Michael,
Thanks for your questions and concerns.
In regards to rebuilding or replace, the "New Engine Kit" replaces the original frail parts that are not designed to modern standards, may have been miss-machined in a prior rebuild, and maybe near the end of their fatigue life.
Before rebuilding, your original engine will need to be completely disassembled, cleaned, and evaluated. Common problems found include cracks, need for cylinder sleeves, need for valve seat inserts, and need for camshaft bushings. After evaluation, the cost of a rebuild can be determined.
The "New Engine Kit" looks identical to an original engine on the exterior and most of the parts from your old engine can be salvaged for building a new engine because the interfaces for attaching parts on the "New Engine Kit" are identical to the interfaces on an original engine.
The $3500 is an introductory price for those that are on the "How to Order" list before the end of March 2021. After the end of March, the price will be $3950 from us or you can buy from a parts retailer or an engine rebuilder.
This is what you will receive in the "New Engine Kit".
Cylinder Block
Qty 1, cylinder block with 4 hard exhaust seats, 5 cam bearings, and 10 cylinder block/main cap dowel pins installed. The following loose parts are either assembled to the cylinder block or they are packaged separately.
Qty 5, main caps
Qty 4, stepped (7/16 UNF x 1/2 UNF) studs for #1 and #3 main bearings
Qty 4, 1/2-20 UNF tall castle nuts for #1 and #3 main bearing studs
Qty 4, 7/16 UNC x 7/16 UNF studs for #2 and #4 main bearings
Qty 8, 7/16-20 UNF 12-point nuts for main bearing studs #1, #2, #3, and #4
Qty 2, 1/2 UNC x 1/2 UNF studs for #5 main bearing
Qty 2, 1/2-20 UNF 12-point nuts for main bearing #5 studs
Qty 2, 1/2-13 x 3/8 UNC setscrew for main oil galley end plug
Qty 5, 3/8-16 x 1/4 UNC setscrew for oil galley plug
Qty 1, 7/16 x 3/8 UNC setscrew for oil galley plug
Qty 1, 1/8-27 NPT slotted plug
Qty 2, dowel pins for cylinder block/flywheel housing interface
Qty 3, thrust washer half
Qty 6, 8-32 x 3/8 Phillips flat head brass screw for thrust washer halves
Qty 4, special small diameter studs with hardware used for line boring of main bearings 1 and 3 (to be discarded after verification of match marks)
Crankshaft
Qty 1, dynamically balanced crankshaft with 2 rear dowel pins, 4 setscrew oil passage plugs, and 1 Woodruff key installed.
Connecting Rod
Qty 4, balanced connecting rods each with wrist pin bushing, 2 dowel pins at the cap interface installed, and 2, 12-point 3/8-16 x 1 1/4 UNF bolts.
To minimize cost and assuming that you will be using everything possible from your old engine needing a rebuild, you will need to buy a gasket set, standard size pistons and rings, a Federal Mogul 415035 rear main seal, and 12 pairs of Federal Mogul 2020cp standard inserts.
Check with whoever you buy Model A parts from for prices, and check online or retail suppliers of modern car parts for the Federal Mogul seal and insert bearings.
For more information including "How to Order", the "Builders Guide", "Doubling the Flow Area of a Model A Oil Pump", and "Installing an Oil Filter", see
www.modelaengine.com