you get what you pay for.... rebuilding on a budget

[aifilaw]

not horrible... but he's going to use cast heavy pistons and flimsy parts... try putting 450 hp to that... have some bad gas from the station and romp on it and the results won't be pretty.

[bull]

not horrible... but he's going to use cast heavy pistons and flimsy parts... try putting 450 hp to that... have some bad gas from the station and romp on it and the results won't be pretty.

That's possible I suppose but I don't know why that has to be the assumption. At any rate I can provide all my own parts, deduct that from the bill and still get the warranty.

[Challenger340]

I guess it all depends on where you are and what you want. I just talked to an engine rebuilder here in town who told me he can do a stock, long block rebuild on my 383 and balance it for $2,300 including parts and labor. It comes with a warranty too. I forgot to ask how long the warranty is but I think it's one year from installation.

http://portlandenginerebuilders.com/index2.html

I dunno how anybody can afford to do that, and warranty it ?

Nonetheless, all the power to them if they can.

I certainly cannot.
Not if I wanna eat/pay employees to eat.
And yes, I actually own all the equipment to do it for myself, and the parts- "W.D." lines.

Some trivia;
Years back, when I phoned the owner of another shop in my area, who was offering similarily priced "attractive" complete, and warrantied engines, inquiring "how the heck can you do that ?"
Here was the exact question;
"R**", hi it's Bob, hey R**, how in the heck can you guys rebuild a chevy 350, dunk, mag, bore, hone, square deck the block, line hone, R & R Pistons, size rods, grind the crank, yadda, yadda, rebuild the heads "properly", yadda, yadda,  supply ALL the parts, assemble it, and sell it with a WARRANTY for $1599 ?"

Here was his exact response; "who says we do all that"

Further conversation, in a nutshell, without getting too involved here, revealed many, what I would term "inadequacies" and "short cuts", involved in criterion, amounting to what I'll call, different ideas about "rebuilding/machining" an engine.

He had many valid points, not the least of which, were the targeted applications of the "rebuilder" style engines he was offering. That was the market he was in I guess, and he had no problems with it.

"R**'s" shop is now closed finally, after many financial restructurings(eleven over many years).

This thread, IMHO, could be aptly named "you get what you pay for".

I personally, and this is NOT a knock on whatever engine rebuilder, am always very curious, of exactly what tolerances in machining, parts, and "labor to time" management criterion for the employees, is being applied, as per the "targeted" application for this type of engine. Problem for me is, I think I already know.

Hey, I been wrong before ! No doubt 'bout that.

Again, Just my opinion, but NOBODY is in business, to LOSE money on engines.

[bull]

I hear you, but this place has been in business since '72 so I don't think they've made a habit of screwing people over.
http://alaskaoregonwesternwashington.bbb.org/commonreport.html?bid=50001060&language=1


And on the other end of the scale: http://chicago.bbb.org/commonreport.html?bid=46000098&language=1

[chargerman68]

found out the 3 major things u dont want to cheap out on is motor/wiring and paint

[Challenger340]

not horrible... but he's going to use cast heavy pistons and flimsy parts... try putting 450 hp to that... have some bad gas from the station and romp on it and the results won't be pretty.

That's possible I suppose but I don't know why that has to be the assumption. At any rate I can provide all my own parts, deduct that from the bill and still get the warranty.

You can supply all your own parts, and STILL get the warranty ?

WOW ! That's great !

I don't think anybodies in the business to screw people over, I just think there's some misconceptions as to what people THINK they are getting for that kind of money, and, the INTENDED applications of the final product that is being WARRANTIED.

Don't matter, if they can do it for that, all the power to them, and those that buy it.

"You Supply" Suggestions; ARP connecting rod bolts, or pioneer sps,(assuming they're changed on this rebuild when the rods are resized)
                                     Some decent C.R. Pistons(KB), lighter.
                                     Moly rings
                                     Mild Camshaft, "brand name" aftermarket, NO "RV" white box stuff, something with a stated range to 5200 rpm, factory adv. redline for a magnum engine.
                                     Reco'd springs for above cam(single & damper)
                                     Roller T/chain & gearset.
                                     Clevitte Rod & Main brg's
                                     Main studs ?  you don't really need these, but "nice to have".

Also, make sure they balance the flexplate & harmonic balancer in the job.

The above shouldn't affect "warranty", should it ?

or the cost ?



                           
                           

[aifilaw]

Diamond makes some good pistons

[bull]

not horrible... but he's going to use cast heavy pistons and flimsy parts... try putting 450 hp to that... have some bad gas from the station and romp on it and the results won't be pretty.

That's possible I suppose but I don't know why that has to be the assumption. At any rate I can provide all my own parts, deduct that from the bill and still get the warranty.

You can supply all your own parts, and STILL get the warranty ?

WOW ! That's great !

I don't think anybodies in the business to screw people over, I just think there's some misconceptions as to what people THINK they are getting for that kind of money, and, the INTENDED applications of the final product that is being WARRANTIED.

Don't matter, if they can do it for that, all the power to them, and those that buy it.

"You Supply" Suggestions; ARP connecting rod bolts, or pioneer sps,(assuming they're changed on this rebuild when the rods are resized)
                                     Some decent C.R. Pistons(KB), lighter.
                                     Moly rings
                                     Mild Camshaft, "brand name" aftermarket, NO "RV" white box stuff, something with a stated range to 5200 rpm, factory adv. redline for a magnum engine.
                                     Reco'd springs for above cam(single & damper)
                                     Roller T/chain & gearset.
                                     Clevitte Rod & Main brg's
                                     Main studs ?  you don't really need these, but "nice to have".

Also, make sure they balance the flexplate & harmonic balancer in the job.

The above shouldn't affect "warranty", should it ?

or the cost ?



                           
                           

It would only effect the cost in the amount by which those parts cost more than the parts they use. I don't know all the details yet but I was told they use Keith Black pistons.

As far as assumptions about what people are getting and the application, they warranty STOCK rebuilds, in other words they will not warranty race engines. By stock I mean you can have a 440 rebuilt to the stock R/T rating from 1968 or 1970, etc., but if the hp rating starts to exceed that number by very much they will no longer warranty the work because it then becomes a "high-performance race engine" or whatever term they've coined for it. So I doubt any of that stuff you mentioned in the parts list above would effect that except maybe the cam, depending on how radical it is.