Just wanting to complain about what has happened with my engine build. After doing some calling around i dropped it off at the shop on april 5th, and put a 400.00 deposit on the work. 105 block (atleast i beleive it is,it has 105 on it i believe close to the casting # on it?) Anyway it was to get the normal block prep, bore/hone,line bore, decked,tank,mag and so on. And the rotating assebly balanceda and assembled because at that time i didn't have time to do it myself. Now i Did have my own parts, Snagged the pistons 2291's on ebay last fall for 200 shipped brand new. Along with H-beam rods, a 427 crank that was already ground 10/10(wanted it checked as I got it that way fresh ground). When i had talked to him he mentioned a few times about "paying the electric bill" by having parts ordered through him. So I told him when i dropped it off to order the HV oil pump, main/rod bearings and whatever rings he felt to be best for the application. He said no problem and when i asked about how long until it would be finished he said 4-5 weeks. Fast forward to may 25th(wed). I call to check on it he asked my name and what engine i told him the ford FE "yeah its still here" So i asked if he could give me an idea of when it would be ready and a more destinate price. He said no but call back monday after he redoes the work order list and he could give me a better idea then. So FF to monday the 20th. Gave them another call, the owner who i had been talking to i guess wasn't there so i got transfered to i would guess to be the head shop guy. He said well the block is Tanked, magged, and we checked the line bore and its out just a little, your crank is on the crank bench waiting to be checked. I was like so i guess me picking it up weds and doing the assembly myself isn't happening, which was what i was expecting to do since when i dropped it off he said the assembly was what would take most of the time they had it. So i asked how long until the machine work can be done, he replied "a couple more weeks we are really backed up" So i told him to scratch the assembly off the work order that i can do it myself and i may be picking it up and taking it elsewhere that i was told 4-5 weeks It has been 11 and you haven't really done anything to it. So to make it shorter i called the other 2 shops that i have heard good things about Told them exactly what was going on and the shop that had it, and they all said between 3 days to a week since it was already tanked. So i called the shop back and told them to figure out what i owed on what they had done and i would be there the next Morning to pick it up, They didn't even order the rings, bearings, or oil pump in that 11 weeks. So I picked it up Tuesday morning, and had it at the other shop by 11am the same day. I called him yesterday because i was unsure if i gave him my area code when he asked for my phone number and he said he was finishing up the balance work when i called and it would be about a day or 2 and he would be finished.

I understand being backed up, but i believe the favorites and the high $ race engines were all being put ahead since mine was a nothing build especially since i had most of my parts already. Guess he didn't think about future builds for me and people i know. He could have alteast been straight up with me when i called in may and said we didn't really even touch it, and its going to be a LONG time.

 

I had much of the same crap to deal with when I built mine. I don't know what it is with the FE hate but it just got pushed to the back burner all the time. Eventually, once the guy that was supposed to time and tune proved his ignorance, I just took it back and did it myself. I get angry just remembering the ordeal.
I'm glad you found your way to a good shop who will stand by their word and work. It'll be up and thundering soon!

 

The main thing that makes me mad is the estimate of 4-5 weeks. I remembering him telling me they were behind then, I should have known when he said that just to say forget it. O well, Not saying i will never have him do work for me again but as of now he won't get a cylinder head off of my briggs lawn mower lol. Just be straight up and say it will be a LONG time.

The guy that has it now has been doing it for 30yrs. He has a mid 90's S10 with a 383 stroker and a roots blower on it id like to have him fire it up when i pick up my engine. And it actually looks like a shop that work gets done in, all kind of noises, small engine stuff sitting around on the benches with post it notes stuck to them and so on.

I can't wait to hear this one, the 360 sounds decent thats in it now but a big bump in CR and 30 more CI should make it really sound good.

 

Yeah it was the same with me. Quoted 1 week for build 1 day for time and tune. 10 MONTHS later I was ready to go to jail for assualt. lol There were a few things that delayed the building of the engine but that still got done in a reasonable time. Apparently it takes 8months to get it sealed up and tuned.... except it wasn't by the umpteenth time I went back, so everyone got the bird and I limped it home and did it myself.
I should have known better as well. The place was a full muscle car/classic resto shop but they closed because of a divorce between the owners. I was the last customer and was told all the same people would be doing the work. Should've walked away right there.
I have since finally found a good shop that the head guy is real old school and knows his stuff.

Sounds like the headaches are behind you now. It's gonna be a big difference from the ol' 360! Looking forward to seeing it in and running!

 

TEN months?? i would have probably been in jail lol


Its actually going into my girlfriends sled pull truck, so i'll have some videos on the track. We have 2 pulls this weekend but it deff won't be ready as its still at the shop, but the next is the 8th of july. But i'll try to post one up after its in and running.

 

Yeah 10mos..
And the last time I talked to him (irate at this point) and told him we were about to go to court he had the nerve to say "well it's funny it's always fine when it leaves" insinuating it was somehow my fault. Only once out of the 6 or so different times I went to pick it up did it make it out of the city (tiny little small town) before it blew a leak, let alone how obviously bad the time and tune was on it (dieseled, hard start, basically ran like $#!t). I thought before I beat him unmercifully I would just walk away..lol
I haven't seen him since, and that's a good thing for both my freedom and his health.

Look forward to seeing some truck pulls!!

 

This story should prove to be a warning to everyone when dealing with machine shops.

The machinist I dealt with was a partner in a shop with another guy who would do the same thing - delay delay delay. The guy I dealt with directly did stuff quickly, and accurately.

The other guy was more interested in making money on parts. The "electric bill" comment should have clued you in

 

Yeah, the comment about the electric bill should have set up a flag, somehow i missed it. The guy has been in buisness for atleast 15 or more years. It was a learning experience. The shop its at now didn't seam to mind the parts i took in with me. Infact he commented "wow how long have those pistons been sitting around (the box is rough looking)" I said i got them off ebay last fall for 200.00 shipped brand new. He replied "you got a hell of a deal" And somthing i didn't notice was the old shop had a "energy fee" of 35.00 thats added to the final total of the bill what a bunch of BS.

 

Any shop that has to worry about "paying the light bill", isn't turning out the volume of work needed to keep a positive cash flow, or is cutting their buddies too much of a break..... That, or they are spending WAY too much on their own racing habits.

 

I think it may be the volume. When i was there at around 9:30am that tuesday to pick up my stuff not much was going on. 3 of the guys in the shop where all standing around watching a block on the hone. The other guy was gathering up my parts, and the owner was at the front counter. So no wonder it takes so long if you have 3 guys standing around watching 1 block being machined while the others could be doing balancing, or somthing else... I talked to another guy about a race motor that they dropped off in the winter, they got it 2 days before the first race of the season in early april. The other guys that the know got their engines before them even though they dropped it off a few weeks later than the guy i talked too.