i found this shortblock on our local classified. what do you think it is worth. he says he only put about 500 miles on it before he pulled it. he said it was temporary until he finished his 352.

This is a Short block, i.e. no heads,intake, carb, or distributor. 390 bored .060 over, Keith Black pistons, shot peened stock rods with ARP 3/8 hardware. High pressure, high volume oil pump with ARP oil pump shaft. Has main cap gurtle plate that bolts to the main caps and all the oil pan bolts. Bottom end of the motor is stout. All the oil passages have been enlarged and also has windage tray. Never had a problem with it, just cleaning out my garage!

 

Seems kinda fuuny he'd replace a nicely rebuilt 500 mile 390 with a 352?? At .060 that block is on it's "last dance" as they say. Unless the walls are really thin and it had issues I can't undestand why someone would go back to a 352.

 

that is what i was thinking. i have a 360 right now and want to do a rebuild into a 390. hes asking $550 for it so i figure that it would be cheaper to buy it than to have mine done. i would probably spend that much on an old motor just for the crank.

 

Inspect it really good. Why are the lifters from #6 missing? Check the cam. He might have wiped a lobe. Or some other problem. If he wiped a crank journal, I'll bet it's already been cut down far enough you can't do it again if he went .060" on the bores.

Find out more about the vehicle it was in. It's possible he wanted to go back to "stock" with a 352 if the vehicle originally came with one.

 

Id be nervous myself. FE are not hard to find, when I need a new one for my truck ( Shoved a rod thru the side ) I brought a Chris craft ( Yes a Boat ) With 2 427 marine engines with less then 200hr from there last rebuild for only $300. And the marine ones come with chrome bores, forged cranks and pistons.