What should I look for?

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7

73duster47

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So, I'm going over to a friend's place this week to take a look at a 360 she got as a backup to the 340 she's building into a 418 stroker for her Duster. I've never looked into buying a used engine before, and know absolutely nothing about Small Blocks. All I have ever dealt with so far is Big Blocks and Slant 6's. The 360 is a long block .030 over no ridge, low compression flat tops, 974 heads, '77 casting. that's all the info I have been given so far, and I've been trying to wring more out over the last couple months, and now that I've got the money and the price is right ($250) I want this thing because I hate the Slant 6 in my car, hate it even more since it's been broken for two months and I've been stuck driving a piece of a mustang.
So I'm asking for advice as to what to look for in the engine and I'll post pictures when I get them. I need to move on this quickly, or else she's gonna sell it either at the Spring Fling, or to an editor of Hemming Motor News, who just interviewed her for their third piece on her since 2003.
Thanks everyone
 
Ask, was it running and where it came from and how it ran if you can find out.

If your going to rebuild it anyway, then theres no worry about anything really.

Wiped cam lobes and cracked bores would be my eyes travel. Bearings at the crank and rods as well.
 
it was running when pulled from a car, not sure what car, has about 2400 miles since rebuild. apparently she found it on craigslist and the guy she bought it from was just a couple of miles from my house...now it's about 45 miles away from my place haha I'm not sure if I want to rebuild it right now, supposedly my friend's dad is going to hone the cylinders and re-ring the pistons for me from before I pick it up...we'll see what it looks like in the next couple of days.
Here's how it sits now:

360.jpg
 
It shouldn't need a re-honing if it only has 2400 miles, if it does, I'd taer it down completely. Somethings wrong!
 
Her dad kinda want to do the rehoning just for kicks. I'm headed over there tomorrow after my classes. I'll check for the cross-hatch marks and stuff.
Thanks for the input
 
If you have grand plans for a complete rebuild, find a std bore original. If it is in good shape, I would touch it. Not worth doing pistons and everything else IMO. Just concentrate on the heads and bolt ons, and you'll do very well.
 
went down and looked at the engine last night and took a bunch of pics. Engine had a tiny bit of surface rust on the inside of one cylinder bore, but some WD-40 took that right off. My plan was a rebuild just to freshen it up anyway and eliminate any possible issues. Emailed the pics to my dad for approval for garage space, and as soon as he gave me the go-ahead I got an email from my friend's dad...HE SOLD THE FRIGGIN ENGINE!!! After promising it to me face-to-face last night, he sells the thing this morning to the guy from Hemmings. WTF?!?!?!?! Guess it's time to find one at the Spring Fling and hope it'll fit in the back of the Jeep...
 
I understand the dammit...this thing was promised to me in february the day my duster died, then again face to face last night...now some writer for Hemmings has it in his garage...BS
 
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