It's no secret that we spend too much time in junkyards for our own good. This is because, despite the name, there's actually lots of great stuff in most junkyards, and engines top the list.
We've assembled this quick 'n' dirty guide to identifying engines at the boneyard so you won't get stuck with a 350 Olds when you thought you were pulling a 455 (we've done that). Since there's not enough space to identify every engine you're likely to encounter, we included only V-8s and focused specifically on those you'd probably want. We also included tips on how to spot a few of the dogs that are often confused for more desirable engines. Big thanks go to Tony Martinez and Carl Bourdon Jr. at Memory Lane Collector Car Dismantlers in Sun Valley, California, and Todd Cashman at Ford Only in Los Angeles for sharing their expertise.
By the way, the staff record for junkyard engine pulls is five in one month. Let us know if you can top it.
Scroungin' Tips
•Never trust the VIN code or emissions sticker. How do you know the engine hasn't already been swapped? People do odd things in their attempts to keep old cars running forever, including bizarre engine swaps; we recently spotted a Buick 401 Nailhead in a '65 Dodge pickup. If you're lucky, you may find a fresh 350 crate motor that someone dropped into an older car. More likely, it's a 305 when it should be a 350.
• Land barges often house big-blocks. Back when some of Detroit's heftiest models tipped the scales at close to 3 tons, mega-cubes were required to get all that mass movin'. Electras and Imperials are still the best source for cheap 455s and 440s.
• The grosser the better. An engine caked with three decades of road grime is more likely to be original and unmolested than a clean one. Heinous filth also often deters other would-be treasure seekers from taking a closer look or yanking the mill.
• Don't overlook trucks. Although shunned by car crafters as performance vehicles, trucks, and even motorhomes, were often available with the same engines as passenger cars, but some had forged cranks, four-bolt mains, and other goodies. They're also the last bastion of the big-block Chevy.
• Get it while you can. Most junkyards will sell a complete engine with all its accessories and brackets for much less than the sum of the individual part prices. Not only does having every bracket and bolt make your future swap easier, you might have a hard time even finding some of these parts for a less-common motor when you need them.