Cost to Rebuild a 259 V-8 These Days

[jackb]

I'm certain that the $1K was shop labor only. Add parts ?

[Jeffry Cassel]

not sure where you are but my son is a real gearhead and is located in Oregon city. He is an F-16 engine mechanic for the Guard. He is very busy so it could take a few weeks and he might not have time but it wouldn't hurt to ask. e-mail is tristan.s.cassel@gmail.com

[BRUCESTUDE]

I'm certain that the $1K was shop labor only. Add parts ?

I supplied the parts except valve seats......

[jackb]

"I supplied the parts except valve seats"...... exactly: the cost of parts ?

[JoeHall]

The last 289 I rebuilt was a little less than five years ago, and it cost $3000. That included machine shop labor for machining, install cam bearings, heads reworked, and cleaning. I did the disassembly and reassembly of the block. I would not let any local shop do the disassembly or reassembly, since there is too much they can screw up. As was, they still screwed up a couple of things I had to correct before reassembly.

[PeterHawk]

I am the owner of the engine rebuild on my 62 GT Hawk that Deepinhock mentioned in post #2. I searched for a turn key situation including removal, disassembly, machine shop work, reassembly, Dyno testing and reinstalling in the car. I also had some additional engine bay detailing done while the engine was out. The project was started in Nov and was finished in April so I did not have to pay storage during a Western New York winter. Pete was a very knowledgeable and professional person to deal with and I now have a lifelong friend. I think the video series on YouTube is very informative but if there are specific questions, I would be happy to address them. My contact info is on the back page of Turning Wheels.

[studepickups]

You are talking of freshening up your 259. That can mean a lot of things usually skipping items that should be addressed. such as making sure the cylinder walls are straight, and that the deck height is the same on both sides, and cleaning the trash from the cooling jacket of the engine. I have been remanufacturing these Studebaker engines since 1960 and skipping items usually means doing the job over in a short while. If you are looking for a remanufacture of a complete run tested engine with the machining done by a shop that understands these old engines, Studebakers in particular, be ready to spend between $5,6K. Why? because placing the block in a washing machine does not clean the way one would want. These machines leave dirt in the water jacket and sludge in the oil cavities. Labor is a big part of the rebuild, If you want your engine to last longer the second time remanufacture it without skipping process or parts.

Ted Jensen
studepickups@optonline.net
New York

[64studeavanti]

By doing my own work except for machining, I spend around $2500. That is about $1000 for machine work which usually includes boring, decking, balancing, crank grinding, head work etc. The parts usually include pistons, rings, bearings, and gaskets. If the cam is out of specs, or the lifters are worn, add $250.

I clean all oil galleries and water passages myself. Usually after a sonic cleaning they are not too hard to finish.

[PackardV8]

You are talking of freshening up your 259. That can mean a lot of things usually skipping items that should be addressed. such as making sure the cylinder walls are straight, and that the deck height is the same on both sides, and cleaning the trash from the cooling jacket of the engine. I have been remanufacturing these Studebaker engines since 1960 and skipping items usually means doing the job over in a short while. If you are looking for a remanufacture of a complete run tested engine with the machining done by a shop that understands these old engines, Studebakers in particular, be ready to spend between $5,6K. Why? because placing the block in a washing machine does not clean the way one would want. These machines leave dirt in the water jacket and sludge in the oil cavities. Labor is a big part of the rebuild, If you want your engine to last longer the second time remanufacture it without skipping process or parts.

Ted Jensen
studepickups@optonline.net
New York

X2 and for true, Ted. We no longer take on any patch-work builds. For forty years, we rebuilt Stude engines without line honing, square decking, rod reconditioning, balancing, positive valve stem seals; and yes, they ran well and cost less. But when we gained the machinery to make every part as well as it can be done, it's amazing how much better, smoother, quieter, longer, more powerfully a rebuild can run.

It's also amazing how much we found that had been overlooked or accepted in order to save a few bucks. As you mention, just getting the crusty/rusty old junk clean enough to inspect is a major hassle. Getting it really clean enough to reassemble can take hours. Since the labor to pull, disassemble, clean, reassemble, install is the same, it just makes sense to do the machining and interior cleaning as well as it can be done. What it adds to the total cost is a good investment.

jack vines

[Jessie J.]

Great thread. Given this information I guess as soon as the snow clears off I should load up that collection of Studebaker V-8s that have taking up space in my shop and drop 'em off at the local scrapyard, as there is no way that I'll ever be able to justify dumping 20+ k into rebuilding them. Just keeping the Cadillac, Mopar, and Chevy engines, which are rebuildable within my budget.
Who'da ever thought. I can build me a Studillac for less than the cost of rebuilding the original 259.

[64studeavanti]

Jessie,
Very true. The big difference is in the cost of parts. For around $500 you can get a sbc rebuild kit. Also, you can buy a decent performing sbc crate motor for much less than $3000.

But what would be the fun in that.

[PackardV8]

Who'da ever thought. I can build me a Studillac for less than the cost of rebuilding the original 259.

Not really. We build them all and Cadillac parts are slightly more expensive than Studebaker V8 parts. The only bargain is the Gen I SBC; parts for them are dirt cheap, about 1/3 of the same parts for a Studebaker V8. Machine work is the same, whatever the engine.

There's a guy locally who will rebuild a 350" SBC long block with used rods and valvetrain for $995. The same CASO job on a Studebaker V8 is $1995. So no one is saying it's a requirement to spend $3K-$5K on a Studebaker rebuild; just that those who do have that much better engine.

jack vines

[Jeffry Cassel]

20 years ago I rescued a 58 Packard from a grove. It's engine was stuck. I pulled it dismantled it replaced a couple pistons from the junk box under the old workbench and put it back together with JC Whitney parts I had stockpiled in the 70's. Did the valve job myself and replaced thin valves out of the same juck box. Did buy a carb kit but that is all. Don't think I spent $100 on it. It ran great and is a great cruiser still!

[swvalcon]

Jeffry Having the no how to do the work yourself and a stock of parts helps. About the same time frame I went to a swap meet and bought some parts and then used what I had in stock and built a 377 chev drag race motor that made just over 450 hp on the dyno. and ran 11.30's in a 2800 lb car for about $1200. So it can be done but not by everyone.

[PackardV8]

Don't think I spent $100 on it. It ran great and is a great cruiser still!

Jeffry Having the no how to do the work yourself and a stock of parts helps. . . . So it can be done but not by everyone.

For true. But the question is how much would either of you charge a walk-in customer to R&R and rebuild an engine for him?

If anyone asked me how much it cost to build the Packard V8 in my E12 truck. I could say, "Nothing, because I had all the parts on the shelf and did all the work myself." The reply would naturally be, "Well, for that price, I'll take one!" So the answer should be, "Your cost to build one like it is $4,000."

jack vines