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Old 06-16-2020, 01:40 PM   #1
JoeDude
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Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

I have a local shop wanting to charge me $5100 for a complete running engine. He is including the clutch and 3 speed trans. Anyone ever pay in the neighborhood of that amount?

Joe
54 Chevy 3100
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Old 06-16-2020, 02:34 PM   #2
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

it's been 10 yrs since i paid $1200 for a 194 rebuild from my chevy II
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Old 06-16-2020, 05:05 PM   #3
mick53
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

I'll start with I'm no expert. Seems high to me. A clutch isn't much and I would think 3 speeds should be laying around everywhere like 350 bell housings. I have a GM 228? laying in the scrap pile with a torque tube 3 speed on it I can't give away. Is the trans rebuilt? Do you get a warranty? I have a 235 that a long time ago I took a flywheel from the junkyard and swapped the ring gear so I could put a 10.4" standard clutch on it instead of the 9 1/8" one. It will be making its way to the scrap pile soon. That was 40 years ago so the numbers may not be right but I kept burning up clutches and the 10.4" was cheaper. It's been in there for maybe 100k miles.
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Old 06-16-2020, 05:46 PM   #4
mr48chev
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

It sounds pretty high but I don't know the labor rates.

I don't know what mods you want either.

My computer isn't getting along with Napa online today but the prices that they quote online for a store in your area should be the full list price that a shop charges you for the part. The Napa website doesn't show discounts.

If he is supplying the core that may add a lot of cost over you supplying a good core. All the sudden that old 235 that Mick53 or I would give you to haul off and so it doesn't go to scrap becomes a "valuable" core engine. Same with the flywheel and transmission. If you have the complete unit to rebuild you probably save quite a bit over him supplying those units.

I'm out of the loop on labor costs for machine shops locally. The cost to have valves ground or the crank turned or the block bored. Still a 235 is not a "rare and exotic" engine that requires a lot of tedious hours to do extremely precise work. It is an engine that requires high quality work but that is very basic and simple in comparison.

The only additional work that should be done is adding hard valve seats to handle today's gas. Other than that it is all the most basic automotive machine shop work you will see. Still a lot of steps but a simple six cylinder valve job, a simple six cylinder bore job and grinding the crank isn't a big deal for the guy who grinds cranks every day of the week. Cam shaft is probably a quality oem style cam that runs around 100 most of the time unless you want a hot cam.

If you are asking for or getting extra services such as porting the head, balancing the rotating parts or getting performance parts as part of the deal such as cast headers or an aluminum multi carb intake that may jack the price a bunch.

To my way of thinking you are looking at under 1000 in parts using the best available and around 4K in labor with that guy. Labor rates in that shop may eat up 4 K pretty fast though. I've seen quotes as high as 150 an hour in some areas of the country with the cost of doing business in that area contributing to a lot of that rate.
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Old 06-17-2020, 04:49 PM   #5
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

Nearly 20 years ago my 235 died running down the road at 60-65 mph. A total rebuild was expensive. The cam snout sheared off.
I had a mechanic I trust take it to a local, at the time, machine shop. The machine work and parts were $1200 not counting the labor the mechanic charged to shim the pushrods and assemble everything. At the time I paid $1959 and my mechanic said he lost money on the job. This was about 2000, or 2001. He said I could have had a SBC for the same about of money or less. Still love the old I-6 but they are expensive to rebuild.
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Old 06-17-2020, 06:32 PM   #6
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

For $5100 I would have a V8 on order faster than you could finish reading this sentence.
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Old 06-18-2020, 12:07 AM   #7
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

You weren’t very specific on details but here’s an opinion from somebody who’s done it more than a couple times:
If your mechanic is talking about rebuilding the 235, rebuilding a three speed, new clutch, all of the accessories new or rebuilt and installed in the truck, that is a very fair price.

If it’s everything mentioned above but no install it’s a little high to me but not out of line if it’s good solid quality work and parts.

If this is just an old used engine and transmission pulled from another vehicle I wouldn’t touch it for that kind of money. Over the years I’ve noticed what are being advertised as good solid running 235s and transmissions pulled from all stripes of Chevys being turned into various hot rods. If you have some patience and I means To check a used engine over thoroughly I think you could easily come up with what you’re looking for for $1000 or under.

Unfortunately this is 2020 and the stuff is just getting more and more expensive all the time ...

Steve weim55 Colorado

Last edited by weim55; 06-18-2020 at 12:14 AM.
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Old 06-18-2020, 12:42 PM   #8
mr48chev
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

I'd want to know exactly what he has planned as far as the rebuilding. Parts prices shouldn't vary much shop to shop for the same quality parts. Labor has a lot of things factored in. Labor rates in the area, the overhead costs of his operation. The guy with the newer building in a high rent high profile area with all new state of the art equipment is going to have a lot higher rate than the guy who has his business in a lower cost area rent/building cost wise and if they have owned the business for years and have it paid for they may not need to raise the prices as much to have the same profit margin as the guy across town in the flashy building.

The big problem around here is that there doesn't seem to be enough young guys getting into the trade.
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My ongoing truck projects:
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77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.
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Old 06-18-2020, 06:09 PM   #9
mick53
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

Decades ago I called Clifford Performance (it was Clifford Research then) and ask them why a rebuild kit for a 235 cost more than a 292. She simply said lifters.
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Old 06-18-2020, 11:32 PM   #10
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

I just spent about $3000 for mine with zero labor for assembly. I am thinking that doesn't sound bad. Don't go with something else because it's "cheaper" when you add up all the other costs of a swap it will cost more in the end.



Brian
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Old 06-20-2020, 06:28 PM   #11
Volfandt
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

Looking back at my 2014 spreadsheet I have around $3000 in a 1954 235 rebuild. That's parts and machining costs. Other than the machine work I provided all the assembly and installation labor.

I could deduct around $800 had I stayed with the stock single carb and single exhaust and reused the stock parts.

There's lots of small individual items that quickly add up such as points, plugs, dist cap, rotor button, new rad, heater & vacuum hoses, new motor mounts, fan belt, fuel filter. battery cables, anti freeze, oil etc., etc., etc.

For about the same $$'s you can rebuild a 261 and eek out a little more HP and it'll bolt right up.

Good luck
Dave
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Old 06-24-2020, 01:56 PM   #12
JoeDude
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

Thanks to all that replied. Specifically, I bought a 54 Chevy Deluxe 3100 off of ebay needing restoration. It came mostly complete. The crusty froze-up 235 engine was determined junk by my shop guy. I pulled it out and also plan on installing the rebuilt one. He already had a rebuilt trans that he would include. He quoted $300 for that.
The bottom line is that he wants to charge $2600 in parts and $2500 labor for a fully running engine.
The twist here is that there was no written estimate or any other witten document that I signed off on. When he told me the engine was ready at his builder's location and the price would be $2600, he cleverly did not say plus labor. He has my $2600 and I am currently in dispute with him on the labor.
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Old 06-27-2020, 10:45 PM   #13
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Re: Rebuilt 235 IL6 cost?

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeDude View Post
Thanks to all that replied. Specifically, I bought a 54 Chevy Deluxe 3100 off of ebay needing restoration. It came mostly complete. The crusty froze-up 235 engine was determined junk by my shop guy. I pulled it out and also plan on installing the rebuilt one. He already had a rebuilt trans that he would include. He quoted $300 for that.
The bottom line is that he wants to charge $2600 in parts and $2500 labor for a fully running engine.
The twist here is that there was no written estimate or any other witten document that I signed off on. When he told me the engine was ready at his builder's location and the price would be $2600, he cleverly did not say plus labor. He has my $2600 and I am currently in dispute with him on the labor.
Wow. A complete estimate (in writing) parts and labor are an essential part of any contract for work. One could argue he stole your engine if he does not have written proof you gave it to him. To me Giving $ in advance of work/completion is a clear sign of a potential rip off. I know several who have fallen for this BS and spent far in excess of original loss trying to recoup in court.
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