So I had this idea at the swap meet the other day, that I think would make for an interesting article.  Wonder what you think...

I'd like to see various staff, editors, etc. put together engines using nothing but parts they buy at swap meets, and then dyno them to see who can make the biggest power for the least amount of money.  I mean, you see tables covered with boxes of rods and coffee cans of valve springs at every swap meet, and tell me you haven't said at least once, "who'd buy that?"  I want to see if with enough cleaning, somebody could make 400HP for $1,000 or so with that junk.

This would be a "swap meet build-up", so no pulling motors from the junkyard.  Since its a build-up, complete motors would be off limits.  I suppose things like gaskets and rings would have to be bought new, but that'd be it.  No new hardware, no outsourced machine work - just stuff you can do at home (bottle brush hone or a Dremel porting job).  This would be the pinnicale of Car Crafting.  My money would be on Magnante to win.

After the dyno runs, I'd like to see the motors thrown into some circle track cars for an Enduro race at some local track, or hot lap quarter miles just to see how long they'd last.

What do you all think?  

I would like to see that. Think it would be cool. To bad i dont have a swap meet in my area.  

I liked when Popular Hot Rodding (I think.  All the mags blur together.) went around at a swap meet and rated the vehicle deals that they found.  

You been to a swap meet lately?  Everyone's got "Barrett-Jackson fever".  Every rusted-ass part with a crank down the middle is rare, no problem repaired, just came off a car, etc and priced like they believe it.  And if it doesn't need machine work, it's higher.  Last time I was at Pate, every 351C was $500+ and looked like it had been left outside since Nixon resigned.  Worse than eBay sometimes.  Cheaper to buy a crate motor.  

Several years ago I was at the Pomona Car Swap meet and this guy wanted like $800 for a set of Pontiac Cast Iron headers.  He said they were original, and they were clean, but I didn't have numbers to prove they were original.  But I did know that YearOne sold sets for around $380 at the time (because I wanted them pretty bad).  I called him a nut, told him why and offered $300.  Of course I didn't get them :/  Now they are $453.00 from YearOne (TJ21LHRH).  This and what some people expect to get for Buick GS airfilter housings considering the shape of a lot of them is insane.  Deals these days seem far and few but are there occasionally.  

This is why:

- I'm building a 283
- I don't have a car  

Falcon67:
You been to a swap meet lately?  Everyone's got "Barrett-Jackson fever".  Every rusted-ass part with a crank down the middle is rare, no problem repaired, just came off a car, etc and priced like they believe it.  And if it doesn't need machine work, it's higher.  Last time I was at Pate, every 351C was $500+ and looked like it had been left outside since Nixon resigned.  Worse than eBay sometimes.  Cheaper to buy a crate motor.

Hey, are you interested in a bare 351C block? i believe its Std bore and it should be cheap. My buddy had one in his garage forever, just as part of the stash. If you are interested i can see if he still has it. let me know.  

Falcon67:
You been to a swap meet lately?  Everyone's got "Barrett-Jackson fever".  Every rusted-ass part with a crank down the middle is rare, no problem repaired, just came off a car, etc and priced like they believe it.  And if it doesn't need machine work, it's higher.  Last time I was at Pate, every 351C was $500+ and looked like it had been left outside since Nixon resigned.  Worse than eBay sometimes.  Cheaper to buy a crate motor.

But the point would be to spend a summer or so, at all the swap meets they could hit, looking for the oddball good deal, until they've got enough to torque a motor together from.  Cam here, crank there.  I'm not saying they'd last or be great motors.  For my money I'd probably buy the crate motor for the HP and warranty too.  But it'd be a cool article to see what the editors could scab together out of nothing for the shortest cash possible.