Hot Rods How long is it reasonable to wait for an engine build?

A friend had a good, reputable shop in Chattanooga. I could count on basic work, (hot tanked, bored, honed, pistons fitted, valves and seats cut, and heads assembled) on engines being done in a relatively short time; a month to six weeks. The nut of his business was rebuilding forklift engines for several large manufacturing plants in the area, but he wouldn't put my work, or anyone else's, off for any reason. Seemed like the biggest problem he had with customers was getting some of them to come pick their engines up. He's been gone for two years now and there aren't many shops around who do what he did.

 

Machine shops are like all businesses, they need to take care of the customers who butter their bread. Customers with small jobs aren’t likely to keep the light bill paid, however said customers should be treated fairly and professionally. So when I take in a block to bored or heads to be services I know I’m not going to be in front of dozens high dollar race engines. I ask how long the job will take. I’m fortunate to have good shops within a couple of hours from me. The longest I’ve waited is about 60 days which worked for me, the shops were pretty close on their time estimates. So I guess I guy should ask for a time and cost estimate and hold the shop to the agreement, also if something not expected comes up the shop should call and discuss before work is done.

 

Because the vast majority of shops would tell you to pound sand and show you the door. Shops are not short of work. That's why random off the street jobs are pretty much meaningless to them and get pushed down the line for regular customers. You think they are going to do a contract saying they will lose money if they don't get your one-off project done in time?

 

If there was a good profit in it, the big conglomerates would have bought into the trade. It's a tough business, with tight margins. I asked those questions to get a better feel for what the expectations were, but I agree that a year and a half is too long.
We have done this to ourselves as far as trades go. Expectations for price and speed are stronger than ever, so the costs and a decent profit margin have been squeezed. Even without the physical toll, it's hard to make a career in a field that doesn't support the laborer. I'm sure there are any number of trades people that do earn a good living, but it's not the middle class living it once was.

 

2 years for me, but knew that going in. The shop is one of the best here in the midwest. They build some killer engines. From hemis to 5hp Briggs and Stratten junior drag engines.

 

I assemble everything my self . Just get machine work done.

 

Machine shop jail is the new paint shop jail.

 

Trades are fairly well paid around here. Most average about $70-75,000 per year. What I see more than anything is older people who think they should get work done for the same price they did 30 years ago and when a trade quotes prices that are in keeping with a middle class income these days they are met with what a rip off it is.

 

The OP fails to mention what motor we are talking about… if something obscure that needs babbit poured, oil pump made, timing gears cut, custom pistons, etc… 18 months sounds perfectly on schedule. If sumpin common like a SB chebby, should have been done in just a few days!

Many shop owners see calling the customer for help as a sign of incompetence. Sometimes you have to force your way into the conversation to discuss possible solutions. This project could be held up by something stoopid like a broken bolt, a found crack, or a bent rod that can’t be replaced easily. I’ve had shops too embarrassed to tell me that they had fukt up a part or lost the oil pump, so they simply say nothing. Nobody is motivated to finish the project like the owner! Stop in there and ask to see the project and what is left to do!

 

The poster is in Houston. I’m sure there are many good shops there. An inquiry and phone numbers of previous customers should be made available when you are looking at a shop.
Complete rebuilds are a pain for a lot of “Machine” shops especially if it’s not a bbc or sbc and now foreign.

If you were assembling your self it’s a lot easier I have found. I have a 6 cylinder head a shop that has done work for me and trusted, just doing the valves and some port touch up…I am assembling. 6-8 weeks so I’m doing other work waiting…

 

On a main stream engine with quick turnaround on orders for shipping on replacement parts id say no more than two months. Machinist we use at work is essentially a retired old guy doing it as a full time hobby. We sent him a 350 2 1/2 years ago that took right at two months because he was having trouble finding a clean crank(not sure why he had trouble finding one lol). On something obscure maybe longer if they're providing all parts like bearings etc.

 

I was contacted by a company in AZ called 5 Star Engines and I sold them some parts Thy look good on their website but their reviews are all over the place. They offer a 327/330 horse turnkey engine that looks good in the pictures and on paper?

 

Sometimes the shop welcomes input from the customer. When they had my 401, the guy that does the heads called me and said he had never seen a set before and I had to help him.

 

I think it depends on if your builder is high volume or not and if they take in work from other builders like crankshaft grinding, balancing or dyno work. A friend of mine has a three man full service shop that is usually 6 to 9 months out before they can start an engine build. In the last twenty years I’ve never seen them get close to being caught up.

 

Try calling Jeff at Houston Engine and Balancing in Pasadena

Luthor Costello owned,it then his Son Tommy, after Tommy passed Jeff bought the shop

He has moved to a different location but not far away

When I move out of my HOA onto a piece of land with a shop, I will restart my business .... will be a bit north of Houston, east or west according to what I find


Ricky

 

In this area all the shops that are known for good work are really backed up, I don't believe the parts suppliers are on the right side of the covid slow down just yet.
I know several people that have waited over a year to receive their rebuilt engines.

 

I have read about them! Are they top drawer?

Ben

 

Thanks guys. I guess I'll just have to wait. I can't just stop in the shop, he's multiple states away. Like someone else mentioned, it's like being in paint shop hell.

 

I have had a least 15 engines built by my pal Jerry and none of them took more than 2 weeks, don't expect a quick engine build if it's deer season, cause it ain't gonna happen, he even had a sign on the door stating the fact.

Nine times out of ten, drop it off on Monday and pick it up on the next Monday, Sadly my pal passed away last year and I'm afraid my next engine will be a crate engine. HRP

 

I’ve heard good things too, I guess they have a good warranty.

 

I watched a 30? minute video on Blueprint , first rate.

 

I'm guessing it's not an engine that Blueprint supplies . Some specialty builders like those that specialize in say Olds , Cads and Y blocks are known for really long wait times... There was a thread on here awhile back...

 

In some areas, most of the known builders have retired, died, or are very selective on what they will take on. I have three motors needing work: small journal 327 SBC, ‘57 392, and a new Burtz block banger motor. I don’t know anyone in the SF Bay Area who could take the job and get it done in 90 days.

 

That's the problem; you can't stop by and they know it. It's like trying to collect a past due bill over the phone vs. in person.
Have they even started on it?
Go get it and bring it back to a reputable shop in Houston.
What type engine is it? Common or specialty?

• If the machine work is done, it can be assembled in a day.

 

It's a early Hemi

 

Alot of it is the time we live in its hard to get parts and its no different with builders or shops I'm on 5 months for pistons for my engine. Its like that in the auto industry as a whole, I do paintless dent repair and we had big hail roll through town been waiting on a replacement hood on a 23 suburban for 2 months now asked the parts guy and he said he has to watch the computer and when one comes up mark it sold because the whole country is in the same boat they want that hood, cant make this shit up what a time we are living in.

 

I am sure you could have bought a Steve morris sml and had it in that time frame

 

What is a Steve morris sml?

thanks.