Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe's Garage
They have extra value because so many of the original RAIV blocks were lost when these cars were newer and those stupid cast connecting rods exited the block while the owner's were having some fun. It's kind of sad that Pontiac didn't have the SD455 style rod in full production a couple of years earlier..... Then a lot more of the RAIV cars would have original blocks in them.
Does your block have the actual 'as-cast' 9799915 casting number or are one or more of the numbers ground off and stamped? With the 1972 casting date, I'd presume the whole number is ground and stamped.
A 9799915 block that has an 'as-cast' casting number should bring fairly huge money. $5k plus to the right person.
We sold another SR block with the 979991_5_ casting where just the last digit was ground off and restamped less than a year ago. +.030, round bores, good, straight main bore, early 1970 casting date. $4500.
Sold another about two years ago where the entire 9799915 casting number was ground off and restamped. +.060 with one sleeve. I think that casting date was in late 1971. $3700.
And, finally, just for reference, sold a 9792506 1969 Ram Air IV SR block with the '2506' ground and stamped. +.030 but had a couple of bores that needed to be honed due to taper. early 1970 casting date. $4000.
Good luck with yours!
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I had a 70 SR RAIV block in 1980 that I was putting together to drop into my RAIII 69 Judge. Came with pistons and pins as well. Sold that and the car to a guy that finished it and dropped it in the 69. For what I got for it back then would make you cry today. I've seen so many RAIV GTO's claiming to be "numbers matching" today than ever before. But as you mentioned, most real RAIV original blocks were destroyed years ago however blocks are being restamped more than ever now and called original. I used the original cast connecting rods in that SR block but had the casting seam ground down and all glass beaded. I'm sure this helped keep the engine alive a bit because as you mentioned the stock rods were a weakness. Still a genuine RAIV SR block would be nice to have and I'm sure there is a market for it.