thing was frozen and filled with dirt after sitting for who knows how many years. I'm going to put it in my dirt track car and definitely make use of the camel humps, but as for the block it doesn't make a bit of difference to me because casting numbers are the only difference between Chevy 350, aside from 010 nickel blocks and 2 or 4 bolt mains, other than that it doesn't make a difference to a racecar if it was originally in a 1969 Nova SS.

I see this block is #3932386 and I'm trying to disassemble it for the machine shop. Apparently the 461 heads are not original to the block because it's a 1969 4 bolt main 350 and 461's were obsolete by then. The guy told me it was originally in a Nova. Resarching I gather it was an "L48" 300 HP engine that was supposedly in a Nova. Is this block worth anything? It will need to be bored out at the very least if it can be used at all, but I don't want to put a $1000 engine block in a dirt car so it can throw a rod through the block, when I could do that with a worthless truck engine... I see some of these casting numbers for sale on eBay but I think people are full of it trying to sell something that it really isn't. Would this block be worth saving and trying to resale (after I verify it can be reused) or should I go ahead and put it in a car intended for racing? It also has HB stamped on it.

i don't know the value or worth of the block... but here's the info on it according to "NastyZ/28's" website: http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.php

1969 3932386 350cid 300hp (low) 350hp (high) 4 LT1
HB 1969 350 tur hydro trans. 300hp 4bbl A F X (model car)

if this thread is a "What's it worth" then that's fine by site standards but if it's to become a sales thread then it'll be moved into the classified section. once you see if it's a rebuildable core and if you get/have an idea on what you'd like for it then please post a classified, OK ?

Thanks, good luck to ya and also... welcome to Team Nova ;)


JR

I'm not trying to sell it on this thread, I'm trying to decide if I should subject it to harsh conditions or sell it to someone who is restoring a Nova. I'm thinking I could probably get a couple hundred out of it after a bunch of hassle and be back to looking for another block but yeah it would be pretty dumb to waste a valuable block. I'm thinking it's not worth much though. Maybe $100-200 more than another newer 4 bolt block.

no probs, i just wanted to clarify it just in case. quite a few times these threads do turn into sales threads so being you were new i thought i'd just toss it out there for ya, no disrespect intended ;)

i'd say to go ahead and see if it's rebuildable. hopefully some of the 3rd genner guys will see this thread and possible interest/info will be posted ;)

The value is in the eye of the buyer. You will need to post the ID numbers stamped on the block and the date codes in addition to the block casting numbers to see if someone here has a matching partial VIN (highly unlikely) or needs a date stamped salt water block to restore. Be advised that shipping will probably equal the price you get for the block so someone will need to want that block awful badly to buy it. But you never know until you supply more info.

Big Dave

HB is a 69 engine that was used in Camaro's, Chevelle's, and Nova's. Nothing real rare or special unless you find the owner of the car with the VIN matching the block stamp and they are doing a numbers restoration.