I would recommend searching an LKQ in your area. They routinely have 5.9 Magnums in the 400 dollar price range. Complete with everything except the front accessory drive. You could sell the intake setup and recoup some cost.
Although in that price range, it will be a high mileage motor, LKQ gives a 6 month warranty on them. That's how I got my little 5.0 roller motor for RobKat. I got it much less than 400, too.
If you want some bump to it, remove the cam and send it to Oregon and let them grind it for you. They have a lot of nice grinds to choose from. 125 bucks for that. Plus, you'll need longer pushrods, probably, and or adjustable rockers. From the money you save with the 400 dollar engine, you should have it.
Then you can choose your intake, carb and headers.
That said IF you go the machine shop rate, there are some things that "I" will absolutely not cut corners on. Those are first.
Clean and magnaflux. Yeah you don't want anything busted. 50
Deck and square the block to the crank center line. Chrysler deck heights are notoriously high and uneven. This costs 150 where I go.
Resize rods and have new rod bolts installed. No way I'm runnin old *** rod bolts in even the most budget friendly build. Ain't doin it. That runs 175.
Whatever the hell the crank needs. Oil clearance is perhaps among the most important things in an engine. Nuff said. Turnin the crank runs 175.
I install my own cam bearings and freeze plugs so that negates any labor there, but 50 bucks will buy good parts.
From here, you get into a "what it needs scenario", IMO, because everything above is necessary when I take one in.
Bore. I'm not afraid to run one pretty damn loose. After all, the looser one is, the less friction there is. Friction from the rings to the cylinders is THE biggest friction in the engine. Period. But, you also don't want it so loose that you break skirts off pistons or she uses oil badly.
To bore where I go is 175.
Align bore. In my experience, it's rare to have to do this to a Mopar. Although as said, the blocks are out of whack on the deck surface, other than that, they are pretty damn good foundations. BUT, on the off chance, they go 200 to line bore one here.
Heads. IF you're lucky enough to get by with a basic valve job, that's 125. Workin with 50 year old parts, that's not very likely. Guide and seat work ain't cheap. It can make you throw your iron crap in the ditch and think about aluminum. OR you can buy reman heads very reasonably from Allied Cylinder head.
I got the heads on the 351M in my Ford truck for 165 each......SHIPPED. It was that or pay my machine shop 475 to have the old ones built. That's how honest my shop is. Rather than take my money, HE recommended the Allied heads. They have been great so far.
It's like anything else. Pick your poison and pay your money. Add all that up above. It ain't a small chunk. Plus, machine work in my area is on the cheap end of the spectrum. Good luck and keep us posted.
Although in that price range, it will be a high mileage motor, LKQ gives a 6 month warranty on them. That's how I got my little 5.0 roller motor for RobKat. I got it much less than 400, too.
If you want some bump to it, remove the cam and send it to Oregon and let them grind it for you. They have a lot of nice grinds to choose from. 125 bucks for that. Plus, you'll need longer pushrods, probably, and or adjustable rockers. From the money you save with the 400 dollar engine, you should have it.
Then you can choose your intake, carb and headers.
That said IF you go the machine shop rate, there are some things that "I" will absolutely not cut corners on. Those are first.
Clean and magnaflux. Yeah you don't want anything busted. 50
Deck and square the block to the crank center line. Chrysler deck heights are notoriously high and uneven. This costs 150 where I go.
Resize rods and have new rod bolts installed. No way I'm runnin old *** rod bolts in even the most budget friendly build. Ain't doin it. That runs 175.
Whatever the hell the crank needs. Oil clearance is perhaps among the most important things in an engine. Nuff said. Turnin the crank runs 175.
I install my own cam bearings and freeze plugs so that negates any labor there, but 50 bucks will buy good parts.
From here, you get into a "what it needs scenario", IMO, because everything above is necessary when I take one in.
Bore. I'm not afraid to run one pretty damn loose. After all, the looser one is, the less friction there is. Friction from the rings to the cylinders is THE biggest friction in the engine. Period. But, you also don't want it so loose that you break skirts off pistons or she uses oil badly.
To bore where I go is 175.
Align bore. In my experience, it's rare to have to do this to a Mopar. Although as said, the blocks are out of whack on the deck surface, other than that, they are pretty damn good foundations. BUT, on the off chance, they go 200 to line bore one here.
Heads. IF you're lucky enough to get by with a basic valve job, that's 125. Workin with 50 year old parts, that's not very likely. Guide and seat work ain't cheap. It can make you throw your iron crap in the ditch and think about aluminum. OR you can buy reman heads very reasonably from Allied Cylinder head.
I got the heads on the 351M in my Ford truck for 165 each......SHIPPED. It was that or pay my machine shop 475 to have the old ones built. That's how honest my shop is. Rather than take my money, HE recommended the Allied heads. They have been great so far.
It's like anything else. Pick your poison and pay your money. Add all that up above. It ain't a small chunk. Plus, machine work in my area is on the cheap end of the spectrum. Good luck and keep us posted.
