$$$$$

[rotorwrench]

While it is getting harder to find flathead friendly machine shops in many locations, there are still plenty of them that can likely figure things out if you keep an eye on them or just have them do the bare essentials.

It would be hard for any machine shop that does turn key work to give a customer a solid price without looking at the assembly first. This is likely why they gave such a high guesstimate. They may have high overhead in their company for various reasons and you don't need the lack of savings passed on to you due to that.

It's a lot of work to just tear one down. Anyone that has ever done it knows it can be a real challenge. Studs have to come out to thoroughly check the deck and do any cylinder/valve work easily. I know they have to be out just to put a boring bar on it too. That also can be a challenge. Cleaning is another thing on an old flatty. All the crap has to cleared out of the passages. Crank grinding, rod reconditioning, and God Forbid, crack repair, can all take some pretty good investment in labor and machine costs. This hasn't even gotten to the parts purchase stage where things add up quickly. Final reassembly can take time too and especially if a person goes with non adjustable tappets. It takes some knowledge to do it correctly and a few special tools as well.

A person should figure that all the bases need to be touched so having someone else do the work is going to be expensive. This is why most of us likely do our own tear down work and at least preliminary cleaning ourselves. Inspection will require at least a pressure test apparatus for the block or have it and any necessary machining done at the machine shop. At this point a person should know what has to be done and what can be avoided. Only take what is necessary to be machined and leave the rest at home.

If you can't do it yourself, get the roster or members and services from the EFV8 club and look for someone as close as possible. Sending stuff too far away can make recovery difficult if something bad happens in the transaction. Make new friends in your local club and ask a lot of questions. Most are very willing to help.

[Tim Ayers]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

While it is getting harder to find flathead friendly machine shops in many locations, there are still plenty of them that can likely figure things out if you keep an eye on them or just have them do the bare essentials.

It would be hard for any machine shop that does turn key work to give a customer a solid price without looking at the assembly first. This is likely why they gave such a high guesstimate. They may have high overhead in their company for various reasons and you don't need the lack of savings passed on to you due to that.

It's a lot of work to just tear one down. Anyone that has ever done it knows it can be a real challenge. Studs have to come out to thoroughly check the deck and do any cylinder/valve work easily. I know they have to be out just to put a boring bar on it too. That also can be a challenge. Cleaning is another thing on an old flatty. All the crap has to cleared out of the passages. Crank grinding, rod reconditioning, and God Forbid, crack repair, can all take some pretty good investment in labor and machine costs. This hasn't even gotten to the parts purchase stage where things add up quickly. Final reassembly can take time too and especially if a person goes with non adjustable tappets. It takes some knowledge to do it correctly and a few special tools as well.

A person should figure that all the bases need to be touched so having someone else do the work is going to be expensive. This is why most of us likely do our own tear down work and at least preliminary cleaning ourselves. Inspection will require at least a pressure test apparatus for the block or have it and any necessary machining done at the machine shop. At this point a person should know what has to be done and what can be avoided. Only take what is necessary to be machined and leave the rest at home.

If you can't do it yourself, get the roster or members and services from the EFV8 club and look for someone as close as possible. Sending stuff too far away can make recovery difficult if something bad happens in the transaction. Make new friends in your local club and ask a lot of questions. Most are very willing to help.

Great advice. Also, for a point of reference, just to remove the studs from a 99A block I was tearing down, it took me approx. 15 hours, plus the cost of refilling my Oxy/Acetylene bottles.

[Ol' Ron]

I have an exelent engine shop in Whit river VT.they will not build any flathead anymore, just not cost efective. However they will do all the machine work at a very reasonable cost.
I have my blocks bake cleaned there, after I pressure test them. They bore then, fit pistons valve job and send them back at a cost close to a SBC. Price difference is due to the added bore size. The cost is based on shop time. Now if you approach a shop with that in mind you might be able to save allot of money. Shop time is very expensive, much nigher than your's.

[Vintage Copper 47]

Originally Posted by fftoddster

So my stock 37 21 stud is burning oil. Runs good decent compression. I call H&H to inquire about how much $ for a stock rebuild job...

Boy they are proud of their work. I understand they do good work but wow!

No wonder why so many people toss the flathead aside and put in a 350.


Is their anyone in the Southern California area that builds an economical flathead engine?

H & H quoted me $5k for my flathead SIX..

I took it to Adams Metallizing and Grinding in Lancaster, CA.. He is almost done and it cost me under $4k... The only reason it cost that much was my ring gear was shot.. I had to order a custom ring gear & rebuild the starter to match!

WALT

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by fftoddster

So my stock 37 21 stud is burning oil. Runs good decent compression. I call H&H to inquire about how much $ for a stock rebuild job...

Boy they are proud of their work. I understand they do good work but wow!

No wonder why so many people toss the flathead aside and put in a 350.


Is their anyone in the Southern California area that builds an economical flathead engine?

Why not put a set of rings and rod bearings in? Easy and quick without removing engine.
Cost in hundreds. Every engine doesn't need boring and new pistons.

[richard crow]

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may be to a lot of people 5-7 thousand dollars is not a lot of money . it,s a hell of a lot to me

[bobH]

For whatever it's worth... And, my point of reference is 5 or 6 years old...
I disassembled a 59A myself, and took it to a very experienced local guy. I supplied the parts (at least most of them). The shop did the machining, and reassembly, and ran it on a stand. The OTD price was just a tick under 3. For that I got a Merc crank (from Walt Dupont), new pistons (Egge, I think), balanced, and a Cam from Jim Brierley. That also included new Edlebrock heads, which I got from Mike at H&H. I realize this was a few years ago, and would very likely be higher today. (My machine shop guy is now retired, so can't refer you there.)
At the same time that my engine was being built, another fellow was having a 'performance' 59A being built by the same guy. The OTD price for that engine I believe was over 7. All I'm saying, there can be quite a difference in price, for the same guy, just depending on what all is done.




By-the-way.... Just something to think about.... Many years ago I did another 59A for myself, which was an 'economy' job. I saved the labor cost of pulling the studs by finding a machine shop that could do the bore and hone, with the studs in place. At today's shop rates, that is possibly a savings??

[Ggmac]

If it was mine I'd just rering it and lap the valves that is if everything else check out

[Mart]

^^ Ditto above. I come from the keep 'em rolling school of motoring.