[Gary H]

Got a call from a guy that has a complete assembled 60' 389 tri-power engine for sale. It has a M4 code which when I looked it up shows as a 348 HP Trophy engine with 4 bolt mains. It was installed in, of all things, a 55 T-bird when he got it and he wants to sell it. The engine turns over fine on the engine stand. It also comes with all the T-10 4 speed stuff that was in the car with it. Any ideas on the value?

[steve25]

Will you use the motor in a period correct car because in that year the starter bolts to the bell housing, not the block,

Also these motors with those heads don’t make anywhere near 348 hp!
Even with the tripower 290 hp would be doing very well!

[Gary H]

Originally Posted by steve25

Will you use the motor in a period correct car because in that year the starter bolts to the bell housing, not the block,

Also these motors with those heads don’t make anywhere near 348 hp!
Even with the tri-power 290 hp would be doing very well!

I'm looking at it from a nostalgia, restoration, value standpoint. And Pontiac rated it at 348 HP, not me. Also, as stated in my original post, it comes with all the 4 speed stuff, bellhousing, flywheel, etc., so starter isn't an issue

Opinions on value?

[61-63]

$1000 tops and that is if you can find someone looking for an engine earlier than '61. The fact that it has the bell housing etc. is a plus because the bolt up pattern block to bell housing changed in '61 and hence none of the '61> components work with that block. The 4 bolt caps and bolts will work on later blocks and they are thus worth $300 by themselves. The heads, timing chain cover, etc. not much value unless someone is restoring a '60 car.

Just my honest opinion here.

[Stuart]

I don't have a good idea of value but it's certainly worth more than a regular 1960 389 - the fact that it's a Trophy engine with four bolt mains and high compression heads makes it pretty uncommon, and it would desirable to someone who's building a 1960 car. Having all the manual transmission stuff makes it even better since that stuff is hard to find (there was just a post a couple days ago over on the HAMB board from someone who was looking for that bell housing).

Originally Posted by Gary H

It was installed in, of all things, a 55 T-bird when he got it and he wants to sell it.

This jogged a memory...back in the early 1960s Don Francisco was the technical editor for Hot Rod Magazine, and he did an article about dropping a Pontiac engine in his 1957 T-Bird. That car still exists: https://www.motortrend.com/features/...storic-muscle/ The story in the link mentions he also had a 1955 T-Bird, but doesn't say if that car also got a Pontiac engine swap or not. If he did, it would be a neat find if this was that car.

[Poncho60]

Steve...so are you implying that all the high comp 389's from 1960 all have bogus HP ratings...i.e. 283, 303, 318, 348 all way overrated?

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Forgot all about it but, about 3 years ago I was watching a 57 T-Bird that was for sale on fb market place. Car was somewhere in Alabama inside my 250 mile circle. It was one sad bird but did have 389 tri-power and 4 speed.
Seems like it was $2,500 OBO.

Clay

[steve25]

The 2 bbl motors probably had the most accurate ratings.
Dyno test I have whiteness of the 360 hp trips motors nicly rebuilt with only the water pump being driven on the test stand had a hard time hitting 320 hp!

[Poncho60]

Don't know what if any real plans you might have for this engine, but in case you aren't aware, that bellhousing bolts up directly on any 55 thru 60 block and then allows the use of a number of modern .transmissions ...i.e. t-10, muncie, etc.

Wonder what t-10 stuff includes. Doesn't seem likely that it would have the correct linkage for 59/60 (which is the same). Wouldn't expect the Pontiac clutch linkage to work with the "bird".

That engine would be a great transplant in a 55-57 custom Safari!

[Ducks Goat]

If that's a legit M4 '60 block it's rather rare, if it's a M4 6 block then more rare, only 722 4 speed '60 Pontiacs were built.

[Gary H]

Originally Posted by Ducks Goat

If that's a legit M4 '60 block it's rather rare, if it's a M4 6 block then more rare, only 722 4 speed '60 Pontiacs were built.

Interesting that they made so few 4 speed cars. I'm really surprised there isn't more interest on the engine. He wants $3500 for the complete engine and the transmission.

[tom s]

As MANY find out with these pre 61 engines,rare is not very desirable.Tom

[Poncho60]

Seems pretty overpriced for what's hopefully a rebuildable core. The bellhousing is probably worth $200-400 realistically..if someone is actually looking for one. Except for the 4 bolt mains, I don't think those blocks are that much stronger than the one in my 2 brl 389 in my 60 Ventura. Just my thoughts. Just as an aside, there's a 60 clutch pedal and linkage setup for sale on Ebay and it's been there for a while...still unsold.