Cheap machine work and engine work still equals expensive

[mountainexplorer]

I have a guy who has his own machine shop and builds motors, and does stuff for very reasonable. I'm tired of doing the "redneck rebuilds" and motor swaps every 2 months, and decided I'm going to have him do a bunch of much needed motor work.

He'll completely go through a pair of later model camel hump heads with accesory holes that I have, with hardened seats, valves, guides and new springs for $230- $150. Compared to other reputable places around here it's cheap.

I then started calculating how many different SBC and BBC heads I'd like to have gone through for each of my trucks and realized even with his lower costs (like re-assembling a motor-installing bearings and rings- for $100)... and I'd end up spending like about $2500 in new parts and labor before I would have all my trucks going again.

Maybe I'll have to resort back to the 'ole "Buy-a-parts-truck-for-the-motor routine" and maintain my Zero dollar but Lots of Time investment into all my engines.

I guess building just one truck does have it's advantages.

 

[dyeager535]

I know people in circle track racing that used to do that...buy a motor, run it as is, blow it up, buy another, repeat.

That was more expensive and time consuming that spending the money to build one right in the first place, and regularly tear it down and make sure everything inside was still good.

It was frustrating watching perfectly good engines come apart, and teams not even finish a race, because they had tried to save money. I know racing is an extreme approach, but when talking multiple vehicles and the amount of problems you have, I think it's comparable.