Well,first off..Happy 4th to all!
Now..Chryslers at Carlisle starts this next week and every year there are a few Hemi blocks that are for sale, some that were windowed and repaired and some that are at max bore and need to be sleaved. I have seen these priced cheep but usually don't sell so.....
I would like to know if anyone that knows these Hemi Blocks would consider one for a Hot street machine.....that has any of the above problems or would you just buy a new block and start with that?
Thanks!

New blocks have been at $2500 which makes messing with old, broken parts not worthwhile. I would use a sleeved block before one that has been broken though.

Sheldon

Yes, I have seen the new blocks for that also but the one's that I have seen at Carlisle are $700-to $1200.00...but like I say the have been repaired or need sleves
I also have been thinking about building a 6.1 new style Hemi into a 426 but there doesn't seam to be any used engines out there yet.

If I found a block that was the right build date for my '67 GTX that needed to be sleeved, I wouldn't hesitate at all about buying it. If I was just building a Hemi engine, the current block is the way to go. As to repairs, it would have to be something cosmetic like a window in the pan rail for me to consider it. Some of these blocks with cracks in the main bores or the lifter galley, I don't care if God himself did the repair, I wouldn't touch them.

My car is an original Hemi car and I am running a new block in it. I can't believe that when I was trying to sell the car, people were disappointed it didn't have a wasted 66 block in it. I would much sooner have an intact, standard bore block than some wadded up ex-racer fare. Of course I actually drive my car so integrity of the block is a big deal to me.

Sheldon

Nothing wrong with sleeves. As long as you have a good 1/2 to 1 inch of cylinder wall at bottom of skirt. But you want to consider it runs a couple of hundred bucks per sleeve to have them installed. So weigh it out. Nice block that needs one or two sleeves might not be a bad deal. If it needs all eight then it might be expensive. I prefer an aged block that has been stress releived over a new block. Kind of depends on how wild your going to get with the motor.

I'd stay away from blocks that had the water jackets filled, as I'm not sure if they would cool very well in a street car.

O.K.
Thank you guys for all the input on this.

You will be spending so much on building your Hemi that it will be self defeating and foolish to skimp on something as crucial as the block.

I made that mistake and I have a $1000 boat anchor.

If the block was not properly heated when the cast iron welding was performed, the block will come apart.

I've also seen plenty of blocks that should have never been sleeved end up sleeved.


Before the Atlanta Connection closed, I ended up buying the last block Lawrence Roundtree had and that's what I should have done in the first place.