Champion Blocks ?

[Mike T]

I did a search and found no new news on the Champion Blocks. I called Champion a few years ago and was told that some blocks had been cast and one or two were out for final machining. Does anyone know what happened ? Seems like going as far as they did that they would want to complete the project.

 

[turbo nasty]

Spoke to Tom last week and asked about it and its just a money thing He has it on the back burner

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[Mike T]

That's great it's not dead. The money thing has a lot of stuff fowled up these days. I bet if he got a few orders for them the project would be moving again. It would be nice to have both the TA & Champion blocks as options.

 

[turbo nasty]

Problem is alot of people say......"yeah yeah yeah build it I will get one"......and then its crickets chirping when they need to pony up the cash.

 

[kidglok]

If these came in under 3k, I bet he wouldn't be able to cast them fast enough.


Oh wait, were talking about Buick people here. Nevermind

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[TurboDave]

Problem is alot of people say......"yeah yeah yeah build it I will get one"......and then its crickets chirping when they need to pony up the cash.

Been a very disturbing trend on here.

 

[rmar]

With all the other expenses (machining..ect) to build a new block up properly. 1k will not or should not be the determining factor. Basically if 1k is stopping you, you aint building it anyway.

 

[kidglok]

it all comes down to cost vs. the buick bean counters

 

[rmar]

it all comes down to cost vs. the buick bean counters

Yes but, you are talking. 21k vs. 20k + or -.

 

[coach]

My friend Bob Walla use to cast custom heads for Darrell Alderman. We started pestering him a dozen years ago about making 409 Chevy heads. Well about 5 years ago...he came thru. Now he is casting both alum and iron blocks. He also had gone one step further...he offers each block in 409 register or big block register. So you can use all 409 factory items or you can drop in all big block Chevy internals up to 565 cubes.
The 409 blocks are $3500 for alum and $2500 for iron. The Stage blocks should be able to be done for about the same or less, and be offered in iron and alum.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[kidglok]

My friend Bob Walla use to cast custom heads for Darrell Alderman. We started pestering him a dozen years ago about making 409 Chevy heads. Well about 5 years ago...he came thru. Now he is casting both alum and iron blocks. He also had gone one step further...he offers each block in 409 register or big block register. So you can use all 409 factory items or you can drop in all big block Chevy internals up to 565 cubes.
The 409 blocks are $3500 for alum and $2500 for iron. The Stage blocks should be able to be done for about the same or less, and be offered in iron and alum.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

Only thing with your statement coach, I'm sure there is more interest in the Chevy blocks than buicks, so the cost would be brought down with volume.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[Mike T]

This is just a WAG so don't look to hard at my numbers. Say 30,000 T's and GN's were produced and maybe half are gone and 15,000 were left, if only 1% (150) wanted a block it would seem like the market would still be there.

 

[coach]

Only thing with your statement coach, I'm sure there is more interest in the Chevy blocks than buicks, so the cost would be brought down with volume.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

They made 43,000 409 engines from 1961-1965. There are only a few 1000 left. The ones that are left are pretty valuable. They were still so popular in the nostalgia circuit that it was worth making them. They have a forum with about 450 members...we have 35,000!
Our market is way bigger.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app

 

[turboc87gn]

Id buy one !!!!! As long as the price was reasonable and I know 3 other guys that actually have $ that would too!!! One thing you gotta remember some guys buy a part here and a part there till they get everything they need....Itd be nice to be able to build v6s that can reliably compete with v8s running 9s and 8s instead of having to do all the fab and electronic work to turbocharge an ls and make it work...

 

[Mike Licht]

What would you consider reasonable? I can tell you that it will be $2500 to $3000 in iron it just cannot be done for less in small quanity. (50 to 100) We already have a aluminum block available and I dont see too many guys flocking to buy them.

 

[kidglok]

What would you consider reasonable? I can tell you that it will be $2500 to $3000 in iron it just cannot be done for less in small quanity. (50 to 100) We already have a aluminum block available and I dont see too many guys flocking to buy them.

The aluminum block is real tempting when the only other options are beat up stage 2's

 

[TurboDave]

Id buy one !!!!! As long as the price was reasonable ..

There in lies the problem I spoke of earlier. What's reasonable in your eyes??? You wont be able to touch one for less than $3,000 would be my bet.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

There in lies the problem I spoke of earlier. What's reasonable in your eyes??? You wont be able to touch one for less than $3,000 would be my bet.

How much more $$$$ to get it ready for assembly?

 

[kidglok]

just to get an idea of the work and machinery involved, check this video:

and that's after they make a master mold

 

[Mike Licht]

How much more $$$$ to get it ready for assembly?

Hard to say it depends on who is doing it but if I were making the block I would set it up so the only thing left to do would be final bore size and hone. Here is the reality, the first run of 50 blocks will cost over $100K if there is no problems. By the time you get boxes, store them and ship them from foundry to machine if you sold them at $3000 you would make little to no money. It would take likely a year plus to sell them in the current market. I doubt anyone wants their money tied up that long to no make much profit it just does not make good business sense.