1981BlueDragon
New member
Hello guys and gals! I would first like to say that as a recent owner of a corvette the threads and information that I have gathered over the last year from all of you here at Corvette Action Center has been Amazing!!! I Thank you very much and really appreciate it! Unfortunately it is my turn to ask something a little more specific...
I have a 1981 Blue Corvette Stingray! She's Beautiful!! Almost all origional everything (interior, engine), with the exception of a new paint job ( Dallas Cowboys Blue) that I love. Great car, about 162,000 miles, about 500 of them mine. I recently ran into some engine trouble and after getting into it I realized the previous owner had put several "band-aids" on the engine. The journals on the crank were completely destroyed. The holes for the oil on the journals were packed full of bearing shavings. Almost all of the rod bearings were shot, and the brackets which held them were all chewed up, a few of them were even different from each other!!! The engine had almost definately been rebuild, if I can even call it that. I can only assume that the permanent damage had been left alone, some new bearings put on to sell the car, and then it became my problem.
My Question is this: I have checked all the serial numbers against the VIN and other registry tools, and the engine block, water pump, transmission all have the correct/original serial numbers. Now I have read enough about "matching numbers" to know that is a loaded question...But from what I can tell IT IS the origional engine. C3's dont have the most powerful engines, but being that it is the original engine do i retain more value in the car by REBUILDING the origional or BUYING A CRATE MOTOR and performing a few upgrades??? I have the ability/experience to do either myself. I just figured its a wash either way I go. ($500 crank, $300 Kit, $100 machine shop, $200 misc.) to rebuild same 190hp motor or $1500 for a decent crate??? How valuable is the original engine in the original car with the original interior worth?? I would like to enjoy this car as long as I can, but being practical I know at some point I will have to sell it.
Thank you in advance for the help.
I have a 1981 Blue Corvette Stingray! She's Beautiful!! Almost all origional everything (interior, engine), with the exception of a new paint job ( Dallas Cowboys Blue) that I love. Great car, about 162,000 miles, about 500 of them mine. I recently ran into some engine trouble and after getting into it I realized the previous owner had put several "band-aids" on the engine. The journals on the crank were completely destroyed. The holes for the oil on the journals were packed full of bearing shavings. Almost all of the rod bearings were shot, and the brackets which held them were all chewed up, a few of them were even different from each other!!! The engine had almost definately been rebuild, if I can even call it that. I can only assume that the permanent damage had been left alone, some new bearings put on to sell the car, and then it became my problem.
My Question is this: I have checked all the serial numbers against the VIN and other registry tools, and the engine block, water pump, transmission all have the correct/original serial numbers. Now I have read enough about "matching numbers" to know that is a loaded question...But from what I can tell IT IS the origional engine. C3's dont have the most powerful engines, but being that it is the original engine do i retain more value in the car by REBUILDING the origional or BUYING A CRATE MOTOR and performing a few upgrades??? I have the ability/experience to do either myself. I just figured its a wash either way I go. ($500 crank, $300 Kit, $100 machine shop, $200 misc.) to rebuild same 190hp motor or $1500 for a decent crate??? How valuable is the original engine in the original car with the original interior worth?? I would like to enjoy this car as long as I can, but being practical I know at some point I will have to sell it.
Thank you in advance for the help.
