Anyone heard of them? They're from San Antonio, TX. I recently picked up a '50 Merc flathead and yesterday while I was inspecting it, I found what appeared to be an id tag of some sort riveted to the block on the driver's side. It was covered in grease and my first thought was that it was something from Ford. I was excited as I was cleaning it off...but once I got it cleaned off I became even more excited...here's a pic: Anyway, I did some research and it appears that this company is a machine shop...and it was just founded in 1991. I found some phone numbers for it online and called them both today. Didn't get any answer from either one. This tag has a work order number on it (I assume). I am hoping these folks are still in business and maybe they have a record of this engine and I can find out what they did to it and when. Pretty neat stuff.
It is interesting - I just wish someone would tell me more about it! I KNOW we got people on here from SA that know about this place.
It's just a rebuilt motor and it is the rebuilders id tag, with that number it will have the specs and when it was rebuilt and who it was sold to.
Um...I know that. However I would like to have that information. It would just ad to the value of this engine, especially if it runs good. I don't have it running yet.
A rebuilders tag won't add value to your engine. if it did, I'd be selling counterfeit rebuilder tags along with everyone else. Lots of old stuff had rebuilders info tags, it was common. I doubt that company was formed in 1991, surely older. Anyhow, look at every engine for sale out there, and none use the rebuilders tag as a value adder. It's just a meaningless neat thing.
Well we'll just have to agree to disagree then my friend. Anyone can make some shit up - and many people do, especially when it comes to selling used auto parts. Every engine has "just been rebuilt" and all used tires only have 50 miles on them - we all know the stories. However anytime you can provide cold hard proof that a good running engine has in fact been overhauled it will always add value. If I am successful in locating documents that jive with the numbers stamped on that plate I am certain it will add value to this engine, at least nostalgic value if none other.
I have experience with Howard Cambell machine shop in San Antonio. I used to live in San Antonio. First off I'd like to say that they have been in business way longer than 1991. Back in 1976 my brother bought his first engine from them. In 1998 I bought another small block from them...from the same guy even. He even remembered my brothers engine from back in 1976! We never had any problems with their engines and they all rolled the odometers several times over. In fact to this day, I still have that Howard Cambell engine in my nova. It's been modified several times since I bought it with after market heads, cams, ect, but the short block has not been touched and it still runs like new. It's funny because my brother is in the process of buying another long block from them today for his 2005 chevy truck.
Neat story - thanks for the input. The flathead I had in the pictures in this thread is long gone now though. lol
HC was founded in 1946 and moved to burwood lane from Ashby in 1963 til it closed down around 1999. You bought from my father or uncle. My father ran the shop from ‘72 til close. My uncle worked there from ‘63’ to close as well. I get someone popping up on Facebook every few years asking about old rebuilder tags. Today in fact I got a message from a man in Vienna Austria asking about a pre 63 tag on 216 Chevy in 53’ pickup. We don’t have information for any tags today. Fuel injection put us out of business for the most part. The company had to make all its money off selling hard parts and rebuild services were in less and less demand. I worked there every summer there for about 9 years. When we closed I spent week moving a 1000 engine cores and several thousand crankshafts, and cylinder heads into containers to be shipped off and melted. It was sad, we constantly were pulling parts off rare engine cores that people needed and could not be found on the aftermarket. My favorite thing was digging around to find some crazy rare part in the yard. Anyway I’m drifting off topic. Hopefully someone enjoys the story.
You're tight, it was sad and hearing the story for the first time today, it's still sad. However, I did enjoy the story, thanks.
sad tale for sure when progress leaves people in the wake.wonder if the original poster had any luck with his rebuilt that was probably in need of another rebuild.if only we could revive the things like that the way we can an old thread
I just came across this old dirty clipboard and I cleaned it up pretty good and I tried to find something on it and this is the first thing I've found about it ... Its pretty old and it says Howard Campbell company in San Antonio and it looks to be a machine shop...says solid block engine, cam shafts, crankshafts.... anyway I'm from the Marlin Texas area quite a ways off from San Antonio.... so I don't know anything about this company and have no clue how it got over here! But it didn't start up in the 90's that's for sure because the phone number on this is PE 4-6401 you can tell it's pretty old by the writing too.... I'll upload a picture of...
I know this is an ooooooooooold post (almost 10 years!), but I just saw this in an ad and thought people might like to see it. For reference, this is on an AMC 360 for sale in Texas.
I'm the Man from Vienna. It breaks my heart when I read what happened to those parts. greetings from Vienna
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