I have a lead on a complete 455, but with a thrown rod, per the current owner. Is this something that can be salvaged? I suspect the answer is " it depends". What should I look for to assess if it is worth pursuing?

 

A thrown rod is serious in most cases, a spun bearing is not.

 

It depends. The 455 in my 69 H/O threw a rod. The cap went out through the oil pan, but that let the piston and remaining part of the rod shoot upward and hit the head (the piston has the shape of the combustion chamber stamped on it now). When the piston hit the head, it expanded radially and cracked that cylinder. The crank cam around, hit the rod, and locked up. The sudden impact sheared all the teeth off the cam gear and snapped the cam into three pieces.

I was able to save the D heads, fortunately.

 

Blues brothers:
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I think we threw a rod...

Is that serious?
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Yeah, that's pretty serious. It's the heart attack for an engine.
What can be saved can only be determined by inspection.

Best case, they meant "spun a bearing", and it needs some rods and a crank.
Worst case, every last major part is cracked or broken.

 

Thanks for the responses. The seller really does not know what he has, but I think I've read enough to know its time for me to move on.

 

If the seller really has no clue, it might be worth a look. If there's a jagged hole in the block, walk away. If the seller really meant "spun a bearing", it might be a bargain core.