so latamund out of curiosity cause i have not been able to get this question answered anywhere else, and i kno this is a sin in the world of engine building but, i have to ask
approximately how much maching has to be done to the block, and how much on average does it cost?
im not asking for a direct quote more of a guideline to help.

 

Of course it depends on the shop and how much you want done. I spent $500 to have a bare block bored and honed, dipped, new plugs and cam bearings. There were some other things too. That was for a 331 I was building. My 408 kit I got from a friend and came with a std bore 87 351w block that needed machining. I found a 69 block on ebay already machined and prepped for me to start working on it for $250. It cost me $200 to ship it across the country. I figured, it was worth the total price there just for the machine work. I was taking a risk there considering I was buying it without inspecting it first. It was imaculate, got lucky. What I used to do when I was stationed in Hawaii(enlisted military), I would ask around the local machine shops of what they had laying around. Sometimes people drop a block off for machine work and never come back for it. The shop will hold onto it for a long time but after that they just want there cost out of the job so you can pick up a machined block that way.

Since I mentioned it, the 87 351w block I picked up, I cleaned it and started building that on the side. I found a 377 stroker kit on ebay for $400 that needed new bearings and rings because they sat out and were rusted. The guy's garage door let water in and wasn't pretty. The kit came with custom ordered J&E pistons that cost $800. Keep an eye out for deals on ebay.

 

thank you man, that was a big help.