289/302 engine builder recommendations? Go crate?!?

[Burnd]

Originally Posted by Cashburn

While I'm up here on this soapbox... couple other things to watch out for:

Web site with the bait and switch. You get drawn if for the $5,900 price and then you say you want to add Cobra valve covers, a SCAT crank, aluminum heads, etc. and all this is added in and up... and you're over that other builder's price that included it already, but your on the phone and forgetting that total.

Watch out for the ignition wires. Don't know why but the better builders always seem to take the time to custom cut/fit ignition wires neatly and don't run'em all over like spaghetti ... and generally don't use yellow wires either

Finally ask to see their dyno and make sure a dyno tune is included and the "warranty" is on paper. A tune is such an effective tool and the only way you know their 400HP special is not a 250HP desktop dyno joker.

Cash:
You got me going too. I was alluding to that philosophy and that's what i ment by no free rides. You generally get what you pay for but you don't have to go extravagant to get decent quality either. I don't have to spend 50 bucks to get a decent bottle of wine either. In fairness, not everyone has a deep pocket including me. I waited 30 years to do this. I have 2 seasons of racing and I haven't broken ANYTHING in my motor. I can't express how much that means, but a lot of guys at that tracks will tell you. I will estimate that 30% of all motors on any given day I see at the track, get broke that day. It's remarkable to me. I invested in quality components and I paid to make sure that EVERY surface on my block was square and met perfect tolerances. Nutten broke (YET). I am not going to get that in a "factory" crate motor. Factory being Ford Motor Corp. My local speed shop gets a fair amount of them with issues. I tend to believe a custom motor builder doing turnkey or his own "crates" is going to give you better quality than the high production lines. That being said: I agree with Cash. Too Cheap = cheap. Ya know; pay me now or pay me more later. Like I said before; I gotta go. You got me sucked into this discussion.

Bernie