This block looks exceptionally damaged for this price....
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Re: Ebay ZL1 Block.....and matching heads
Looks like a lot of reconstructive work to me, the piston hit the heads pretty hard with it threw the rods...Craig -
Re: Ebay ZL1 Block.....
Craig,
Both the block and heads are easily repaired but it would not be cheap if you have to pay someone else to do the welding and machine work.
I bought a good, complete pair of heads like this for under $1000, with valves, springs, and retainers, no repair necessary.
The block may be worth the price because they are very hard to find.
VerleComment
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Re: Ebay ZL1 Block.....
Verle - I realize the rarity of these, and that aluminum is not at all like cast iron to repair. It just looked like a massive amount of welding, hand grinding, etc. I also questioned the heads, given the one especially was actually bent up, so you would be into some pretty serious milling to obtain flat surfaces. I have a service set of Winters C-port heads on a crate LS6, was lucky to buy them NOS bare through my dealer buddy for about $1250 for the pair in 1995. But, I realize the 6074 heads are rare, I have seen several sets on Ebay sell for $1800 or so, and have seen them at Carlisle. Sounds like you did well...CraigComment
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Re: Ebay ZL1 Block.....
that $1800 is that bare or complete? i have a couple of sets i may part with for a price like thatComment
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Re: Ebay ZL1 Block.....
Clem - that was complete, I think they were old valves with a fresh grind, probably used springs. I saw another set, the guy wanted $4K, no surprise, no sale...probably fishing for 13pack...CraigComment
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Re: Ebay ZL1 Block.....
Craig, et al------
There are a few other interesting aspects of this block:
1) By its casting number, I think that this is a 73+ casting big bore aluminum block. The 69-72 big bore big blocks, which were a SERVICE-only item never used in any PRODUCTION application, were the ones that originally had dry liners installed. The 73+ versions, also SERVICE-only items, originally were Reynolds 390 high silicon aluminum alloy and the cylinder bores were bored directly in the block. Both the 69-72 and the 73+ had 4.440" bores. Special pistons and piston rings had to be used with the 73+ blocks. I think that this block was "converted" at some time to liners. I don't know how well that works. Perhaps, that had something to do with its connecting rod failure;
2) Although the pictures are not very high resolution, the cylinder liners appear to be extremely thin wall. This may have been necessary to "re-achieve" as much of the original bore diameter as possible after sleeves were installed in the originally non-sleeved block. The original aluminum bore block would not have had enough material available to bore for sleeves and then install sleeves which could be bored to the original bore size of 4.440". At their current thickness and bore condition, I don't see how the cylinders could be rebored to clean them up and still have adequate sleeve thickness. As I mentioned, I think that the sleeves have already been bored too thin. This will add considerable expense to restoration of this block;
3) This is a rare block. However, whether it's a USEABLE rare block is another matter. Plus, its only real value, as far as I can tell, would be for a restored Can Am race car.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: Ebay ZL1 Block.....
Joe -as always, your insight is much appreciated. Just don't send the above to the Ebayer that bought it!...CraigComment
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Re: Ebay ZL1 Block.....
geo foltz in michigan is the expert on this can-am all aluminum stuff,years ago i sold him my collection of can-am engine parts and i was paid big dollars for it. this stuff has value to some people.Comment
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