["Puddles the Pontiac"]

hoosier, not many people have the means to check machine work as you do. alot of people here don't trust themselves building an engine, let alone check something as precise as piston to wall clearance or general clearance stacking. i am just now learning the finer details of machine work myself. i want to know this because i want to become a "well known" engine builder one day.i have have the rare privlage to sit in on a pro-mod engine build due to knowing the right people on a personal level. as well as my dad being a great circle track engine builder.

the value of trust is unreal when it come to your machine shop. reputation is all they have to go on and if they a rep like fulper, they should not be in business. small mistakes are one thing, but he has done some things that are just WAY out there for an experienced builder. even if he has done some customers right, he did enough wrong to have a reason not to trust him. period.

there are just too many shops out there with a good reputation to be taking a chance with him.

[RAIV55]

Many people haven't the equipment, the expertese, or the desire to build their own engines. Many also don't have the ability to measure past what plastigage, or feeler guages will tell them. I don't know how it is in the bigger places but around here if a shop does good work the word will get out eventually but if a customer gets hosed, the word spreads like wildfire.

In my opinion the key is to find a shop that several have highly recommended and give that place your trust and hard earned dollars. I like it when a customer comes in the door and the conversation starts with "xxxx told me you are the guys" or "My brother in law, had an engine done here" or "I talked to you at the track about....". It seems at that point the credibility has been established, so the guy can get down to telling you what he wants instead of thinking he's gonna get screwed. Just makes for a better relationship all the way around.

[455Grandville]

I agree the shop should assemble it right, but its never a bad idea to check the work. Consider the time it took you to earn the money for the rebuild (thousands of dollars) and your personal time to reinstall it.
Ive been a machinist for years, and even the best will occasionaly make a error. This just reduces the probability of a error.
As far as machine shops go, choose the best, ask around,how long have they been in buisiness ? .

[axle]

thanks for the group hug ron. i think it was much needed.

not to kick a dead horse but.....changing engine ID numbers (making a 350 into a 400 ~ making a 400 into a 350) , putting an extra $200 on my credit card,installing mismatched parts in expensive engines,placing your rare parts in someone elses engine & visa versa,not receiving what you paid for is wrong and illegal the last time i checked so.......

#1 why and HOW is this guy still in business?

#2 how on earth can someone like this be allowed to do a seminar at the POCI nationals...which is being held on the west coast!

might be time for a coalition and attend this tech / seminar and have everyone speak up!?!

and lastly....i still cant beileve one would be arrogant enough to put down legends like ken crocie & pete mcCARTHY. supergasdil taught me a lot back in the day,and i know he'd say those two were all we had back then as there weren't a lot of knowledgeable pontiac racers 20 years ago. at least not in southern california. maybe times have changed....technology,computers,trial & error,more aftermarket parts and machinery,etc.etc....but you never put down or forget the original guys who started all of this. they are legends in my book!

[455Grandville]

Originally Posted by axle

thanks for the group hug ron. i think it was much needed.



#1 why and HOW is this guy still in business?

#2 how on earth can someone like this be allowed to do a seminar at the POCI nationals...which is being held on the west coast!

might be time for a coalition and attend this tech / seminar and have everyone speak up!?!

and lastly....i still cant beileve one would be arrogant enough to put down legends like ken crocie & pete mcCARTHY. supergasdil taught me a lot back in the day,and i know he'd say those two were all we had back then as there weren't a lot of knowledgeable pontiac racers 20 years ago. at least not in southern california. maybe times have changed....technology,computers,trial & error,more aftermarket parts and machinery,etc.etc....but you never put down or forget the original guys who started all of this. they are legends in my book!

Back in the early 90s there was a shop in Fenton, Mo, off highway 30 called "Engine Masters"
We had fixed alot of their bad work. They were supposed to be a new "high tech" shop with state of the art equipment. A few times the Jefferson County police were called out there because of very angry customers.
One day the shop up & closed. We got to talking with one of the Jefferson County cops one day, who we were building a engine for. He informed us that early one morning some guys with masks ambushed the 2 owners & beat them over the head with lead pipes. One went into a comma and almost died. Several people had lined up to sue these guys. In the end they had to skip town.
If you continue screwing people , eventually youll screw the wrong guy.

[Blackcat]

Originally Posted by 455Grandville

Back in the early 90s there was a shop in Fenton, Mo, off highway 30 called "Engine Masters"
We had fixed alot of their bad work. They were supposed to be a new "high tech" shop with state of the art equipment. A few times the Jefferson County police were called out there because of very angry customers.
One day the shop up & closed. We got to talking with one of the Jefferson County cops one day, who we were building a engine for. He informed us that early one morning some guys with masks ambushed the 2 owners & beat them over the head with lead pipes. One went into a comma and almost died. Several people had lined up to sue these guys. In the end they had to skip town.
If you continue screwing people , eventually youll screw the wrong guy.

Bruce will find that customer soon enough at the rate he's going.
The suprising fact is that it has not happened yet.

[fastgto]

1. Where there`s smoke there`s fire.
2. A hundred different people who live in different area`s all can`t be liars.
3. Years and years of complaints can`t all be wrong.
4. Bragging your the best scares me.
5. Bragging your the best in print really scares me.
6. Bashing your competitor makes me wonder.
7. Insulting the common man burns my ass. { were not all super smart }
8. Calling somebody who is NOT a thief, a thief { on his website } WOW.
9. Was rude to a group of people he was talking to, I was there, UNREAL
10. I`ll stop cause it goes on and on. Yes, I`ve met the man a few times.