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04-28-2020, 01:41 PM | #1 |
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engine rebuilder near Redding California
Am looking to get a flathead rebuilt. I live about 30 miles south of the Cal/Oregon border just off Interstate 5. There is a good machine shop in Medford Oregon that will do it all and assemble the engine. But I would like to find somebody that had and engine test stand to run the engine after the build.
H and H flathead in Montrose California has a good reputation but that is a bit too far to go. I was told by somebody that I trust that Flathead City in Grants Pass has all the stuff and expertise to do the job but I think the guy for some reason cannot deliver anymore. Lots of complaints on this forum. I have most of the parts already and I do not mind driving several hundred miles to get this taken care of. Thanks |
04-28-2020, 02:56 PM | #2 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
Stick with Medford and assemble it yourself after getting the machine work done. That's the fun part of the hobby. You don't need a test stand if you take your time.
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04-28-2020, 04:07 PM | #3 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
Check out this thread about Flathead City:
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264309 Doesn't sound like someone you want to deal with. IMHO. If you want to drive to the Fresno area, Tim McMaster can handle it. http://yblockguy.com/
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Making the simple complicated for over 30 years. Last edited by 51504bat; 04-28-2020 at 04:10 PM. Reason: Added more info. |
04-28-2020, 07:04 PM | #4 | |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
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04-28-2020, 07:29 PM | #5 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
Give Ken a call at Quality Machine. He does high in builds.
He has a dyno to test with, too. 541 776 0692
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04-29-2020, 01:42 AM | #6 | |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
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I gave Gary Howard at Flathead City $5k in Oct 2018. He delivered me NOTHING but excuses. He hasn't answered the phone in 6 months. I hear tell I'm not the only one. PM me for recommendations. |
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04-29-2020, 05:10 PM | #7 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
I talked to Ken this morning at his shop. After about the second minute into it I got a really good feeling about his operation. Looking forward to this. Will give updates
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04-29-2020, 06:10 PM | #8 | |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
Quote:
Wait until you get the quote. In all seriousness, I have a couple pieces of advice for choosing a machine shop and what work to have done. Some of these points seem obvious but can be overlooked. Choosing a Shop 1) Get your physical eyes on the shop. Don't trust what someone tells you. Ask the owner to give you a tour.
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04-29-2020, 07:33 PM | #9 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
"Have the block magnafluxed. I don't always have this done on my budget builds with post-1970 virgin blocks that don't look abused, but for a flathead I'd insist. A good shop will likely require magnafluxing on something as old as a flathead and as expensive a build."
Mag testing is ok, but the block really needs to be pressure tested. |
04-29-2020, 07:54 PM | #10 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
And, if you are planning any sort of larger overbore, I would have the cylinder walls sonic tested in about 12 places each - so you have a very good idea as to what material you have to work with.
Not many shops will have a torque plate for a flathead - I'd consider that a luxury (given the small bore of these flatheads). If they have one - great . . . but I wouldn't get too hung up on it. The valve work is the area where many shops struggle - in that they don't have the necessary pilots/mandrels that pickup the valve guide bore. You don't do valve seat work on a flathead with a stock valve guide and a 11/32 pilot - you should have the correct flathead specific mandrels. Also, they need to know/understand that flatheads have different valve angles bank-to-bank - this results in the valves being higher on the driver's side (to the deck). They should NEVER attempt to make the valve heights the same side-to-side . . . this is a MAJOR mistake. Anyway, if they are experienced flathead guys . . . they should know the drill. |
04-29-2020, 08:43 PM | #11 | |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
Quote:
If the shop doesn't have a flathead torque plate or cannot mill one up for the build, I certainly wouldn't expect them to know how to grind the valves nor trust them to do so. If they are a serious machine shop with experience building flatheads, they'll have a torque plate. If they don't and are incapable of machining one, find someone who does/can. It's not the procedure that is necessarily a make-or-break deal but the fact that with torque-plate honing being near standard in most shops nowadays and proven to be a superior method of honing, a builder without that capability is suspect in my book. |
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04-30-2020, 09:23 AM | #12 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
Experience tells me stick w the reputable local machine shop that says he will! Local guy reputation means a lot & typically won’t knock ur brains in $ either!I researched for one of the “Great Known Flathead builders” & used them. Cost was insane & ended up practically rebuilding my self after bad internal issues w less than 2500 miles resulting from shitty parts builder used!
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04-30-2020, 10:39 AM | #13 | |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
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04-30-2020, 10:58 AM | #14 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
On an engine meant for street use with an expected life of 50,000 to 80,000 miles, I would expect any advantage in cylinder shape afforded by using a torque plate would probably be worn away by the time the rings are seated, if not shortly thereafter. I have seen enough worn cylinder bores in old engines to know that that they do not stay the same throughout their lives. I personally would not expend the extra bucks on it for a street engine. For a high-end racing unit? Maybe.
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04-30-2020, 11:44 AM | #15 | |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
Quote:
Comparing the wear patterns of two dyed cylinders with 30,000 street miles--one torque-plate honed and the other not--would prove your expectation incorrect. There are plenty of such studies done in engine building journals and textbooks which is one reason why the torque-plate practice has been so widely adopted by the industry. The benefits cost around $80 more depending on the region/shop. As far as engine performance goes, $10 per cylinder is a bargain for less blow-by and therefore more power, less oil consumption, less contaminants in the oil, and less contaminates in the chambers and runners. Torque-plating isn't necessary, but your claim it has no impact on a street engine post ring seating isn't backed up by the research. Last edited by Annixter; 04-30-2020 at 12:03 PM. |
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04-30-2020, 11:49 AM | #16 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
It is based on how much of the assembly and set-up you feel comfortable doing. Every shop will have pros and cons but it seems like the guy in Grants Pass is a major risk.
Ask the machinist how far they can take the build. If they can do internal, crank, bearing clearances and if you want even install valves(adjust), cam and lifters you are pretty much ready to bolt it together. Of course there are torque specs.. Again how much are you comfortable doing yourself? Something to be said when she starts up and you are the one that put it together. I know Go Cats in Colorado had mixed reviews on this forum, but he does build some sweet engines. I worked with him, Eric several years ago, slow but good. www.GoCatSpeedshop.com His site has audio clips with the videos of the engines running. Enjoy the adventure... Chap |
04-30-2020, 03:25 PM | #17 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
Maybe I am completely out of the loop (probably so), but what about Red Hamilton in Fort Bragg. I know he sold the Reds Headers business to Jim Davis (good guy) in Palm Desert years ago, but he has (or had) his vintage parts business still running. Website is still active. As many would agree, Red knows as much about flatheads as anyone and a discussion with him about what to do should be considered. You guys are both out in the middle of nowhere in Northern California. Check his website for contact info. Red's Vintage Parts.
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04-30-2020, 03:44 PM | #18 | |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
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04-30-2020, 04:13 PM | #19 |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
An excellent Flathead build would consist of the following:
1-Block plate finish hone the bores (photo below) 2-Forged pistons, moly metric rings, we use Ross here (photo below) 3-Dowel pin the block, heads, and gaskets (photo below) 4-Oil filter modification-95% (photo below) 5-Deck block for "flat" (usually less than .010") 6-Bronze-lined guides/stainless valves (photo below) 7-Original "Johnson" adjustable tappets (VT2032's) (photo below) 8-As of late we would also recommend installing 16 NEW valve seats! 9-A really good "close tolerance" balanced ass'y There is much more but the above items are "standard" procedure here Thanks, Gary in N.Y. P.S. Am still keeping my posts a bit short due to some recent health issues!
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05-01-2020, 02:02 AM | #20 | |
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Re: engine rebuilder near Redding California
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I just found him about 4 months ago, when looking for a dyno, he invited me down to the shop, to check his out, with a engine on it, we talked for a long time. He has even built and run a EMC engine.
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