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Rebuilding vs Building

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Trevor Jessie

Trevor Jessie

Yoda
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I think maybe we should clarify that the cost of rebuilding an engine close to stock specification is relatively inexpensive, but building an engine to custom spec's (other than factory) is quite expensive. I'm having sticker shock at the price of custom pistons and cams.
 
And now you know why Hap gets those big bucks.
 
Heck... I don't think he's marking up the price of the parts. It is the manufacturers of the custom parts that seem to be doing well. But then again they may only be marginally in the "black" as well.

I was satisfied with the quote from the machine shop for their work. And... they've been in business since 1935 and have a good rep for quality.
 
I have learned that 4 high performance pistons for an A-series cost twice as much as a full set for a small block Chevy. Something to do with volume production I believe?
 
No no. Haps a good guy, it is just that the first class parts he uses are expensive. But when you want the engine to be something special that's the way it goes.
 
Maybe it's just a sign of the times!! I am currently working on a marine (Detroit Diesel 471) engine (as a helper) and EACH piston and cylinder liner kit goes for over $400...that's over $1600 just for those parts of the rebuild. The total is going to run well over $10,000 in parts and labor!!!!!
 
Trevor, there a good piston to use out there for a hot rod 1275, that is only little less than the stock replacement, the stock most common replacement piston for a 1275 is AE 21251, but you can for just little more money, get the AE21253, is a much sturdier piston, we used them in plenty of limited prep SCCA engine at 7500 rpm all day long, the AE 21253, also has taller compression height which with a vergin black and head give you 9.75 to 1, so it real cheap hp. Call me I can get you a deal on a set AE21253 pistons. Cams, cams, cams you got a million choices with a 1275, I use David Anton's (APT) cams most of time in my street 1275 engine (I use the VP266 and VP276 mostly) , David has some late model slot drive cam cores he regrinds and nitrites, the cam will cost you from APT about 225.00 or so ( alot less than a billet), you need the slot drive oil pump ($40-50) and I used David CF-04 lifter which are like $120 a set. Now this is the cheapest set up, but this good HP for the money, and well proven parts. YOu already got the cam gear set up, so you're good there.

Also I just got a line on Vandervell VP2 bearings for the A-series for real resonable money, and these are new stock, not decades old shelf stock.

You always going tt sink some money in head porting, for me, that $700 labor just to port a head, plus whatever parts and other repairs the head needs, I normally put new hardend exhaust seats in heads, replace springs, sometimes valves if needed. While a ported head will net you some HP, but if the budget is tight, a 1275 with a good cam, increased compression ratio with something like AE21253 piston will still be a very nice performance engine, you can alway get the headd ported later if you want. I thin with the ported head, and what cam you build, you can get very close to hundred hp, but without the ported head you can easily get to the high 80-90 hp range and for a 1275, that ain't shabby.

All just food for thought.
 
Here is the problem ... I want a nice piston with a dish large enough to get the compression ratio down to 8.5 or so. But I also want floating pins with a modern 3 ring design and pin oiler.

I talked to David Anton about a cam and he said that he has been grinding A-series cams for superchargers using the almost exact same profile as the B-series SC cam and had reports of good results. However, with such short duration I fear that I'd then need higher lift rockers.

But... I'm always interested in hearing about decent bearings.
 
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