WIW? 68 race hemi

[greasyspider]

Whats a 68 race hemi motor worth?  As the story goes, it originally came out of a charger, then went into boat.  It was a running motor when it was pulled from the boat, but has been sitting in the barn for 30 yrs.

[greasyspider]

 

[greasyspider]

Help me out guys, I have a chance to buy this.

[tan top]

did the boat run in salt water do you know ?  

[hemigeno]

Withouth knowing which components are still on or with the motor, it's impossible to say.

What does "Race Hemi" mean in the seller's mind - was the Charger from which it was removed an oval-track race car or a street car?  Is the motor complete from air cleaner to pan?  Is it CORRECT for 1968, either in a street car or roundy-round environment?  How much life is left in the motor?  Is it now just suitable as a boat anchor for the boat it used to be in?

Photos would be a huge help.

[Ghoste]

And some numbers from it.

[greasyspider]

It went to the bottom of lake george NY for about a day or so. This was 30 yrs ago. It was put in a barn after that and its been there ever since.  The guy told me that it is a "race" block and not a street block.  I have no idea what that really means.  He also said it was pulled from a 68 charger before it went in the boat. He says it is complete from carbs to oil pan.

[hemigeno]

Hemi casting numbers are all the same throughout the 426 Hemi run, so I don't think your friend knows as much as he thinks.  If the block has had some major machining work (e.g. was "O" Ringed) during its life as a "race" motor, that would affect value negatively... as would being bored out a bunch, etc.

Boat motors often had water-jacketed exhaust manifolds and a few other unique components which would not transfer to a street car but might have some value to another hemi-powered boat enthusiast - plus it might not hurt to double-check which way it was set up to rotate.  Being underwater for a day wouldn't hurt that much, as long as it was cleaned up and not put in storage for 30 years with a couple cylinders full of water.  

If it has correctly-numbered original street hemi carbs, 4014A distributor, intake/exhaust manifolds and 7-quart oil pan from 1968, there is some decent value in the components alone.  Apart from that, I'd say the value depends totally on how much machining work has already been done to the block and/or heads (i.e. how much life is left before needing to be re-sleeved).  To me, there is still not enough info even for a ballpark guess.