'61 348 casting #3798962
- Thread starter Weiker
- Start date
Yes, it is worth something, scrap is up right now.
No, actually a core 348 is going for between $400.00 and $500.00 in my area just east of you. I guess it also depends on your area. I recently bought 2 at $400.00 each, one I had to take apart with a sledge hammer and bore the block .125 to make it usable.
Don
962 blocks
If I'm not mistaken, the "962" block is a 348 "replacement block". Not sure if they came in both passenger and truck variety
. I'd be interested to know if you engine has the "truck" heads.
I have a 1961 348 "962" passenger block that cleaned up at .030", and I estimate it to be worth maybe $500 in a good economy. But that's after a couple hundred in machine shop bills. I did purchase a tripower (HA) block in Ohio last month for $250. Standard bore, will need a bit to clean it up. Hope that gives you an idea of value.
Good luck!
TomK
If I'm not mistaken, the "962" block is a 348 "replacement block". Not sure if they came in both passenger and truck variety
. I'd be interested to know if you engine has the "truck" heads.I have a 1961 348 "962" passenger block that cleaned up at .030", and I estimate it to be worth maybe $500 in a good economy. But that's after a couple hundred in machine shop bills. I did purchase a tripower (HA) block in Ohio last month for $250. Standard bore, will need a bit to clean it up. Hope that gives you an idea of value.
Good luck!
TomK
dean409
Well Known Member
Good question, Tri. I've never actually read anywhere that the little truck W's had the notches as well. My 409 truck block does.
The fact that the 348 has a big bore makes it full of possibilities. A 409 crank and rods drop in. Not sure how the pin height on the 348 pistons work with that, but it's worth looking into. Just imagine a 348 with '09 crank and rods, bored .060, with a nice little Isky solid and Ross pistons. Top it with massaged small port heads with 2.195/1.885 valves and Scorpion roller rockers, and a swap meet Offy dual quad or factory tripower and you've got yourself a healthy little beastie.
The fact that the 348 has a big bore makes it full of possibilities. A 409 crank and rods drop in. Not sure how the pin height on the 348 pistons work with that, but it's worth looking into. Just imagine a 348 with '09 crank and rods, bored .060, with a nice little Isky solid and Ross pistons. Top it with massaged small port heads with 2.195/1.885 valves and Scorpion roller rockers, and a swap meet Offy dual quad or factory tripower and you've got yourself a healthy little beastie.
You means like this...
But this has the 427/3.76 crank and Comp Cam rockers Also you might want to read this thread.http://www.348-409.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13949&highlight=348+truck+block+notches
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dean409
Well Known Member
Thanx Tri. Informing little thread there.
First I've ever heard of the double notch. Sounds like a dump truck/schoolbus application, at least that would be my guess.
One of the other things I've heard for years is how much boring these blocks will take. I remember a guy telling me right after I got my '60 348 Impala that I should be glad it's a 348 versus 409 because GM used the same casting and just bored it out so the walls are paper thin. I took that for fact for years until I learned otherwise.
Oh yeah, that and 'they can't keep bottoms in 'em'. Well, if a motor acts like it wants 7500 rpm but the bottom end is built for 5000 rpm, what do you think's gonna happen? Idjits.
Ignore the myth-laden nay-sayers and full steam ahead damn the torpedoes! Build that W, Weiker, and we all wish you the best of luck!!!
First I've ever heard of the double notch. Sounds like a dump truck/schoolbus application, at least that would be my guess.
One of the other things I've heard for years is how much boring these blocks will take. I remember a guy telling me right after I got my '60 348 Impala that I should be glad it's a 348 versus 409 because GM used the same casting and just bored it out so the walls are paper thin. I took that for fact for years until I learned otherwise.
Oh yeah, that and 'they can't keep bottoms in 'em'. Well, if a motor acts like it wants 7500 rpm but the bottom end is built for 5000 rpm, what do you think's gonna happen? Idjits.
Ignore the myth-laden nay-sayers and full steam ahead damn the torpedoes! Build that W, Weiker, and we all wish you the best of luck!!!
Mind reader?
Dean mentions: "Just imagine a 348 with '09 crank and rods, bored .060, with a nice little Isky solid and Ross pistons. Top it with massaged small port heads with 2.195/1.885 valves and Scorpion roller rockers, and a swap meet Offy dual quad or factory tripower and you've got yourself a healthy little beastie."
Geez, you must be a bit of a mind reader! You just described my current engine build to a T. Mine has all that you stated, plans are to use the tripower setup but I also have the Offy 2x4 setup with newer Edelbrocks .
I didn't click on that link Dan provided, but probably read it some time ago. It probably notes that some of the earlier 348 truck blocks had the twin cutouts in the top of the bore, and that later ones had but a single eyebrow just like their truck 409 brethren. I've seen a 1959 348 block with two eyebrows and have owned the more recent (1965) 348 truck block with the single cut.
I was just thinking about the original post, and was wondering if he took the engine apart yet. Just because it came from a truck doesn't mean it was original to that truck. Could still be a 348 passenger block. That's why I asked about the heads, under the assumption they were original to the engine, that could tell us truck or passenger.
Best,
TomK
Dean mentions: "Just imagine a 348 with '09 crank and rods, bored .060, with a nice little Isky solid and Ross pistons. Top it with massaged small port heads with 2.195/1.885 valves and Scorpion roller rockers, and a swap meet Offy dual quad or factory tripower and you've got yourself a healthy little beastie."
Geez, you must be a bit of a mind reader! You just described my current engine build to a T
. Mine has all that you stated, plans are to use the tripower setup but I also have the Offy 2x4 setup with newer Edelbrocks .I didn't click on that link Dan provided, but probably read it some time ago. It probably notes that some of the earlier 348 truck blocks had the twin cutouts in the top of the bore, and that later ones had but a single eyebrow just like their truck 409 brethren. I've seen a 1959 348 block with two eyebrows and have owned the more recent (1965) 348 truck block with the single cut.
I was just thinking about the original post, and was wondering if he took the engine apart yet. Just because it came from a truck doesn't mean it was original to that truck. Could still be a 348 passenger block. That's why I asked about the heads, under the assumption they were original to the engine, that could tell us truck or passenger.
Best,
TomK
Valve covers
If you were to pull the valve covers off and look for the casting numbers in the center of the head, we might be able to give you an opinion. Sounds like it's been in that truck all it's life?
Best,
TomK
If you were to pull the valve covers off and look for the casting numbers in the center of the head, we might be able to give you an opinion. Sounds like it's been in that truck all it's life?
Best,
TomK
I believe the 962 and the 655 are the only 348's that have arma steel main bearing caps........ great for doing a stroker !!
Dave
Dave
dean409
Well Known Member
I remember as a teen going to look at a dump truck with a W in it. He wanted $200 for the '409' motor and granny tranny. I passed because it didn't have an 'X' on the front of the block. Which makes me wonder nowadays: did the '62-'65 348 truck blocks have the 'X' on it? I recall seeing a schoolbus parked on the TWU campus with a W in it and the weirdest damn water neck and water pump I've ever seen, but couldn't get a good look to see if it had the 'X' or not. Though I vaguely recall reading somewhere that the 'X' was an indication of the new '62 and later forgery and not necessarily a 409 identification.
Is the truck a '61 model or just the motor itself?
I'm not a mind reader, Tom. Likened minds though it seems.
Is the truck a '61 model or just the motor itself?
I'm not a mind reader, Tom. Likened minds though it seems.