302 Stroker Pricing Question.

94GTLaserRC

Squint as you approach, lest you be blinded by my
15 Year Member
For those of you who have already installed your 331/347 or have research it, just have a question:

In your research, have you found pricing to be better with the larger companies, like CHP, DSS, Crate, etc, or have you generally found pricing to be better with local builders?

Now, I know locally, you have experts and you have hackers....WHat Im referring to are local shops that are at least considered "reputable".

In doing some pricing on new engines, Im finding mucho buck for shipping. (even though I have to pay taxes locally) IM concerned if I do a national company engine, and there is a problem, getting the engine back, whereas a local shop can just take the car back in and work on it.

Any thoughts?

RC
 
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I went with a local builder but brought in all the parts myself from dynoflo (I think in Vegas) and poweredbyford.com. I liked the idea that during the building process if there was a problem I could literally walk to his house and work out the problem. He also came recommended from a lot people I meet at local car shows and when I meet with him the first time he completely understood this was my first project and worked with me and explained things in ways that I could understand them.

Good Luck
 
I was a lot cheaper to have it built by Rick than the machine shop around the block from me. I talked to them and got prices and it would have costed me around $1,000 more.
 
I bought my 347 kit from Coast. I got it balanced and delivered at a heck of a price. I am pretty sure they are still on special now. I was at their site last night looking at 408 kits. Anyway I then had 1 of the 2 reputable builders build it. It helped that we were buddies. It was nice to be able to check on it as well because if something happened or happens, he built and is right down the road. Who better to work on it than the guy who built it. Thats what is nice about staying local local.
 
I'm sure there are plenty of reputable shops in your area. Post on some local boards and see what people are saying. Best way to do it is to go to the track and ask some of the racers who they had build their motors.

Troy
 
Redsnk95 said:
I'm sure there are plenty of reputable shops in your area. Post on some local boards and see what people are saying. Best way to do it is to go to the track and ask some of the racers who they had build their motors.

Troy



:rlaugh: :rlaugh: :rlaugh: :rlaugh:
Did you say goto THE TRACK????? Your talking to RC lol, he doesnt do that crazy "track thing"


In all seriousness, shipping shouldnt be much. Low5.0 bought my old 418 and i think it was only like 160 or 170 to ship it. I forget what state hes in though, ohio maybe.

But i do like your idea of getting it all done locally. There is deff alot of places in florida that can build a motor...
 
yellow1995Cobra said:
:rlaugh: :rlaugh: :rlaugh: :rlaugh:
Did you say goto THE TRACK????? Your talking to RC lol, he doesnt do that crazy "track thing"
...
:( :( :( :(

yellow1995Cobra said:
In all seriousness, shipping shouldnt be much. Low5.0 bought my old 418 and i think it was only like 160 or 170 to ship it. I forget what state hes in though, ohio maybe.

But i do like your idea of getting it all done locally. There is deff alot of places in florida that can build a motor...

That's because you charged ACTUAL shipping...the companies that build them charge about $350+

RC
 
locally

I dropped 2600 on my 347 and had it built locally by trusted machine shop. Trouble is now that I am not gonna race it, I have parted everything out and didn't even get to run it down the track. I put about 400 miles on it breaking in the clutch and stuff. Than I decided I didnt' want to race it, so I am selling it.

$1000+shipping takes it home. I have had 4 "serious" guys talk to me about and all have backed out. One guy gave me some story about how his jeep started on fire, another guy some story about a motorcyle.

So if anyone on stangnet wants a great shortblock at a killer price, shoot me an email and lets make a deal.


IN your case, I also wanted to go with DSS, but my machinist talked me into goin with eagle and he was really impressed with how it came together with my trickflow heads and intake. I trust his knowledge so I would go local. IF you don't trust your guys though, therein lies the problem.

also, does anyone know of a cheaper place to ship freight. DHL is the cheapest I can find so far..

good luck man
 
Joe, Throw me a frickin bone.

Bob (Orange Boss at Towers) swears by Keith at R.E. He even said he would help get involved with it. I guess he has it machined then assembles it. If I go that route, the paint shop I like is right down the street.. I can have the engine removed, tow it over to the paint shop, paint the Engine bay, then tow it back.

Then, they could reuse some parts like timing cover etc. I may even consider a Fox TB setup.


McVey..Why would you part it out just because you dont want to "race" it...It's still fun to drive...

Your sig has everything as 'sold'

RC
 
hahaha

ya it would have been plenty fun to spank all the punks that drive there stuff around this town, but I and the wife are tryin to put some cash away for having a kid. I don't have much time to race with the new job so I thought I would sell the stuff. I had the whole car sold once, kid didn't come up with the cash.

I guess I should take the sold off the 347 in the sig. Had it sold about 4 times now too, to four different guys, but there again nobody wants to send any cash.
Hell I was gonna drive it 800 miles to this one kid just to get rid of it, but his jeep started on fire and he said insurance wouldn't cover it or something.

I like the idea of getting the engine bay painted. that would look tight. Mine was so caked with grease and oil and stuff it would have taken me a year to get it cleaned up for paint.

good luck
 
I've talked to my preferred local shop and the owner prefers CHP. He's installed many of their crate motors and gave me some good suggestions. The owner does equal work along with the other techs. I'm looking for a 347 next year and he has already given me some ideas of things to look out for.

I like the shop above, because the owner (who almost always does the work on my car) was the head mechanic at Dugan Racing for years. He knows Mustangs big time and has the knowledge/skills to do more engine work and other upgrades than I could dream of. I also don't get screwed on prices/labor AND he always ends up being cheaper than anyone else around. All the work done so far has been perfect. About the only service this shop can't provide is a dyno, but that will probably change by the time I get my 347.

Keep looking for a local place and you'll surely find a shop you can trust.
 
Car Nut....Again, having one shop put the stuff in and another tune it could be a problem. The local shop Im looking at here has an issue going with someone...A guy had his work done somewhere else, but this shop dynoed it, and they discovered a cylinder with bad compression...Naturally, the guy blames the dyno shop, and the dyno shop blames the builder.

It's gonna take some more research, but I have the time.

RC
 
94GTLaserRC said:
Joe, Throw me a frickin bone.

Bob (Orange Boss at Towers) swears by Keith at R.E. He even said he would help get involved with it. I guess he has it machined then assembles it. If I go that route, the paint shop I like is right down the street.. I can have the engine removed, tow it over to the paint shop, paint the Engine bay, then tow it back.

Then, they could reuse some parts like timing cover etc. I may even consider a Fox TB setup.


McVey..Why would you part it out just because you dont want to "race" it...It's still fun to drive...

Your sig has everything as 'sold'

RC


Do a search on RE over at TCH. They seem to have many cars in the shop that they've made some mistakes on. Specialty Machining behind Specialties is the place to go but then you have to deal with Tim again. Ronnie Wilson does fabulous work but when I went Tim did all the pitching. When they quoted me a price on my own block I fell out of my chair. I delt with Toby at CHP and I'm more than satisfied. He's building it to my specs.
 
VibrantRedGT said:
Do a search on RE over at TCH. They seem to have many cars in the shop that they've made some mistakes on. Specialty Machining behind Specialties is the place to go but then you have to deal with Tim again. Ronnie Wilson does fabulous work but when I went Tim did all the pitching. When they quoted me a price on my own block I fell out of my chair. I delt with Toby at CHP and I'm more than satisfied. He's building it to my specs.

I actually posted in that thread. I heard 2 horror stories even from specialties machines.

Are you saying the MS. Machines was really high?

If all else fails, then yeah, Ill use CHP...Im waiting for a quote from RE, then see what kind of warranty etc they will give me to do the whole job there.

Bob is in good with RE, and he supports me a ton, so he would act sort of as a liason, and may even ptich in with the work..

Thanks
RC