What all this comes down to is your confidence that luck will be on your side when you install the engine and fire it up. If all goes well, the builder 2000 miles away was a good choice. If it all goes badly, it was a bad choice. All you have is the reputation of the builder to base your decision on.
All things considered equal, it will always be easier and cheaper to find a remedy to a problem with a nearby builder. I say all things considered equal because either one can tell you to go pound sand when an issue arises. The local builder will be more responsive to a remedy because he relies on his reputation with the local automotive community as his main source of income. The potential for loss of reputation with his bread and butter and the ease with which local small claims court can be utilized for a judgement weigh on a local shop's willingness to remedy a problem.
__________________
Triple Black 1971 GTO
|