Over the years, I have acquired a few AW-71 gearboxes from different parts cars. Whenever I have redone an engine for one of the family bricks, I have rebuilt the AW to go behind it. Not a simple reseal, but a complete job with friction and steel plates, or support bushings where needed. Four so far and each worked perfectly the first time and are still trouble-free after 60-102K, depending on the car.

I will be building one more for my last red block project (we're driving white engine cars now). Rebuilders are getting $1500-1800, if not more, to recondition an AW so many owners take a chance on a used tranny for a couple hundred dollars. Being a strong gearbox, most of the used ones still have life in them.

I will have all the special rebuild tools out (I bought them so I could do the job right), with AW on the brain and ATF on the hands. Here is my question: Is it worth my while to buy all the repair materials and spend the many hours needed to rebuild and sell the two AW-71s that I will not be using?

I am hitting the brickboard to see how much interest there would be in a privately rebuilt AW-71 and a guide to its value versus a good used gearbox. If I cannot cover all the parts and my labour, I will simply sell the cores to a transmission rebuilder. A finished transmission would be shipped dry, with zero mileage on it.