Engine Swap 383 for 440

[Jon Robinson]

I have a numbers matching 69 Bee that came with a 383 HP engine. Yesterday I picked up a date coded 440 Six barrel from a 69 GTX. I'm considering swapping that for the 383 (definately keeping the 383). Any thoughts on what it does to the value of the car?

 

[33 IMP]

It helps, IF you include the #'s 383 with the sale, and state as such.

Oh, by the way, there is NO such thing as a date coded 440 sixpack/six bbl in a 69 GTX.

If you try to dress it up as a A12 bee, it will HURT the value.

 

[Davefinan]

It helps, IF you include the #'s 383 with the sale, and state as such.

Oh, by the way, there is NO such thing as a date coded 440 sixpack/six bbl in a 69 GTX.

If you try to dress it up as a A12 bee, it will HURT the value.

Agreed. When you sell you can always offer the original 383 engine with the car.

 

[#41]

I don't know... people who buy cars like to imagine that their numbers matching car is un-touched.

When you are done having fun, put the 383 back in it to sell and hawk the 440 separately.

 

[Runcharger]

440 in a 383 is a bit of a turnoff for me. If you keep the 383 to keep with the car though I don't think there's any impact on value.

 

[Jon Robinson]

It helps, IF you include the #'s 383 with the sale, and state as such.

Oh, by the way, there is NO such thing as a date coded 440 sixpack/six bbl in a 69 GTX.

If you try to dress it up as a A12 bee, it will HURT the value.

When I sell it, the 383 will definitely go with it.

So I was give bad information on the GTX? The 440 is date coded from late 68.

Even as an A12 tribute (specifying that it IS a tribute and not a real A12)?

Just trying to decide if I go with my original plan of putting the 383 in the car and holding the 440 for a future project or putting it in the car and making it an A12 tribute. Not trying to fool anyone.

 

[Jon Robinson]

When I sell it, the 383 will definitely go with it.

So I was give bad information on the GTX? The 440 is date coded from late 68.

Even as an A12 tribute (specifying that it IS a tribute and not a real A12)?

Just trying to decide if I go with my original plan of putting the 383 in the car and holding the 440 for a future project or putting it in the car and making it an A12 tribute. Not trying to fool anyone.

Correction, the engine is date coded from late 1969, not 1968

 

[33 IMP]

A late 69 block, if late enough, could be from a 70 GTX with a sixpack. The only 440 sixpack in a 69 were the A12 runner and bee.
The parts necessary to make a decent "tribute" are remarkably expensive, and you surely would not get your investment back.
A half-assed clone that can be spotted as such from across the parking lot won't bring any more money (at least not from me) than a nice numbers-matching 383 car.
There is a thread here with pics from a show in Australia or New Zealand that shows three A12s. Two are clones and I can tell from seven thousand miles away.