[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

The issue is, are we looking for a low price-point or quality? There are good builders up in the New England area such as J&M or Schwalms, and more good rebuilders as you branch out further but the reality is none of us can do a good job with worn-out equipment or cheap materials. Therefore the good shops have a sizable investment and must get a ROI to stay in business. There are a lot of labor hours that go into properly machining and rebuilding an engine. So it boils down to how does a one-man shop with worn-out equipment compete against those of us who have invested large sums into quality equipment? The answer is they look for ways to cut corners. They reuse melted babbitt or a cheaper blend. They don't take the time to clean the block as thoroughly, or maybe they don't chase all the bolt holes. Do they properly machine the crankshaft or take the time to rebalance the internal parts? Maybe the valve heighths all matching doesn't matter to them, or the finished bore sizes are a thousandth or so off. Remember that it takes time to do a thorough job, and Time = Money.