Ok, from another post someone has my matching block for my 69 Z. Bare but machined.
The car needs a complete restore, 1/4's, fenders, hood, etc the whole 9 yds.
The question I ask is what is the original block worth? To me it will increase my cars value, although I like driving and building not much into numbers. To the seller a block (.30 over) would sell for $1500 (high side) What do you think a fair number would be for the seller to come out good and for me to pay?
The seller is asking $5000 since its matching my car. I could never come up with that much money for a bare block and most likely have to let it go.
Whats the teams thoughts???

You're the only customer he has at that price, so he has no bargaining position. If you want matching numbers, pay what you have to. If you aren't into that aspect of the car, it's basically worth no more than any other block.

I think a bare block is worth $1500 and is very fair. I think $5000 is in line if it is the complete engine. I think someone is taking advantage of you having the original car if they want $5000 for a bare block.

Ok, from another post someone has my matching block for my 69 Z. Bare but machined.
The seller is asking $5000 since its matching my car. I could never come up with that much money for a bare block and most likely have to let it go.
Whats the teams thoughts???

id tell him exactly where to stuff that block :yes: $5000 is highway robbery.
i can see making a buck but this guy is just greedy.
the block belongs with the car (at a reasonable price of course)

Ask him if you could trade him for a different DZ block. I am sure you could find one a lot more reasonable than what he wants.

hmmm, perhaps a link to the other post is in order?
A member here, even a newbie, should NOT be behaving like that. What goes around will indeed come around someday.

To most, it's just an engine block.
To some, it's a "date correct DZ"
To you, it is one of one, the one and only.

I think some arm twisting is in order here.

Offer him $2k.
That is more then he will get from anyone else.
if he says no, then walk away.

You can get it at a later date, when he is ready.
You know know where it is.
At $5K it is staying right there.

He will never get more from anyone then you are willing to pay for it.
Market value plus a little bit for his trouble - seems fair all around.

From what I have seen the day of the $2000 DZ block is long gone unless you can find someone that hasn't been educated by the internet. I think $2500 being your original block would not be to bad of a deal. Goodluck.

ok, was easy to find the other post. I did a lil "leaning" and was certainly not the first.

Do we have any pics of the pad and oil filter boss on this block?
The guy is a newb, only a few posts, first in January. While I'd like to think the best of everyone, I also gotta see the possibility of the worst. He says he found your ad on lostandfoundcar.com. We really need to rule out the possibility that this block was "created" for a specific purpose. I want pics. Not that I'd know what I'm looking at, but Kurt and Jonesy would.

Thanks guys!! I thought about the idea of making a block match. One reason I wish i didn't post in lost and found. My other Z had its cowl tag copied, I was ripped off on GM 1/4s that never came and now this. My friends always tell me "your to trusting". But I believe what goes around comes around. I offered $2000 (The restore will have to wait) but I was turned down. I tried borrowing some extra cash from my brother he said $2500 for a bare block, your nuts. So I will call Dave Friday and see what gives. I am ready to walk away and realize that this might be a "make it match" deal anyway.
Thanks for the support!!!

Thanks guys!! I thought about the idea of making a block match. One reason I wish i didn't post in lost and found. My other Z had its cowl tag copied, I was ripped off on GM 1/4s that never came and now this. My friends always tell me "your to trusting". But I believe what goes around comes around. I offered $2000 (The restore will have to wait) but I was turned down. I tried borrowing some extra cash from my brother he said $2500 for a bare block, your nuts. So I will call Dave Friday and see what gives. I am ready to walk away and realize that this might be a "make it match" deal anyway.
Thanks for the support!!!

I would not hesitate at $2500. $5000 is way high. This restoartion game is expensive, but you would think since 1969crossram registered and became a member at TC he would have a little understanding. There has to be a happy ending on this one.

69Crossram even states in a previous post that "it's not right to try to rip people off". He should practice what he preaches. Mike. :beers: :beers:

Personally I think it is down right greedy for someone to do that. Everyone understands there are costs associated with parts but it sounds like your block is being held hostage. It's just not right. That's not how I was raised. You help out when you can how you can. Of course I can only speak for myself but this passion that we all share is very expensive and we need all the breaks we can get em........comon man give him a break please. Don't do this for money.....there is pride in making someone elses day.

I think the guy should say.. "hey get me a like block and we will trade and you pay all the expenses of shiping"... that being said I have not seen a March DZ block sell for less than 2800 in at least 6 months.... as far as I know the days of getting 1500 DZ blocks are over....if there are some please let me know because I need one... still , I would hope the guy would be fair with you .

...I agree with what others have said. Plain and simple, ...the guy who currently has that block is taking advantage, ...and it's wrong.
Sure, he's entitled to make a buck just like everyone else, ...I have no problem with that. BUT, ...knowing you need/want that block and setting a price that is at least DOUBLE what it should be? ...I'm sorry, but there's no excuse for that.
It sounds like you've made a VERY fair offer, ...if this guy doesn't do the right thing, ...like others have said, ...I'd walk.
...I'd also be VERY careful, and check that block stamp thouroughly. As any of us would, you have your hopes up that your block exists, ...when in reality, ...this may be nothing more than a restamp. I hope that is not the case either...

Tell him to go screw himself.....are you sure it's your block? Like others have mentioned..$2500 tops and enen that is way too much....he's taking advantage..

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=103048

Turns out $5K for a whole motor. Please read the whole thread.

I'd pay it. Its simple math.

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=103048

Turns out $5K for a whole motor. Please read the whole thread.


Now that makes all the difference in the world. Very fair price.

if you are going to do the car completely matching and correct, then the block is priceless and i would pay the $5000 in a heartbeat.i am a believer that in the future the 5 grand you will be glad you spent. if you are not going to restore the car with matching everything else the block is only worth what any other dz block is worth.

i agree with the others don't pay him that crazy money for no block all of us like to see the right part but don't like to see any of us get over charged right guy and girls

69Crossram even states in a previous post that "it's not right to try to rip people off". He should practice what he preaches. Mike. :beers: :beers:
So you feel an investment of 5k and a return of 20-25k is a rip off. If I could turn 5k into 20-25k, I don't think I would even have to think about that one. How again is that ripping him off? I don't understand your logic. Lets look at this, I have something he needs, I get 5K and in return his 5k investment is now worth 20-25k extra on his car. HMMMMMMMMMM Maybe you accidently input the wrong numbers in the caculator.

So you feel an investment of 5k and a return of 20-25k is a rip off. If I could turn 5k into 20-25k, I don't think I would even have to think about that one. How again is that ripping him off? I don't understand your logic. Lets look at this, I have something he needs, I get 5K and in return his 5k investment is now worth 20-25k extra on his car. HMMMMMMMMMM Maybe you accidently input the wrong numbers in the caculator.

I'll have no problem sleeping tonight. How about you show us a picture of the stamp? Mike. :beers: :beers:

I'll have no problem sleeping tonight. How about you show us a picture of the stamp? Mike. :beers: :beers:
I emailed them to Kurt. He said he would post them for me. The only pic I do not have to send him is the one of the VIN. Hard to read on the rough cast and was not coming out in the pictures.:beers:

Simple Supply and Demand Folks. The Demand is high and the supply is low so the price goes up. I know we would a like to do the right thing and give it away but money makes the world go round. The owner of the block made the right investment in the engine that he has, time for him to cash in. When the engine meets the car and it is sold down the road, the owner of them both will sell the car for as much as he can get for it. Nobody would fault him for that, right?

That being said I am sure they can come to an agreement, make him an offer for little less, he knows it is only worth that much to you. So if he holds too tight to his price and you walk, he leaves 1000 plus dollars on the table because it will sell for less to a non-matching car.

Good luck! I really hope you get your original motor back, that would be sweet.

payup now, this oportinity may never happen again. there is only one engine that came with your car and he has it. it will add 30 to 40 percent to the value. you can't afford to not buy it. by the way i paid $6500 for mine it will be worth triple that in added value to the car. tell your wife its like a new kitchen it add value?

After talking with Dave and understanding that I get some internals I feel very lucky to get the chance to have my block. I sold my ATV to my neighbor's kid to get the cash for the block and now can purchase it.The kid next door is as thrill with his purchase as I am with finding my block. Dave has made 2 people very happy!! And by the way, I do not feel as if Dave is ripping me off. I feel lucky that he took the time to find me. I am sure all those with Z's and missing blocks would be thrill to be in my position. I hope to have the block home next weekend. It will be at least a year before its in the car. I do all the restoration myself and as we all know working full time, keeping a family going and building cars take a lot of time.
:-)
Thanks again Dave!

That's great! Even if you're not a huge originality fan, having the original motor with the car is a big bonus. If you're not driving the car real hard(any kind of racing) then it would be great to put the motor back in the car. But it's also just as good to keep it in the garage and run the motor that's in the car now.

After taking with Dave and understanding the I get some internals I feel very lucky to get the chance to have my block. I sold my ATV to my neighbor's kid to get the cash for the block and now can purchase it.The kid next door is as thrill with his purchase as I am with finding my block. Dave has made 2 people very happy!! And by the way, I do not feel as if Dave is ripping me off. I feel lucky that he took the time to find me. I am sure all those with Z's and missing blocks would be thrill to be in my position. I hope to have the block home next weekend. It will be at least a year before its in the car. I do all the restoration myself and as we all know working full time, keeping a family going and building cars take a lot of time.
:-)
Thanks again Dave!

Congratulations! I'm glad everyone is happy. Good luck. Mike. :beers: :beers:

I think this was a good learning experience for everyone. If any of you frequent swap meets you will find that HP blocks with good legit stamps are being bought and horded by many individuals. It's become just another market perpetuated by the benchmarks we have instilled in our hobby i.e. significant and possibly overcompensated value for the six digit partial VIN found on this component. I know of several parts pirates that have a number of blocks stuck in the back of the warehouse...just sitting and waiting. "They aint eating nothin" as one fella told me when I inquired :) Cars that were considered trash and parted out ten or fifteen years ago are being pulled back out of the graveyards by the hundreds. Some with little more than a firewall and attached VIN tag. Don't think for a second that some of the "old hands" in the parts business have not figured out how to make some $$$ on the back side of this evolution. Worst case scenario they have to let the block go as a "restoration" piece and only make a good return on investment. For some reason the sympathetic vote goes to the owner of the vehicle in these circumstances, as Dave has certainly found out. It wasn't Dave that let the motor loose because of gas prices in the 70's or rust issues with the body that would have at one time in the past justified selling off the working components. I thought the 5K for the return of the bare block was more than gracious when the thread started. I soon realized I would be flamed on the spot if I replied as such...might still happen. I'm glad the present owner of the Z28 is getting his component back. Sounds like he had to make some sacrifices to do so. In the future if such a situation presents itself I would encourage the parties to keep it private. If Dave didn't have such a thick skin after some of the comments made and someone trolling the site saw the situation as an opportunity it could have come to a different conclusion for the car owner. That 5K opportunity might have doubled in a hurry since an RS Z28 is not likely to go the crusher anytime soon. Like I said before its a learning experience for all of us and I'm glad it worked out for the both of you and everyone played fair.

You Did The Right Thing, There Was No Way You Could Let That Motor Pass You By. Would Have Made No Sense At All. Good Luck And Good Move.