The Ford Barn - View Single Post - Anyone heard from TOD lately about casting a new block?

tubman · 04-16-2020, 10:52 AM

New SBC aftermarket short blocks are in the $1500-$2500 range. They are almost a "commodity" these days. A flathead block is much more complex casting and will never be made in quantities even a fraction of the SBC's. Tod bandied about a price in the $2500 range when he initially approached this. I thought it was low then, and think so even more now. And shipping one in can be expensive and then there's sales tax. I can pull the heads off a lot of flatheads for $3000.

That's not what I'm talking about here. Two years ago, I sold my second to last good flathead block to a local guy for $800. We both walked away happy. The guy found out about me from my machinist. If he sends up another guy in the same situation, I'd let the last good one go as well. At my age, I just won't get to it. I'm sure here are lots of guys like me all over this country.

(Anyway, I have a Rocket and a '56 hemi to get to first.)

04-16-2020, 10:52 AM	#34
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,320	Re: Anyone heard from TOD lately about casting a new block? New SBC aftermarket short blocks are in the $1500-$2500 range. They are almost a "commodity" these days. A flathead block is much more complex casting and will never be made in quantities even a fraction of the SBC's. Tod bandied about a price in the $2500 range when he initially approached this. I thought it was low then, and think so even more now. And shipping one in can be expensive and then there's sales tax. I can pull the heads off a lot of flatheads for $3000. That's not what I'm talking about here. Two years ago, I sold my second to last good flathead block to a local guy for $800. We both walked away happy. The guy found out about me from my machinist. If he sends up another guy in the same situation, I'd let the last good one go as well. At my age, I just won't get to it. I'm sure here are lots of guys like me all over this country. (Anyway, I have a Rocket and a '56 hemi to get to first.)