Crazy! I picked up a vortec short block for my 383 build. I should have just got a crate motor. These are the prices I was quoted from a local performance machine shop.


Hot tank $60
Cam bearings $60
Bore and hone $210
Deck $125
Crank clearance $200
Balance $200
___________________
Total: $855.00

short block itself was $200
Scat crank $175
Eagle rods $259
SRP pistons $
Rings $
Bearings $
Seems like I could go all day


You guys get my point this stuff starts adding up. Do these Machine shop prices seem right? I still have some places to call I will update as I go.

 

labor prices are quite a bit higher than my area. My engine builder does alot of southern pa, northern md motors due to his reputation and lower prices. Pretty low labor rates for all trades are common in my part of the state.

 

Well I dont mean to make you day worse, but there is something you are missing on that list....align boring...is that included somewhere, because that usually is around another $200-$250. By the way, I wanted to let you know that I shipped your crank today.

 

It costed me 2200 in work alone on my 383. I had to aligned honed, decked, 30 over , Clearanced for the crank, internally balanced it, and with that was an addition to 350 bucks in Mallory metal to get it perfect, degree my cam in , hot tanked and then all the little stuff like painted the block, freeze plug kit and new oil filter mount.. That cost was also for all new arp bolts and gaskets. I also had them put together the bottom end for me also which was included in the price. I would have done it myself but I am not willing to mess up anything and cost myself more. Then add in the new Eagle Crank, Eagle H beams and Speedpro pistons and rings and it came in around 3100 just for the shotblock.

 

Also remember. You get what you pay for. I chose Victory Engines in Cleveland because of their reputation in some of the radical motors that I have seen in carcraft hotrod and also some of the sponcers cars like stainless works 69 Camaro 383. And also in Chevy High performance http://chevyhiperformance.com/projectbuild/4522/

 

That is why I decided to buy a shortblock!! I thought I would be able to have it done for a certain price...well I was close, but stuff adds up real quick. Another problem I ran into was the wait time, most local shops had a 6-8 week wait....not something that I wanted to do. I finally found an place to get it done that was well respected, and the guy had heard of me...he offered a steep discount that I was happy with, but I still decided that it would just be easier to buy a shortblock. ARP fasteners and high quality bearings add up, so does shortblock assembly...thats why I tell everyone that they will end up spending more than they originally plan to. I believe you will be happy w/ the finished product, but machine shop costs seem to shock everyone these days.

 

$2200? You can buy a motown block for that! And it will have cylinder walls that are a foot thick!'

Dang $2200 what a waste

 

Where in MD are you and what shop is this?

 

That sounds about right for machine shop prices, and I know because I run a machine shop...

Understand that this stuff takes time. Machine shop labor isn't cheap, but if you have a good machinist, you definetly get what you pay for. I don't know why some people think we can work for free.

 

There are good shops out there and worth every penny. Sounds like you are in one of them. There are also bad shops worn out eqpt. and folks running the machines that don't know or don't care. I'm sure you know who they are in your area. Like the old saying goes, only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch.

 

2200 included a $200 dollar internal balance and then it was $350 worth of metal i needed in the front and rear counterweights to get it within spec. Also included the price in degree cam, and assemble the whole shortblock. Arp studs and a canton oil filter mount are also in that price. I think total block work for around prob 600 something.

If I bought a "2200" motown I would still need all of the above mentioned. The only think you dont have to do for the motown is clearance it, bore it or deck it. It notes on the webpage align hone is needed.

 

Yeah, unfortunatly I know that. I used to work in one. Couldn't stand it, had two older machinists who wanted to do everything the same way they've done it for 30 years. Then if I asked them to explain WHY they were doing it that way, their answer is "because that's the way we've always done it." Grrrrr....

Keep in mind also that a lot of these "wonderful" crate motors are put together on an assembly line, and will never recieve the attention to detail that an individual machinist can give.

Also, many of the new GM crates are built off of the Made in Mexico blocks, which IMHO, are total junk. They use softer iron and much crappier casting methods, and I have seen several spun main bearings in these motors.

But like I said, I'm a machinist, so of course I'm gonna hate crate motors...

 

Well, the shortblock that I bought is not exactly a "crate engine"...it is from a speed shop, they are building everything...and I was informed of everything that will be put in this engine, and a spec sheet will be included. I originally purchased my rotating assembly from them...but the local machine shop prices were pretty high and there was a long wait. I contacted them, returned the parts...and they said they would give me a good deal on a short block. I am confident that they know what they are doing, they have built plenty of 8 second engines.

 

I need to get a part time job at a machine shop until my project is done. I'd probably be known as a engine butcher rather than a machinest. I would butcher all you guys engines for cheap. Hey what are friends for.

All jokes aside I found a new place with a better reputation for a little less in VA.

Hot tank and freeze plugs $75
Cam bearings $50
Bore and hone $200
Deck the block $150
Clearance for crank $100
Balance rotating assy. $200
TOTAL $775


Better but still

 

Your still forgetting the align boreing....you need that done in order to install that stroker crank. Are you assembling this too, or do you plan on having them assemble also....if so that is another good $250+.

 

Sounds a little high. Here's what I have in machine work for my 383 project:

Clean block $60
Bore cyls. $80
Hone w/torque plates $70
Check deck height $60
Install deck plugs $40
Cut for .005 deck clearance $75
Install freeze plugs $15
Install cam bearings $30
Align bore and install
splayed caps $250
Balancing $150

Total Machine Costs $830.00

Knowing that its right: Priceless

I did the stroker related clearancing stuff myself.