[Turk]

Ernie,
Didn't the customer select the engine and the engine builder?
Didn't even Kris Kincaid who is not a Shelby fan at this point explain how and why an engine from that outfit COULD cost $40,000.

I think you ARE being a little unfair. It was the customer who opted for an expensive engine.

My last two engines cost me in mid $20s each, and they were modest and mild engines.

Custom crank, titanium valves, expensive rockers and few other goodies CAN run the price that high. EIther way, the engine was quoted, and built by someone else.NOT by Shelby.

I would be willng to bet there are others who paid that and more for an FE engine.
If the percentages are lower than you think, it doesn't mean someone is getting ripped off. It means they are getting what they wanted.

I have seen folks spend in excess of $40,000 doing an engine( especially a FE) twice or three times trying to get it right.

As you are fully aware, the reliable shops who can do one right can only be counted on one hand.

As for your comment "a$$hole Gasholes". Not cool.
Until you decided to get tangled with one of our members, you were having way too much fun there with a few thousand posts.To label the rest of the people as "A$$holes" is probably not very accurate since you had no problem interacting with all of them for months.

TURK