HOWZ this sound- Please READ

Thank you sir for your input. a little shocking those fiqures you gave . I understand race engines are a little pricier than most can generally comprehend. In 2003 my shop's going rate to just "assemble" a naturally aspirated Small Block was a $1000. A complete engine for $4K or $5K, that my friend is downright frightning. Even a non-race track engine, blueprinted, and assembled, build sheet, dyno sheet, and a written quarantee you dont need a lawyer to read, in 2012 would still be a $1000 to build. I dont build $5000 crate engines, but I will help someone find a good one if that's what they are looking for, that's all I can do. Funny thing is I dont know anyone building a Y-block crate engine, or a Buick Straight 8 crate engine, and if there was, would anyone really want it? They would want the price, but not the engine. I remember getting so HAMMERED because I thought $750 to cover 2 V.W. low-back bucket seats with red vinyl was a little steep. These guy's rode me like Seabiscuit. Funny world we live in. Thank you again for your input, really apreciated, TR

 

Yes, Hayward Ca.

 

Crude, but true. You just won't know until you try.
Be prepared to say no a lot as well. Can you do me a nitrous small block? No. How bout a turbo 5.0? No. What about a ricer? No.
At my shop, I'd love to do more traditional work, but since I have to pay bills, I work on what comes in (to an extent).
One last thought. I used to do restorations on old Honda's, 50-90's and would hear all the time how there was a market for this, that and the other. People would say if you made a quality this or that, I'd buy 5 each. Guess what? I made the this and thats, so well that you couldn't tell an original from mine. Long story short, I sold very few, and lost a few $$$. Take this interest of potential customers with a very large grain of salt. My guess is, most won't become customers.
No offense guys.

 

Man,your just a tad late I just dropped my 308 Hudson at a local machine
shop last week for cleaning and machine work...

 

I do think that your location might present a problem also. You might know of a lot of business potential initially but being at the far end of the nation I think it might dry up sooner than you think. A more centrally located area would provide much more potential. Shipping might be prohibitive with the costs increasing all the time, unless you could arrange a contract with one of the over the road shippers that haul cars and parts. My 2¢

 

haha the figures were just pulled out of thin air, don't worry! But I understand what you're saying as well. Either way, let us know how things turn out. I imagine guys will continue to debate this back and forth for a while.

 

Have a look at this video if you haven't already to see if you the passion, while he builds cars, the passion is the same in most jobs. If money isn't the key objective at this stage and passion is, your 9/10ths there.

 

should include this link: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=12129

 

Sounds like an awesome idea!

I just wish you were in Texas. Come on, you can move to Texas, it's right in the middle of everything!

 

Are you aware that you "may" be going against Big Daddy Don Garlits. Last time I spoke to him he said likely next year was his last on the road and he would open up an engine shop. Flatheads and older stuff.

However, as they say...build it and they will come

 

how about a slant 6 crate engine.. yeah, from what iv read. machine shops hardly see slant 6s as it is.. so you know them slant 6 crate engines would sell like hotcakes if the old ones would just die.. yeah, i plan on learning about these slant 6s come fall for my tbucket project.. originally was gonna go with a buick 455 i have that runs like a champ.. but more i thought about it, my t bucket would be like everyone elses.. now with a slant 6 tbucket cant say iv seen one today im sure there some out there just not as many, which is cool with me. .. anyhow, so been reading up on the engine.. the engineers did good when they put that pile of bolts together from all the reading iv been doing on it, you just have to love a winner.. yeah the hemi gets the glory.. but i cant afford one.. so ill go for some of its left over bolts and smile the whole time... good luck on whatever you choose to do.
chris.

 

forget the hamb friendly stuff, and go for the high end stuff. pebble beach stuff. money will always have money, and wannabee's will always be wannabee's. while the intentions of most here on the hamb are good, it's like that old saying..... "Everybody's your brother till the rent comes due."

 

That quote pretty well expresses my thoughts too.

One of the most consistent requirements on the HAMB is "CHEAP". There are HAMBers who are obviously at a stage of life where they have more disposable income but, in addition to that, they also have to want someone else to do this work and not do it themselves.

But even in high end restoration work, I would imagine there are people established that are 'great with Packards or (fill in the blank)' and while the money is likely there, the learning curve could be steeper.

Whatever you decide, best wishes.........

Ray

 

The machinery doesn't care if it's boring a Flathead block or a Ford modular. You would be a fool to put up a sign that says you will only work on old stuff. Leave yourself open to pick and choose depending on who shows up with cash.

Craigs List, EBAY and the local papers are full of projects that people are selling cheap because of the economy. I bought several 9" rears lately just to throw on my future projects pile, and the price was just too good to pass up.

 

"HOWZ this sound"

Honestly, it sounds like a very expensive hobby. The question, can you afford to take the hit is it don't fly? If you can then go for it. As long as you're having fun it has to beat a rocking chair.

 

Florida is good place to ship to Europe too and you will get customers if you can make really good quality machining and assembly. It is very important to not fail in anyway because of the long distance makes the repairs hard to do.
There are many car container shippers so engines could come over within.
I have an engine from H&H in CA and the shipping cost was quite high. I heard them doing engines to overseas customers quite often so you could too. We can't find good cores or parts for rare engines nearby. Parts comes from US anyway and labour rates and taxes are high on everything.

 

Or chevies???

 

As you have already said, this is not your first rodeo so you know your stuff and you know people/customers/business. You are also not starting from scratch and have/can form certain business relationships that will help you do certain aspects of the rebuilding without you doing it all yourself, another plus. It also sounds like you could "fill in" with not-so-HAMB builds at any time just to keep the "money" flowing and coming in, as well as doing the final assembly and such at home (make that read "low overhead"), keeping costs down. It all sounds to be a win-win at this point in time to me.

I do believe quality work will always bring people even in a down economy so if you and Garlits are both out there, both doing quality work, you'll each have enough to keep you both busy. With two competing quality shops, it really comes down to timing - who can get the quality job done first gets the job. So, there will be a give and take in that area. Even in this economy I would say you have a great shot as long as you live and work within your means. Hell, the fellow who has built my last 3 flatheads is 85 and is not building anymore - I just bought his last build for my avatar - so Florida-Virginia isn't too far for me to travel for my next build!

Good luck, whatever you decide to do ....

 

I see a lot of Gee if only you were in Calif. Etc.

The Ol' man had the shop in Nor Cal and shipped engines all over the world. I had an engine block shipped to me here in the mid west from Nor Cal in '02 to have a short block built.

Good engine builders have always worked out of their specific locations but their engines have ended up all over the nation or the world.

 

thanks RJP, those " money " days are but a distant memory, cherished but thankfully long gone. thanks Reindeer, I many several decades of overseas racing engines, all around the world. The Powerboat racing is year round 365 days a year, our winter, is your summer, your summer is our winter, you never rest, EVER. I'm narrowing things down to the Nailhead Buick, and possibly the Straight 8 Buick's. Which ever path I chose, the HAMB will be the first to know, and it will be at my speed and schedule, and a very limited basis so as I can race too. Thank you all for the contributions, TR

 

I still see chevies in my sleep, I thought we were friends

 

Very true Benno, all over the world, build it right and they will come, word can spread faster than my old bones want to move. I KNOW you know what I'm talking about The folks who demand the best, have little regard for shipping cost.

 

Thanks Tom for the kind words, your advice and suggestions are well taken, TR

 

Thanks Ray, I always respect your opinion. Right now to me the higher end Pebble Beach builds are in the same catagory as the Powerboat Racers. I am grateful for all the support over the years, but all good things must pass. I am narrowing down the engine/engines builds I will persue, and will only proceed at my pace, no one elses. Keeps inventory down, tooling, equipment, etc., etc. I'm not even interested in the Harley race stuff, which is a first for me. I just again want my niche, albeit a very, VERY small niche this time around. Thank you, TR

 

Just kidding big guy!!
On the other hand, I don't think it would hurt to do a few....

 

I like the buick idea. That might work.

 

I think it's a good idea. But I have nothing to loose by saying "ya go for it"

I'm a flathead and banger guy and am lucky to have a shop close to me that restores vintage engines. There are a couple guys with home shops that do the occasional engine around here but it's nearly impossible to get in.

I've seen post here looking for shops close to Orlando that do flatheads well. Pumping out a couple of solid engines will do you a world of advertisement. There's the turkey run (little more street roddie' in my opinion) and the flywheel guys (old farm stuff). Maybe with another good machine shop here, there will be more bangers running in Florida. I would like to see that anyway.

Maybe start out smaller and expand to demand.

But as I said, I'm not taking any risk.

 

THANK YOU oj, I'll be the first to say I went WAY overboard with the opening post. I am not 20 years old anymore, and doing that variety of classic engines at that level of quality in a build, on a limited schedule was not even feasable, I know that. I wanted as much input as possible, and as always the HAMB delivers. I dont believe I would even venture into the Straight 8, and just stick with the various nailhead V8's. This is much more logical based uopn my current game and business plan. Thank you oj, for the input, TR

 

Without knowing your financial situation- I wonder if it might be wiser to have your own assembly clean room, etc, and form a relationship with a local machine shop where you can use, i.e. rent, their facilities as needed. That way you aren't out the tooling overhead.

I know of someone who does a similar thing. He fills in part time as needed on their regular stuff, maybe 8-10 hrs/week. When they get an "odd" request like a Nailhead, where the younger guys' eyes are bulging with fear of the unknown, he does the work and the assembly. I don't know his financial arrangements with them, but I do know that he builds vintage stuff through his own "business" (as opposed to these customers walking through the machine shop's door) and doesn't pay for the machine time.

Also, he can do as he pleases time-wise for the most part; two-week fishing trip or whatever. Any commitment will only take a day or two to wrap up.

 

I think it'd be pretty cool. You'd be too far away from me, but I'd be stoked if something like that was opened up close to me. Most of the machine shops out here specialize in well motors!