Just wondering how many engines poeple on this board have personally built for themselves.

 

None myself, I was 16 when my Dad rebuilt a 302 for me. Unfortunately, I wasn't into cars then like I am now. Having no garage sucks. I'll be assisting in 2 cam/intake swaps next month. My motor and my brother's RS.

 

Marky, No engines yet and you post about performance.
You are a post *****. J/K....

 

I'm a big phoney. I would if I had the area/tools to do it. It sux, but next summer my dad will have a shop built with a lift. Can't wait.

 

I've done 2 (working on 3rd) and helped with about 3 others. I'm only 17 so I'm pround that I can do it and know how. its fun when your friends come to you for advice :0)

 

You should have a 25+ or 50+ category, of hot (non-stock) ones built for others; or race-only ones; or ones in the last year or 2 years or 5 years; or some other interesting ones like that.

I maxed out the categories you gave, a long time ago.

 

I've done four myself. I'm 18 years and 2 months old......

 

right on. i built the 454 in my pickup, and the 327 in my impala. i'm so glad that i know how to do engine work. it saves me money, and is actually profitable (people at school that don't know how, my friends are free ). i like knowing that i can do my own work. my camaro motor, well, i left that to the pro's.

 

Although I didn't build that engine, my first solo install was at age 14. I spent a lot of time holding the trouble light for my older brothers before that.

I stopped counting at 10, too. The best stuff I've done is what I've got now, with the possible exception of that home-built, hybrid 302 back in the 70's.

 

I know, I should have given bigger parameters. I just turned 18 and I have done 8 all by my self. Ive done 5 for myself and 3 for other poeple. Its sweet when poeple come to you for advice. Or to get you to do something for them, especially older people. I first rebuilt and engine at 15, I never done one before and I had no help because my dad is always busy. I just read books and magazines and figured it out. Im pretty proud that the engine is still running to this date. What Im really proud of is that I payed for everything myself, got a full time job over summers, own livestock, work for other people. Unlike my buddys who drive their cavaliers.


Digger

 

I've done 2 myself and helped a friend on his 302. Just haven't had the need for building more than that so far... getting money together right now for a BBC though.

 

i'd say 2 at least a year and at most 5 or 6 a year since i was 17. just went to my 25th HS reunion. i've done lot of lawn mowers and B&S 5hp engines for karts when i was into that. lot of people laugh at the karts but you ought to try to make HP out of the little B&S, every little thing matters.i do way more for other people than i do myfor myself. i've never gotten to exotic or done any really bastard engines. i've made lot of parts for people too, fabricating or machining, i like doing that better than engines. when i lived in northern part of the state i wrenched a 69 z/28 drag car and got a reputation for being good at 12 bolt rears, donea boat load of them and a few 9" as well for drag cars.

 

None yet, but I am learning alot from you folks that have! Thanks for all the info from the engine building vets!

Andy

 

Other than small engines? I've probably pushed 30 or so, but most of then were not for me. They say you always remember your first time. My first was a 215 Pontiac inline 6. Why I ever decided to start with a straight 6 is beyond me, but I was only 15 and it was available. Some of the more interesting ones I've done were an Olds 455 marine engine, Poncho 326 (in addition to the straight one), Cadillac 425 (kinda an odd-ball), Ford 289HP, 302HP, and 351C, an original LT1 (from a '74 Z-28), a couple of 358 SBC race engines, an Allis-Chalmers 1936 'B' tractor four-cylinder(with a hand crank starter), and a good handful of plain old SBCs. I've done at least two VW 1600s for myself and brother, but those are a different animal altogether. Then there are the small engines, like B&S, Kohler, Tecumseh, Kawasaki, and Mac chainsaws, etc. I've helped out on a bunch of others, and been in deep on a couple of John Deere 2-cylinders (You wanna talk huge bore and long stroke, you gotta see these antique Deere engines).

I didn't get my fingers dirty but have watched several Pratt & Whitney 14 cylinder "twin Wasp" radials in various stages of resurrection (I can't even imagine the complexity of the Wright 28-cylinder 2880 radial after seeing the Wasp 14's). That's gotta keep the techs turning in their sleep.

 

I've noticed a lot of the experienced engine builders here seem to have started young. I still have you guys beat; I did a 307 SBC when I was 12!

 

This is turning into quite the pissing contest!

I'm waiting for the post that says; "I built my first blown big block when I was still a fetus."

 

Hell, I built my first blown big block when I was still a fetus!

I'm going to venture into rebuilding my 2.8 this summer- hopefully. I've also got to rebuild the trans, but first, I'm welding that 1/4 panel on. My biggest problem is "space". The basement's full of Firebird parts, my workbench has 'em piled up so I can't use the bench, my room has them, the backyard has two 10bolt axles in it...

I tell ya though; I can't wait to do it....closest I got was doing a head gasket change & engine swap for a buddy. http://www.geocities.com/tomp_3rdgen

 

Uh, you mean correctly?

Damn, I didn't think they gave me an extra one of these....

 

Let me think, a 4cyl. Opel,2.8 chevy,231 V6, 305 chevy, and a 4.6 ford V8, but I'm 55 yrs. old,still got time for a 350/430hp chevy I hope!

 

I think my first time was during conception.... Actually, I have done several hundred. Been building since around 15, and do it professionally. I have done everything from a stock 2.3 pinto to several 500 inch nhra prostock, 815 inch IHRA p.s., and alot of nitrous/blower stuff. Also helped a friend recently with an antique allis chalmers for tractorpulling, made it 1/4 longer stroke and 4.500 bore..

 

You’re not alone there Vader, I've built an 50 AC tractor along with a 53 AC forklift engine. The crank in the 53 was broken, try finding one of those bad boys under 2k, lucked out on that one.(53-55 only)

My first engine was a BS 3hp tote gote engine @ 11 years old, no help, had to figure things out for myself damn thing ran after I built it too of course it took two tear downs to figure out the cam and crank mark are supposed to line up.

My first automobile engine I built alone was a 350 when I was 16. If I told you guys the amount of engines Ive built for myself friends and customers you would think I'm full of it. Defiantly 10+.

Edit: 50 not 40 AC tractor. AC dident produce equiptment under thier name durring WW2.

 

I was conceived during an engine rebuild... does that count ? lol...

 

I have no idea. I'm 39 years old and have been doing this all my
life. My first was a 454 that the shop teacher walked me
through. My dad built dune buggies and choppers when I was
little and I remember reading V/W shop manuals back in fourth
grade from cover to cover. It's in my blood, it's what I do.

I was once given a detention in seventh grade because I had the
gaul to correct the shop teacher on the theoretical operation of
a carburator.

I still don't know why he gave me the detention, I was right,
maybe he was just pissed. He didn't come back the next year.
No sh*t.

Damn, that brings back memories.

 

Full rebuild, only one. Tear down upper, lower and everything in between...almost too many times. It is no problem when it is not your daily driver.

Numerous projects with my dad. Then I had to learn everything for myself the right way. Dad likes the hillbilly fix. I like the correct and accurate fix. Or in the case of my current 355 project, correct and accurate modifications.

 

I'm not gonna enter a pissin contest. When you get a little older (I'm 46) you're lucky if you don't end up pissin on your own feet!

Before I graduated high school in 1974, I had already rebuilt two Corvair engines, two or three Pontiacs (including a three-duece), an older Olds, a couple of Buicks (one nailhead with two four barrel carbs) several (at least five) small-block Chevys and three small block Fords.

Of course that was in my Auto Mechanics class. The Corvairs belonged to the shop teacher and he seemed to enjoy torturing the students.

Since 1974 I have lost count. I've done a lot of racing (mostly dirt track) and have rebuilt small block Chevys ranging from a 265 through several 283s, several 327s, many 350s and a handful of 400s.

I've done about as many big block Chevys ranging from 325, 350 and 375-horse 396s, several 402s, three or four 427s (including a couple of aluminum-headed versions), and about a dozen 454s.

I've done other engines as well, sb Fords, Buicks (350 and 455) 400 and 455 Pontiacs, a couple of Olds motors (including one W-31 350).

I've also raced Karts and rebuilt MANY B & S engines.

I'm sure there are others I've forgotten.

The sad part of this story is most of the time I did the work for free!

jms

 

Started rebuilding engines in A&P school at 16. First was a horizontally opposed Lycoming 540, 6 cylinder, moved on to radials, then Jets, first in school then in the USAF, did a few car engines in there as well.