Over priced rebuild ?

polara383500 said:
I call a machine shop today! The guy on the phone said he would do a complete rebuild heads and all which would go back stock accept a cam 5500$ 383.In my eyes I find that highly over priced!! What are you thoughts? Love to hear responds!
Click to expand...
As in viewing some recent Nicks Garage video where he commented that he had 3 blown up built 440's in his shop that he was also going to install 'Rev Limiters' on these cars when they were done. Did that price include a 'Rev Limiter'?
:rolleyes:
 
If you are just polishing the crank, replacing the cam, main and rod bearings, and just cleaning up the cylinders and maybe replacing the rings, along with a valve job $5500 sounds like a lot to me. If you're overboring the cylinders, new pistons, grind crank, re-size rods, balance and assemble as well as full value job with springs and seats $5500 is certainly in the ball park.
 
You have choices.....

I bought a crate engine from CME.

Aluminum heads, 11 to 1 forged pistons, an aggressive cam, dyno'd to almost 500 hp, came with a warranty and was delivered. I added a whole lot more.....

But you can get long blocks, remanufactured long blocks, any kind of a crate motor you want built.

Rebuilt Engines and Rebuilt Motors from CME

20180817_115114.jpg



20181013_095944.jpg
 
^^

with the same money he did all that ^^ and its pimp to the third level.


i happened to have a really really solid #matching drivetrain 440 complete setup, so i rebuilt what I had.


try not to die -

- saylor
 
In 2006-7 I had the AMC 401 for the Gremlin machined. Reynolds Machine of Bakersfield did the work, my Son and I did the disassembly and reassembly. I didn't ask "How much" when I dropped the separated parts off as I didn't care. The work needed to be done. .030 over on the bores, .010 under on the crank, balanced, not blueprinted, and all related parts: pistons, bearings, cam, etc. When I went to pick up the machined block and parts, Hugh Reynolds said, "I always thought Mopars were the most expensive motors to machine; I was wrong."

Price was $2,500.00, all inclusive.

14 years ago.
 
everyone just remember china crap is throw away when it wears out . its priced to replace not service up on the next build , american vintage parts are rebuildable and can be reused . i can't say that american stuff is rebuildable today .
 
Imperial One said:
You can buy NEW aluminum heads bare for $499.99 each from 440 Source. Or Edelbrock performer heads complete with valve gear (no rockers) for $750 each. Even Trick Flow aluminum heads are just over $1000 each. So why would the machine shop be looking for $5500 just to do some work on your heads. I'd be "looking" for a new shop.
Click to expand...

Uh. . . Did you miss the part about the included engine rebuild?
 
polara383500 said:
I call a machine shop today! The guy on the phone said he would do a complete rebuild heads and all which would go back stock accept a cam 5500$ 383.In my eyes I find that highly over priced!! What are you thoughts? Love to hear responds!
Click to expand...

Sounds about right. . . You should go talk to the guy.
 
If you are going to have a pro rebuild, I’d consider finding a 440 core and rebuilding that. Similar money and much more torque. Not that many other things to change except exhaust connections, distributor, intake, bigger carb and headers maybe if you run them. Some cheap LB headers won’t fit RB.

Another option is having shop tank it, bore if necessary, and rebuild it yourself if it checks out in spec. You maybe could hone if not too bad.

I got a quote of $4,500 probably almost 10 years ago from a notable Mopar engine guy for a non “blue print” build.

He did a set of 915 heads for me, changed exhaust valves to 1.74, from 1.6, minimal unshrouding ex valve stem work, 3 angle, hardened seats, new springs, planed heads for flatness. $950. Also 10 years ago.
 
If it's done right it will cost $5000+. I spent over $5 for my 273. But it was all checked and machined as needed.
 
moper said:
As I mentioned on the B body site post- the numbers solid for what you’re asking, depending on what you’re getting and where you live.
Click to expand...
I only ask on both sites cause b-body car owners usually do rebuilds more! The rebuild quote was from a shop in Ma!
 
Last year I had my 440 short block and heads redone, .30 over, crank polished, everything magna-fluxed, new bearings, new pistons, rings, new valves, hardened seats, etc., total price $2000. I did the final assembly, basically installed the cam, heads and manifold. That would have cost another $250 if the machine shop did it. I might have spent another $500 for the parts including cam, timing chain, oil pump, water pump all stock. So my stock 440 rebuild was just under $3k with a little elbow grease on my part. $5500 for a stock rebuild seems a bit over the top to me, just my .02 cents.
 
Samplingman said:
Last year I had my 440 short block and heads redone, .30 over, crank polished, everything magna-fluxed, new bearings, new pistons, rings, new valves, hardened seats, etc., total price $2000. I did the final assembly, basically installed the cam, heads and manifold. That would have cost another $250 if the machine shop did it. I might have spent another $500 for the parts including cam, timing chain, oil pump, water pump all stock. So my stock 440 rebuild was just under $3k with a little elbow grease on my part. $5500 for a stock rebuild seems a bit over the top to me, just my .02 cents.
Click to expand...


You saved a bundle on labour by doing the assembly yourself...

A HQ rebuild is not just the parts but the quality of the labour.

Plus I can imagine that a shop has to build in a warranty if something should explode or cease up...

I can recall 2 times when I had let someone else do the assembly & both times had a con rod bearing spin thanks to the assembler claiming they knew what they were doing slap it together and not check the clearances for proper fit.
Once too loose & the second was to tight.

Since then if I did a rebuild, it was me assembling the engine which is a very time consuming part of the build.
 
mr. fix it said:
You saved a bundle on labour by doing the assembly yourself...

A HQ rebuild is not just the parts but the quality of the labour.
Click to expand...

exactly. I can guarantee there are actions I take that are not taken by most regular type machine shops. Point of fact, one shop I use for machining also does similar things, and he is the highest cost shop i know of. The work is also perfect. Every time. The other shop I use does not perform those same steps. he’s less expensive, and the work is “really good” as opposed to perfect. I get what I pay for. And the guy I’m building for gets my expertise and focus. It’s hard to quantify those for most people.
 
moper said:
exactly. I can guarantee there are actions I take that are not taken by most regular type machine shops. Point of fact, one shop I use for machining also does similar things, and he is the highest cost shop i know of. The work is also perfect. Every time. The other shop I use does not perform those same steps. he’s less expensive, and the work is “really good” as opposed to perfect. I get what I pay for. And the guy I’m building for gets my expertise and focus. It’s hard to quantify those for most people.
Click to expand...
Agreed

We have to keep it in mind the cost of the shops’ equipment.
This stuff isn’t cheap by any means
 
Last edited:
68PK21 440.6bbl said:
As in viewing some recent Nicks Garage video where he commented that he had 3 blown up built 440's in his shop that he was also going to install 'Rev Limiters' on these cars when they were done.
Click to expand...

I have mechanical rev limiters on my 440 and 505. They are called points.
 
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