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CarmenGhia
Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2021
Posts: 6
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 Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 8:50 pm Post subject: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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I believe the engine in my Ghia is the original. That being said, I want the same just rebuilt. After having some tweaks done by a mechanic which did made the oil leak better, it still does leak in drips in a few spots. I would like to get the engine rebuilt. I've had one place say it would run $2000-4000, another said it would be $5000, and another stated $3500-4000 including parts and labor. I live in the Portland metro area of OR, if that matters.
What can the knowledgeable folks with experience tell me here about these quotes? I'm pretty shocked at the $5000 quote.
Thank you in advance!! |
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scrivyscriv
Samba Electrician
Joined: October 04, 2011
Posts: 2922
Location: Memphis
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 8:56 pm Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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The price varies significantly based on location, condition of your core and accessories, availability of parts, speed of the build, and overall fit and quality. I rebuilt my 1971 bus engine that had a rod knock with unknown mileage and a newer Brazil case in 2015. I spent somewhere around $1500-2000 just in parts and the labor for grinding the flywheel and balancing everything. This was a stock rebuild with full flow, solid rockers and 87mm slip ins; everything else stock.
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Cusser
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Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31379
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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I had a factory 1971 machined in Phoenix in 2016, and assembled it myself.
Cost for machining was $640 for engine case measurement, align bore, case savers, main and connecting rod bearings, install gears onto crankshaft, refurbish cylinder heads (included a little welding and tapping for broken cylinder studs), $10 labor to machine flywheel for correct endplay
So my total parts/machining cost was about $1200. I don't know how many hours I spent. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=664950&highlight=resurrection+of+my+1970
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vwracerdave
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Joined: November 11, 2004
Posts: 15309
Location: Deep in the 405
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| Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 10:43 pm Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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If they are pulling the engine and rebuilding $4000 might be reasonable for a complete rebuild of a stock 1600. That would have to include new heads, new jugs & pistons, new clutch & pressure plate, new exhaust, new tune up parts, rebuilt carb, and painting all engine tins.
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Alstrup
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Joined: July 12, 2007
Posts: 7219
Location: Videbaek Denmark
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 1:56 am Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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| vwracerdave wrote: |
| If they are pulling the engine and rebuilding $4000 might be reasonable for a complete rebuild of a stock 1600. That would have to include new heads, new jugs & pistons, new clutch & pressure plate, new exhaust, new tune up parts, rebuilt carb, and painting all engine tins. |
I Would say about that too.
BUT, it can vary a great deal. For instance, Did the case survive, or does it need a line bore, or is it toast. That alone can make a difference in the build on around 1000 bucks.
Did the crank survive or does it need a regrind, simply a new crank. That´s another 200ish bucks. Etc etc.
IMHO, a rebuild of an existing engine can not be priced until it has been taken apart an inspected. Too many variables.
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Olli from NJ
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Joined: May 10, 2007
Posts: 302
Location: Milton,DE
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 4:05 am Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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| And if the case needs to be replaced is it still a "re-build" or a replacement? |
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vwinnovator
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Joined: July 11, 2005
Posts: 1555
Location: Still doing it in the back of your VW
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 4:18 am Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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| Olli from NJ wrote: |
| And if the case needs to be replaced is it still a "re-build" or a replacement? |
OR a "transfer" of parts 
$5000 is not unusual if paying someone else to do it all.
Quality of parts used is another factor
If a new case is used that's another $800+ right off |
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spencerfvee
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Joined: August 19, 2004
Posts: 3071
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 4:55 am Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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| CarmenGhia wrote: |
I believe the engine in my Ghia is the original. That being said, I want the same just rebuilt. After having some tweaks done by a mechanic which did made the oil leak better, it still does leak in drips in a few spots. I would like to get the engine rebuilt. I've had one place say it would run $2000-4000, another said it would be $5000, and another stated $3500-4000 including parts and labor. I live in the Portland metro area of OR, if that matters.
What can the knowledgeable folks with experience tell me here about these quotes? I'm pretty shocked at the $5000 quote.
Thank you in advance!! |
.................................................................................................................hi what year is your ghia ? how many miles do you have on your ghia ? your motor could have been replaced over the years may be from a single port to a dual port motor . many older vws have had there motors rebuilt maybe one to two times in there life .its very rare that a vw motor has never been rebuilt in its life . from what you said you want it all stock . in the past 2 years new parts have gone up sky high / now a days its hard to keep up on what parts cost today . that adds to the cost of a rebuilt motor .labor cost are up now a days . the over head cost to keep a shop open keeps going up . do not ever buy a GEX rebuilt motor . try to find a good shop where you live talk to people that have had motors rebuilt by them. that will tell some times if there a good shop to deal with . there are two kinds of rebuilt motors guys that say do it as cheap as you can . and guys that say i want it done right . now a days rebuilds cost from $2,500.00 to the sky lol joke $4,000.00. there are a lot of guys that have a short block rebuilt and they put the rest of the motor together .that saves money. but its best to have a shop do all the work. then you can hear the motor running when you pick it up from the shop that rebuilt your motor good luck spencerfvee ps i just spent $8,000.00 on a super charged motor and i did all the work on the motor . if a shop would have done it it world have cost over $10,000.00..i would say if a shop rebuild all your parts on your motor that $2,800.00 to $3,400.00 would be fair . you never know what the cost will be till you have a shop take the motor apart . that tells the story if the motor has had a hard life . |
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67rustavenger 
Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2015
Posts: 9771
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 5:37 am Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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CarmenGhia,
Everything said above is true.
One clear point buried in Spencers reply that must be noted,
Don't buy from GEX That will sap your wallet getting the POS repaired again.
For a good quality rebuild. Contact this gentleman.
https://portland.craigslist.org/clc/ptd/d/damascus-air-cooled-volkswagen-engines/7314969566.html
James built a transmission for me a couple years ago and it is fantastic.
But he's not cheap by any means. Also James is a No Bullshit type of guy.
He will advise you on exactly what it's gonna take to have a reliable leak free engine.
He also offers, "Build it yourself" engine kits. This is a good way to go if you have the tools, time, and patience to do it yourself.
Who locally have you been shopping at?
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[email protected]
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2002
Posts: 4394
Location: Brew City
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 6:52 am Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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| CarmenGhia wrote: |
I believe the engine in my Ghia is the original. That being said, I want the same just rebuilt. After having some tweaks done by a mechanic which did made the oil leak better, it still does leak in drips in a few spots. I would like to get the engine rebuilt. I've had one place say it would run $2000-4000, another said it would be $5000, and another stated $3500-4000 including parts and labor. I live in the Portland metro area of OR, if that matters.
What can the knowledgeable folks with experience tell me here about these quotes? I'm pretty shocked at the $5000 quote.
Thank you in advance!! |
The BARE min will be $1500 in labor and $500 in parts. That assumes nothing is junk and most everything can be reused(everything needs to be cleaned, measured, polished, etc) adding in bearings, gaskets, rings, and just a clean up flycut and valve job on the heads.
The upper end can be anywhere from $1000-$3000 in parts, depending on what you want. CW crank? Lite FW? More cam? New pistons and cylinders? New Heads? Solid Rockers? New or rebuilt carb? They all add up. New Case? Plus $1000. New clutch? New exhaust?
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nextgen
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Joined: August 19, 2004
Posts: 6031
Location: CONGERS, N.Y.
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 7:37 am Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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Lets not forget it is a Ghia. They are going for crazy prices, in decent shape will be in the $20,000 range, some $27,000.
I guess like money in the bank, the longer you hold on to it the more they will go for.
Think about that when you put money into it.
Even Bugs, my friend Chris Vallone of Classic VW Beetles is getting between
$60,000 - $80,000. A few years ago it was $ 40,000 - $60,000
He said the price for original parts is the main issue. Sure you can buy a front clip from China, but a perfect fit new part can be 4 times the price from a upscale parts manufacture.
https://www.classicvwbugs.com/#:~:text=Prices%20are%20between%3A%20%2460%2D80%2C000
Sure those are crazy high prices but Look at what Buses are going for.
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CarmenGhia
Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2021
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 9:00 am Post subject: Re: How much is the norm for an engine rebuild on '71 Ghia |
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It's a 1971 Ghia. It has 57,145 miles on it. One receipt from 2016 showed 55, 191, so I know it hasn't turned over in the last 5 years. It's turned over once for sure, but beyond that...?
To those who have commented/answered so far, thank you so much! I do understand that there are a lot of variables involved. I've only had the car for a year, and the seller didn't have much in terms of paperwork/receipts of previous work done to the car, so I have little to go off of. |
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nextgen
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Location: CONGERS, N.Y.
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