Chevette HS engine+Getrag Box...what is it worth?

[Comadis]

hi ,

i got the opportunity to purchase a complete vauxhall twincam 16valve HS engine running on 48 dellortos, incl. 5 speed, dog-leg getrag box.

the engine seams to be overhauled recently, pulls well, no noises, no smoke, good oiplressure.

so what is such an engine worth?

Edited by Comadis on Monday 24th August 16:03

[fatjon]

I would say £700 - £800. The HS (8v) engine is just a normal slant 4 2300 and not worth much at all really. The exhaust manifold is worth a premium as they are rarer for the chevette that the viva/magnum/firenza and the inlet manifold for twin 48s can also make a couple of hundred quid. The gearbox is quite valuable but not silly money. The best way to value it is a set of 48s say 250.00 second hand, the exhaust manifold £150.00 and the box at say £500.00. A popular conversion is to put the ford type 9 box on this engine. It has some advantages over the Getrag as the getrag is a 1:1 top gear so it has no advantage in terms of ratios over the 4 speed except they are closer together. The type 9 has an overdriven top of 0.82:1 but of course you have to make a converter plate.

my site is worth a look for slant 4 stuff and gearboxes.

http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~lynsand/

[Comadis]

sorry maybe my fault:

its a 16valve DOHC engine, conplete with carbs, manifolds and getrag box (still mounted in a car)

[fatjon]

That's a very different matter then. The 16V engine is worth a mint, it's a sellers market as they are as rare as rocking horse excrement. I would be surprised if you could lay hands on that engine for less than £2000. I can't recall seeing one come up for sale in a long time and it will create a lot of interest. A genuine HSR 16V car is fetching 6k + and the engine is most of it.

[Comadis]

you mean engine, incl. auxilleries and box? or the engine, incl. auxilleries only?

[fatjon]

Just the engine inc all auxilliaries, a bit more maybe with the box. You do want ALL the auxilliaries as they will probably not be the same as the 8V 2300, exhaust manifolds will cost a mint to have made if you don't get them and the inlet manifold is also a rare item.

That engine is a hard one to value as it's so rare that it's difficult to put a number to it as you just never see them for sale. It's just a case of how bad you want it and how bad the seller wants rid of it. If I was buying one I would expect to be around the 2k mark, much over that and I would be walking away and if I was selling one I would walk away much below £1800. I hear they are notorious for blowing head gaskets and corrosion inside the ally heads water channels. Check it has antifreeze/ corrosion inhibitor in the cooling system and no signs of gasket problems. If the head is stuffed you will have just spent a lot of money on a slant 4 block worth a couple of hundred quid.

[aeropilot]

fatjon said:

The HS (8v) engine is just a normal slant 4 2300 and not worth much at all really.

The Chevette HS engine wasn't an 8v engine and far from just a normal slant 4 2300....