Machine Shop Costs, 440 Build

[PRHeads]

You do realize the heads are sold individually, right?

$967.50 x 2 = $1935

 

[WS23U1]

Almost 9grand ??
That’s Cheep……
You’ll Figure it out sooner or later …..
Speed & Horsepower Cost $$$$$$$!
And
Yes the more work YOU do the less it will
Cost …
I spent over 6 grand in the early 70’s at American Racing Engines in Elmhurst IL on
A 426 Hemi Build !
Mopar2ya!!
John

In the winter of 74 had my Hemi done. $1,200.00 Total parts, machine work and labor. And this included all new valves as mine were worn. At 6 grand I hope they gave you a bottle and a hooker. ps not headers.

 

[Kern Dog]

In the winter of 74 had my Hemi done. $1,200.00

The Winter of 1974.
F I F T Y one years ago.
I hope for your sake you understand that prices have risen a bit since then, right ?

 

[dadsbee]

The Winter of 1974.
F I F T Y one years ago.
I hope for your sake you understand that prices have risen a bit since then, right ?

LOL, I had the 383 that is still in my Bee done in 1978/79 for $300. Was a lot of coin for a kid making $1.95/hr at the time. Picking up my 4 cylinder aircraft engine on Wednesday, over 45 grand cdn for the overhaul.

 

[Some Car Guy]

Not an apples to apples comparison, but shown to illustrate how inflation has impacted the cost of an engine rebuild. During the 1.3 million miles I ran the C15 CAT in my Peterbilt, I had the engine rebuilt three times, by two authorized CAT shops, block milled each time. First one in 2009 was $15,000. Got lucky with a $6000 warranty credit for head removal and two cylinder liners and pistons, blew six months before warranty expiration. Second one in 2014 was $19,500, and the final job in 2019 was $29,500. Freight rates weren't keeping up with the overhaul costs, made the decision to retire in 2022 pretty easy.

Wow that makes the 10k I paid in 2006 for a 3406e rebuild at the Cat house look like a trip through McDonald’s!

 

[GTXDAN]

LOL, I had the 383 that is still in my Bee done in 1978/79 for $300. Was a lot of coin for a kid making $1.95/hr at the time. Picking up my 4 cylinder aircraft engine on Wednesday, over 45 grand cdn for the overhaul.

Same here. My dad and I overhauled the 318 poly in my 65 Coronet for around $250 in 73.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Wow that makes the 10k I paid in 2006 for a 3406e rebuild at the Cat house look like a trip through McDonald’s!

Your not touching that nowadays. I dropped over 30k in a ISX last year. Cummins used to be cheap, apparently they moved up to Cat territory.
You can have mid 20k in a old N series.
Cats are getting so old now there is no way your getting your core money back.
I miss the weekend rebuilds on a N series and never miss a load.

 

[Some Car Guy]

Your not touching that nowadays. I dropped over 30k in a ISX last year. Cummins used to be cheap, apparently they moved up to Cat territory.
You can have mid 20k in a old N series.
Cats are getting so old now there is no way your getting your core money back.
I miss the weekend rebuilds on a N series and never miss a load.

wtf the n14 I had was a bread and butter deal like a 350 Chebby!

 

[WS23U1]

The Winter of 1974.
F I F T Y one years ago.
I hope for your sake you understand that prices have risen a bit since then, right ?

I was referring to the post about spending 6k in the early 70's on a rebuild. I know costs are up when they wanted my first born for a dozen of eggs.

 

[LSS&B]

Update:
Yesterday 2025-04-14, I picked up the engine from Ballos and dropped it off at Lewis Robertson's machine shop in Charles City VA. Expect 2nd estimate in 2 weeks.

 

[71 Runner]

You do realize the heads are sold individually, right?

$967.50 x 2 = $1935

When I picked up the engine they gave me the old parts back. The complete valve train components were in the crate, including rocker tubes and rockers. When we discussed the build and he talked me into not using the original heads. He said he had a set of new heads from a project during Covid that the guy lost his job and couldn’t pay his shop bill. The guy gave him the engine as payment. If I wanted to, he would throw in the new set of complete heads with roller rockers at his cost. He took me into the shop to look them over and they had never been bolted on so it was an easy choice.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

wtf the n14 I had was a bread and butter deal like a 350 Chebby!

I miss those days. I'm still moving back to one, in a Peterbilt. ISX, and this KW going down the road.

 

[cap67]

LOL, I had the 383 that is still in my Bee done in 1978/79 for $300. Was a lot of coin for a kid making $1.95/hr at the time. Picking up my 4 cylinder aircraft engine on Wednesday, over 45 grand cdn for the overhaul.

Ya times have changed. Just like buying mopars back then 100-1,000 bucks for nice cars.

 

[cap67]

I've been a customer of this machinist that used to be part owner of a shop in West Sacramento. He often does machine work at the shop but then brings the stuff home to finish it up.
The shop itself looks somewhat unprofessional. If a new customer were to go there to get a feel for the place, I would expect him to be UNimpressed and look elsewhere. I have dealt with the machinist for over 25 years and have never had an issue with any work that he has done. I am doing three LA series engines here right now machined by him...

View attachment 1835645

Send me a PM if you want his contact info.

Same with my guy. Has all the equipment and does all the work at his home. Save$$$.

 

[68BabyBlue]

Wow that makes the 10k I paid in 2006 for a 3406e rebuild at the Cat house look like a trip through McDonald’s!

I bought my 2000 Pete in 2006 with 435000 miles on the original engine. The CAT shop was offering that 10K rebuild, but I elected to buy extended warranty instead, did the first overhaul at 700,000. Worked out pretty close. New member here who just retired from truck engine repair says current cost to do a pre-smog C15 is 45K if you provide the core. When I sold my truck three years ago, I figured it was worth more for parts than whole, after I broke a frame rail.

Instead, I sold it to one of the partners in the company I leased to, and he restored it into a show truck. I ran it for 16 years, 1.3 million miles.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I bought my 2000 Pete in 2006 with 435000 miles on the original engine. The CAT shop was offering that 10K rebuild, but I elected to buy extended warranty instead, did the first overhaul at 700,000. Worked out pretty close. New member here who just retired from truck engine repair says current cost to do a pre-smog C15 is 45K if you provide the core. When I sold my truck three years ago, I figured it was worth more for parts than whole, after I broke a frame rail.

Instead, I sold it to one of the partners in the company I leased to, and he restored it into a show truck. I ran it for 16 years, 1.3 million miles.

View attachment 1837787

I should have bought a cheap truck with a N14 in it and re-railed my '85 359, but water under the bridge now. I still have my '94 379 sitting here needs a engine (original bounced a main cap then broke the crank@ 1.4 million). I'll put it back together, little bunk, smaller tanks, then semi-retired (more part time than I am now), just enough to aggravate the young guys.
That is a pretty truck. I'm a fan of smaller bunks (just a napper, not a sleeper), not a fan of those rear fenders either, just a sucker for low hanging stainless halves or even full length fenders.