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Re: engine assembly labor
[Re: Scotts71chall]
#1055017
08/17/11 10:41 PM
08/17/11 10:41 PM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,091
Delray beach, Florida
Performance Only
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,091
Delray beach, Florida
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Quote:
A very high quality engine machine shop wants $799 to assemble a Hemi short block, labor only!
Its a 572" world iron block. Includes fit cam but not deg. it.
Seems high $$$ to me?
They do alot of big inch mopar work including making there own BIG billet blocks & billet heads.
What ya think of that price, should I say some thing about it being to high?
I kind of really want them to do it instead of shipping it some where.
that's a little more than we charge, but it's not out of line for the work involved if it's done right. i would expect all critical dimensions are checked and documented. rings are file fit, etc. etc. who is supplying the parts for the build? sometimes that figures in to the cost of assembly as well.
engine assembly is usually one of those things that many people feel they can do themselves, and some can. in fact a lot of people can bolt parts together and the engine will run. now, how long it'll run and how well it'll run may be a different story altogether. 
machine shop owner and engine builder
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Re: engine assembly labor
[Re: dOc !]
#1055018
08/17/11 10:51 PM
08/17/11 10:51 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,036
Shelby Twp. Mi
HardcoreB
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,036
Shelby Twp. Mi
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I would suggest you take the time and do it yourself. Buy the necessary tools (installers, all measuring equipment, grinding and tapping, files, picks, a few good how-to books, sealants, lubes, etc.) and now you have everything the next time you do it. And in that one time you have learned all the knowledge that the spendy 'big-time' shop knows and then applies. I don't know. I'm sorry but I think you get my point. The only way you'd know for sure is to do it successfully yourself. Hypothetically, if you sold it, the buyer is likely to pay you more for the big-name assembled engine. IMO it's even worth something IF you mention the shops name in vanity once you've patronised them.
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Re: engine assembly labor
[Re: dodgeboy11]
#1055023
08/18/11 04:05 AM
08/18/11 04:05 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,424
Florida STAYcation
dOc !
The village idiot's idiot
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The village idiot's idiot
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 30,424
Florida STAYcation
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Quote:
The owner/instructor of the school I went to charged 1000 bucks for assembly of a long block. This was assembly and adjustment for anything that isn't in specification for the application the engine will be used for. Make sure they specify whether or not it's just assembly or if it includes adjustments at that cost.
How far and extensive does the "adjustment" phase go ?
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Re: engine assembly labor
[Re: dOc !]
#1055024
08/18/11 07:25 AM
08/18/11 07:25 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,065
Niles , Ohio
therocks
oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
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oh wait.but hey.lets see.oh yeah.
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,065
Niles , Ohio
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MY machinist assembled my last short block.He also did all the machine work.Bored and plate honed it,turned polished crank,resized rods and installed new ARP bolts,drilled 1/2 inch pickup and opened up oil passages,balanced, blueprint,deck block and square,supplied a few parts, file fit rings,clearanced it,turned flywheel degreed cam and some more stuff.My total bill was under $1300.He also did the build for my sons 360 that he built.That was about 14 years ago.So it would be more now.He is one of those guys that you just trust to get it right and know that it is.Been a one man shop for 30 years plus.That and he has more work than he can handle.Most repeat customers.Rocky
Chrysler Firepower
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Re: engine assembly labor
[Re: Scotts71chall]
#1055027
08/18/11 10:26 AM
08/18/11 10:26 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
Challenger 1
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 28,312
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Quote:
A very high quality engine machine shop wants $799 to assemble a Hemi short block, labor only!
Its a 572" world iron block. Includes fit cam but not deg. it.
Seems high $$$ to me?
They do alot of big inch mopar work including making there own BIG billet blocks & billet heads.
What ya think of that price, should I say some thing about it being to high?
I kind of really want them to do it instead of shipping it some where.
That's fair, don't complain unless you know what to check for.
Knowledge is power and $$. I bet you would have to spend $500 bucks to buy the tools needed.
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Re: engine assembly labor
[Re: Challenger 1]
#1055028
08/18/11 10:46 AM
08/18/11 10:46 AM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,179
Atco NJ
DJVCuda
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,179
Atco NJ
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Quote:
Quote:
A very high quality engine machine shop wants $799 to assemble a Hemi short block, labor only!
Its a 572" world iron block. Includes fit cam but not deg. it.
Seems high $$$ to me?
They do alot of big inch mopar work including making there own BIG billet blocks & billet heads.
What ya think of that price, should I say some thing about it being to high?
I kind of really want them to do it instead of shipping it some where.
That's fair, don't complain unless you know what to check for.
Knowledge is power and $$. I bet you would have to spend $500 bucks to buy the tools needed.
and about $100,000 buying the machinery to correct some of the items that might need to be corrected...
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Re: engine assembly labor
[Re: Scotts71chall]
#1055030
08/18/11 12:17 PM
08/18/11 12:17 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,080
organ
maximum entropy
master
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master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,080
organ
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the price is what ever the market will bear. is he busy? does he have a waiting list? good reputation? personally, i couldn't imagine installing a cam but not degreeing it. mocking up a new combination takes a lot of time to do properly. 799.00 is cheap, imo, if they're really doing it right.
for what is the good life if not doing things thoughtfully?
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Re: engine assembly labor
[Re: Scotts71chall]
#1055032
08/18/11 01:11 PM
08/18/11 01:11 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,544
Syracuse,NY
CompWedgeEngines
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,544
Syracuse,NY
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You want this guy to do the work, so you must trust him, BUT, you want him to negotiate his price for his years of experience, and 100,000s + dollars of machinery and so forth. Why should he? He gave you a price, that he feels he NEEDS to make to do the job. He has overhead, anticipated " trouble" with parts ( I dont care who you are, unless you've done this, you dont understand how many things you need to fix during assembly) and other wages and bills to pay. As mentioned above, at $75.00 an hour, and 10 hours labor ( which it can very easily go over), he is being fair. You dont like his price, but it is what he needs to make. Would you like to go to work today and have your boss ask you to take a lesser wage, because he " thinks" you are getting paid too much, and he'd like to save some money this week and pay you a little less ? He likes you and everything, but hey, he's trying to crunch some numbers for corporate. Each job you do he wants to negotiate a better hourly wage from you. Do you go to the grocery store, and start negotiating for a better price on apples and fruit? You get what I am saying. I dont know why it is, that engine shops are considered scoundrels and thieves if they actually charge for about 75% of the actual time they put into a build, and most usuallly go above and beyond, and give way more than they charge, and are expected to be " on call" 7 days a week for free. I could go on and on...  Pay them man, get the job done right, and trust the shop to supply you with a well built engine. Thats what you ultimatley want right or you'd be doing it yourself ? My 
RIP Monte Smith
Your work is a reflection of yourself, autograph it with quality.
WD for Diamond Pistons,Sidewinder cylinder heads, Wiseco, K1 rods and cranks,BAM lifters, Morel lifters, Molnar Technologies, Harland Sharp, Pro Gear, Cometic, King Engine Bearings and many others.
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