Crossroads

I've got a quote for about $1000 in parts/labor to rebuild the spare 1.8L block I have in my garage, which is now mostly disassembled.  A little more to get upgraded pistons ($350), rods (???) and ARP hardware.  The quote includes new stock pistons, full gasket kit, bore/hone/etc and the machine shop will fully recondition the head.  That is parts and labor.  I figure I'm intelligent enough, I can bolt the head to the block and torque head bolts and install pistons/rings/con-rods to the crank and save on the labor for that part of the process and learn something.

Used engines are running almost $1000 for ones with a little less than 100k from what I've seen when I was looking.  That's not a very enticing option.  I can probably get a 1.6L motor for $400 used with close to 130k miles on it but all that work to put a motor in that probably won't have very much life in it?  I paid $650 for a 60k/mile engine nearly 3 years ago.  I guess we can thank the Spec Miata racers for drying up the parts market.

The whole thing running through my head is this is $1000 being spent on a car I bought in its entirety for not a whole lot more than that.  In addition, I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep the car given changing life circumstances, so I'm also trying to weigh that aspect into the process as well.  Too many projects.

If I go with the 1.8L motor, I have to build a new turbo manifold.  Not so bad doing it the second time and I have the turbo placement already worked out.  I can probably knock that out in a day, especially if I use prefabricated head and turbo flanges.

Still need to think some more.  Meanwhile, I guess I'll work on the other project car.  :)