engine shop recomendation

orange150

orange150

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Fairfax City, VA
So Ive about got this 351 torn down to bare block and am hoping to have it to a machine shop by tomorrow or monday. Anybody have one they prefer over another in the Raleigh area?
 
not t , go to CHS on us 1. its behind hollingsworth auto, they do real good work, i just got my motor back from them
 
metto, simmadownnaw.... THoff does good work, its just a little ify taking an american engine to someone whos advertised specialty is imports. He claims Fords are his favorite/specialty. Although, Ive seen thoff screw up a ring install in a cheby 350.....but it was a chevy so who cares. Boyettes also does good work, but you have to keep two sharp eyes on that place.
 
I used Bill Houser (Bill's Speed Shop - in Fuquay Varina) to rebuild my 302. He's very descent, especially on Fords and emphasizes on modifications. He's more of a performance builder than daily driver. Installed bigger valves and did alot of oil modifications that work great with a high flow pump. Of course he showed me the insides so I know his tricks now. Even drilled out the timing cover to allow the pond on top to flow through - that was unique.
My favorite though is Parks Nash down in Warsaw, down US 1 towards Charlotte. Like 2 hour drive but dude is perfectionist and does all in house and prices can't be beat - NOWHERE! Charged $1000 to completely rebuild my 390 FE and knows his stuff. Of course you have to know FE's to machine them correctly. He does government work as well. He now has like 24 hummer motors setting around where gov't decided to go bigger. Anybody need a motor for a hummer?
Parks is where I do all my engine work at now even though he's a couple hours away. He's been doing it for over 30 years. Excellent dude as well.
Bill Houser will talk your ears off. I had to hear out every battle from Troy to Spanish American war with him. Big history buff. Takes 3 hours to just stop in and chat.
 
i just need a place to clean the block up and hone out the cylinder walls to make sure there are no imperfections. Every thing else will be done by my own two skinny ass hands. Ill probably go with Boyettes. I've dealt with T-hoff at my old job and have no problems with them, but yea specialty is foriegn and this isnt.
 
not true. the guy that heads up their machine shop now actually has primarily domestic experience, and alot of it performance oriented at that. a block is a block, any competent machinist can do good work on one despite his main background. you really can't go wrong with either place though... but like StudNuts said, you'll want to stay on top of boyettes to make sure stuff is getting done.
t hoff is just really expensive
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huh? they're cheaper or at least competetive with about anyone else out there for everything i've ever had done. besides, cost probably shouldn't be your primary concern with something like this (if you care about it lasting).
 
I called boyettes, he said around $300 for it to be cleaned, new freeze plugs, new cam bearings, honed, and some other words that i cant remember. I'll try T-hoff on monday.
 
Please don't make the mistake of just honing. Make sure cylinders are checked to be within tollerence. Many ask us to just hone, we will if that's all it needs, but only then. if it needs bored, it needs bored.

At our shop, cleaned, honed, cam bearings and freeze plugs (including the parts, less if you have them) and honed, would run you around $160.
 
oh yea, one of the other things had to do with a micrometer to make sure everything was within specs, and you know, to make sure the block wasnt cracked or anything.
 
being in a trail rig, that engine is unlikely to get enough miles on it again to need another rebuild. i'd just go ahead an do a bore w/ plate personally. $300 isn't too bad for that, and you have the peace of mind it's in competent hands. t-hoff will probably be about the same. what are you doing with your 302?
 
ended up taking it to T-Hoff, it was cheaper and the "ford guy" there really seemed to know what he was talking about. he actually didnt look at my like i was retarded when i told him i was running propane which was nice. I feel like it's in good hands.
 
orange150 said:
So Ive about got this 351 torn down to bare block and am hoping to have it to a machine shop by tomorrow or monday. Anybody have one they prefer over another in the Raleigh area?
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Speaking of engine work... how about a good choice for seal replacement and suchlike, preferably closer to Durham?
 
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