We Have A Member Gone Missing....

[revhead347]

When it comes to local professional services, you'd be surprised. I live in a major metropolitan area, the biggest city in the south and I still have to ship almost everything out. This last engine I did was a UPS and freight nightmare. The only local engine shop that could gap the piston rings I had, do a torque plate hone and a 5 angle valve job on the heads was ProLine. I certainly can't afford that. The whole engine got shipped down to Florida. No one locally could do an intake port, that went to Missouri. We really wanted to have a local guy do the tune so that we could have the same guy dial it in on the dyno later. Swing and a miss again. I spent a half a day on the phone, and you would be amazed how few people do OBD1 stuff now. The tune had to be shipped in from Mississippi.

Kurt

 

[FastDriver]

Spoke to him on the phone a few times but between what went on with fast driver and that thread I can't say I. am surprised In the least

I trusted my instincts and stayed away. Fortunately, his actions spoke louder to me than his words and the words of others he'd helped. I had the "advantage" of already having a raw spot from a previous shop.

 

[FastDriver]

You'll be ok. You just have to figure out who the members of the good ole boys club are and never disagree w them.

Am I? I'm not sure if I want to be or not. I guess being a mod probably makes me one automatically. I love being disagreed with I guess I've always liked a good argument. It forces me to broaden my knowledge and focus on the subject of discussion. You can disagree with me, but definitely expect me to retort

 

[TOOLOW91]

When it comes to local professional services, you'd be surprised. I live in a major metropolitan area, the biggest city in the south and I still have to ship almost everything out. This last engine I did was a UPS and freight nightmare. The only local engine shop that could gap the piston rings I had, do a torque plate hone and a 5 angle valve job on the heads was ProLine. I certainly can't afford that. The whole engine got shipped down to Florida. No one locally could do an intake port, that went to Missouri. We really wanted to have a local guy do the tune so that we could have the same guy dial it in on the dyno later. Swing and a miss again. I spent a half a day on the phone, and you would be amazed how few people do OBD1 stuff now. The tune had to be shipped in from Mississippi.

Kurt

I know the feeling I had a local guy do a stock freshen up and assemble my long block and it has issues . PS my new block is being done in Minnesota by the guy who does my buddies ultra street motors

 

[90lxwhite]

When it comes to local professional services, you'd be surprised. I live in a major metropolitan area, the biggest city in the south and I still have to ship almost everything out. This last engine I did was a UPS and freight nightmare. The only local engine shop that could gap the piston rings I had, do a torque plate hone and a 5 angle valve job on the heads was ProLine. I certainly can't afford that. The whole engine got shipped down to Florida. No one locally could do an intake port, that went to Missouri. We really wanted to have a local guy do the tune so that we could have the same guy dial it in on the dyno later. Swing and a miss again. I spent a half a day on the phone, and you would be amazed how few people do OBD1 stuff now. The tune had to be shipped in from Mississippi.

Kurt

Yeah ob1 is becoming a lost art. You can't even get the guys at Autozone etc to open up a scanner and check for codes. But they'll do obd2 for free...

 

[revhead347]

I did this last engine for my friend, and he could not understand why I made him pay $500 round trip freight on the engine. There just isn't a guy in every small town in America doing performance engine work. Standard engine machining is not the same as the performance stuff. If you try and gap these new Mahle 1,1,1.5 rings like a standard ring it will blow smoke like crazy. Any chrome moly ring really needs to have a torque plate hone, and if the machinest does a standard roughness on the hone, it's never going to break in right.

I was blown away with the tuning stuff. All the local guys wanted to pull the PMAS air meter off and put a Lightning meter on because it was easier to tune. That Lightning MAF is a piece of . I finally just called JMS and had a tune burned.

Kurt

 

[TOOLOW91]

As far as tuning thank god nick hooked me up with Kris at all out and the guy is nothing short of perfection despite my engine internal issues his tune is spot on and drivability is mint

 

[Micheal Nadeau]

@revhead347 , I see your info says Acworth, GA. I assume you a referring to Atlanta as the biggest city in the south? Gotta drive a few hrs farther south my friend. My home town is the largest city in the US!!

 

[revhead347]

Not really saying for bragging rights. I don't much care for Atlanta. I lived in Florida for 20 years, so I'm fully aware that Jacksonville is the largest city by geographical size in the country. More of a technicality don't you think though.

Kurt

 

[Micheal Nadeau]

Yea, and I think Jacksonville barely breaks the top 10 for population. I do like being able to say we are the largest though. To bad they cant figure out how to play football.

 

[f8tlfiveo]

Yea, and I think Jacksonville barely breaks the top 10 for population. I do like being able to say we are the largest though. To bad they cant figure out how to play football.

Yeah, my steelers gave them another loss today!!

 

[Micheal Nadeau]

They may eventually win one, eventually. I grew up there, was a Bucs fan before the Jag's showed up. My guys can't get it together either.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

When it comes to local professional services, you'd be surprised. I live in a major metropolitan area, the biggest city in the south and I still have to ship almost everything out. This last engine I did was a UPS and freight nightmare. The only local engine shop that could gap the piston rings I had, do a torque plate hone and a 5 angle valve job on the heads was ProLine. I certainly can't afford that. The whole engine got shipped down to Florida. No one locally could do an intake port, that went to Missouri. We really wanted to have a local guy do the tune so that we could have the same guy dial it in on the dyno later. Swing and a miss again. I spent a half a day on the phone, and you would be amazed how few people do OBD1 stuff now. The tune had to be shipped in from Mississippi.

Kurt

I couldn't agree more. A lot of the guys that were masters at the OHV engines back in their hay day are long retired or dead now.

Now you get stuck with some kid that can't do anything outside of plugging in a scan tool.

Parts counters are getting just as bad. I don't even bother going to the parts guy unless he's 40+ years old now. You pretty much have to go in there with part number in hand, or risk leaving there with a headache.

 

[deathb4dismount]

If my car is older than you, I will using the google box to get the right part number or asking the pros here on stangnet

 

[90lxwhite]

I wish there were more places or any place for that matter (around me anyway) to buy performance parts vs mail order.

 

[revhead347]

In a pinch I can drive to the Summit store if I have to. It's like 130 miles round trip though. If you think the OHV stuff is hard, try getting a carb tuned. In the less than 3 years I was at Advance we went from having an entire section of internal engine parts in stock to a few shelves of basic internal SBC items. The market is changing. Modern engines have no where near as many internal failures as older ones do. The parts market is basically down to sensors, brake parts, and wheel bearings. Anything much more serious than that and the customer trades in the car.

Kurt

 

[mikestang63]

Am I? I'm not sure if I want to be or not. I guess being a mod probably makes me one automatically. I love being disagreed with I guess I've always liked a good argument. It forces me to broaden my knowledge and focus on the subject of discussion. You can disagree with me, but definitely expect me to retort

I disagree with your statement.

 

[90lxwhite]

In a pinch I can drive to the Summit store if I have to. It's like 130 miles round trip though. If you think the OHV stuff is hard, try getting a carb tuned. In the less than 3 years I was at Advance we went from having an entire section of internal engine parts in stock to a few shelves of basic internal SBC items. The market is changing. Modern engines have no where near as many internal failures as older ones do. The parts market is basically down to sensors, brake parts, and wheel bearings. Anything much more serious than that and the customer trades in the car.

Kurt

Speaking of customer service reps and Advance.. I worked a short while at Home Depot a couple yrs back. Well I go into advance the other day (for a sensor) and I see the old Home Depot manager running the Advanced. He's a standup guy but I believe he knows dick about cars. When walking into Summit is it like the Walmart of car parts or is it small?

 

[srtthis]

well damn... i really feel bad for starting this thread now. Rick always treated me good. hate to see stuff like this happen.

 

[revhead347]

The Summit Store is a decent size inside. They usually have a few drag cars on display. There are 3 or 4 customer service reps in the center to help you. The whole facility is enormous, it must be 6 wearhouses. So it can take awhile to fetch you a part when you need it.

Kurt