engine rebuild cost

When I shopped around last most all will tell you they can't be specific until they open up the guts of the engine and look at it however I got most ball park figures around $5-6 K and a rebuild kit from Dale Cooper will set you back $1200. So the rest is like labor and machine shop work. ... also factor in if you're doing the tranny or not too and your transport costs.

I did my 262 about 4 years ago, and spent approximately;



Core engine (my other one was cracked) = $300

Complete rebuild kit from Dale Cooper (incl. lifters) = $1500

Machine shop work (bore, deck, valve seats, wrist pins etc.) = $1000



I probably spent another couple of hundred in tools, supplies and ancillary items, so with me doing all of the work that I could, I spent about $3000 total.

A long time ago when these cars were still on the road, you would take it to a mechanic who would check it out and then tell you your options

were and the cost.



Now things have changed along with the prices.



A lot depends on how worn your original engine is.



Some of the ones I have run across are still in pretty good shape , just have been sitting for awhile.



You can spend any amount of money on an engine like a restoration shop would, or you can play it like someone back in the 50's or 60's and make a driver out of it and work it into a better package later.



Do you plan to drive coast to coast or just take the car out occasionaly around town and do not want to be embarrased by the blue haze?



As stated previously by Uncle Josh, if your bottom end is good , a rering will get you by for quite a while (if it's smoking) and a valve job is still pretty cheap. It can be done in the car.



These engines are the insert bearing type and you should have no problem there as to rebearing the rods and crank. You used to check the wear on the crank and then use a .003 or .005 bearing to compensate for the crank wear.



Some times the smoking and also the leaks clear up after awhile ,the rings free up from the sitting around. The seals get re soaked and swell up and you are looking good.



Make sure you pull the pan and the valve covers and clean all the crud out, make sure the oil pickup screen is clear.



If the engine runs and seems solid, pull the head and run a wire coat hanger or other suitable wire through all the head water holes/passages and also the ones in the block. Then run some Oxalic acid or a commercial acid based radiator/block cleaner in the cooling system to clean out he rust/etc.



People used to not run antifreeze and the block and head will clog up with rust.



I have had old engines run hot on the temp guage for the simple reason that water is not circulating through the head where the temp sender is located.



These are low compression engines, if you are careful and do not tear up the head gasket when taking off the head, use a copper based sealant like Indian Head and reinstall.



Run the thing for awhile and change the oil a couple of times to clear all the loose debris out.



If you still cant get a good compression reading or it's still smoking you can use a ridge reamer and cylinder hone to prep the cylinders for a ring job. Then do it yourself!



I guess the point I'm trying to make is to act like we did back in the late 60"s. Try to get by as cheap and reliable as you can for how much driving you do.



Get the thing running, see how well it does , decide just how much you like the car, then decide how much you can afford and want to spend.



These are strange engines, they will surprise you how well they have held up and how little you can get by on getting one running and driving.



Do not let a figure of how much a complete rebuild will cost you prevent you from getting a Hudson running and back on the road.



Buy a Motors Manual for the year and car and follow the instructions if you wish to do it yourself.



I am not disputing any prices for a good, complete rebuild job. Things cost

large these days. I am just throwing some ideas out to help you find out what you have got.



If you want to discuss any of these ideas,send me a pm.