[Hoodabest]

I stopped by my engine shop last week after a day of not so good news at the clinic, and there next to the door was the completed short block. Oh happy day!!!! Three and a half freaking years. This is my first take-away from this. If you let other people slide, they will, but if you need an excuse to slide yourself, these same folks will happily oblige. Anyway, here's a rundown of the work:

-boil, bake, blast the block
-index & install main caps and line bore
-bore and torque plate hone
-clearance for stroker
-deck block for zero height with new pistons
-new cam bearings and freeze plugs
-balance and prep rotating assembly incl. file fit rings
-pre-assemble, check, then assemble short block
-install cam at 0 and timing cover
-disassemble and clean new Edelbrock heads, lap valves, install Howard's springs
-cc heads, cc cylinders, calculate static compression ratio 10.6:1

So to walk out of there with my newly refreshed parts, total bill was $1741.00. Plus an additional $309.00 for the front of the house where the spring set came from. Other than the springs, that bill covered machining, the outsourced services of bake and blast the block and balance the rotating assy., and his assembly work on the block and heads.

That being what it is, it's easy to get a better feel for how reputable engine builders arrive at their prices. I don't mind paying for high quality work, I do, however, like to know that the rate is comparable to what others in his league would be. I originally thought of having a Brent Lykins built engine, but he quoted me a two year wait. This is where I feel like a complete FOOL! Had I just said "sounds good", I'd have had my engine over a year ago, and likely for very similar money, I'd be the proud owner of a Lykins-built engine. Oh hindsight... One of his cams may be in the works for dyno day, on my list to contact.

A few more shots of the short block...