Looking For An Engine Builder in Bay Area

[norcalcamaro]

Was thinking of ordering the ZZ383, but for the price I figure I can have a 383 Stroker built locally for less 7 maybe get a O/D Trans as well. I was looking at spending $4000-5000 installed. Not sure what the prics are out there. I did call one guy that I saw recommedned on this site. Can't remember the comany name, but the guy's name was Paul & they were much more than I can afford. I am in the South City area of San Francisco.

[Kaiser]

I think that there is an in-house engine builder at Gotelli speed shop now, so you might try there. Not sure on pricing though but he's supposed to be good.

[Damn True]

Paul Casellas @ SpeedMerchant in San Jose.

[mpozzi]

I second Paul Caselas. Awesome SCCA Solo IIer in a Corvette and great engine builder.

Mary Pozzi

[zbugger]

There's another place in San Jose that I'll be checking out for my shortblock soon. It's called Victory Automotive. They are sponsors for my Camaro club. You can check them out if you want as well. It's always good to shop around, but you still get what you pay for.

[simmadown]

I have heard of victory from a buddy that went there. so far he seems happy with the 355 he had built

[trackrat79]

I would recomend S&S automotive in San Leandro. If your into drag racing at all you mite know of them. The S stands for Santos As in Rick Santos multi time nhra top alchohol champion. He has built motors for several of my freinds and they were all happy with what they got. Or you could try smedding performance in sacramento they do a lot of in house crate motors.

[Lowend]

There's another place in San Jose that I'll be checking out for my shortblock soon. It's called Victory Automotive. They are sponsors for my Camaro club. You can check them out if you want as well. It's always good to shop around, but you still get what you pay for.
Victor is a really nice guy, I had him do some work for me a couple years back. He is very good at doing stuff on a budget.
Paul is much more detail oriented, but you have to pay for that $$.

[eville]

Amaral's Engine Parts & Machine (http://listings.allpages.com/ca-0102786492-fremont.html)
45405 Industrial Place Suite 1
Fremont, CA (California) 94538-6449
Phone: (510) 656-9351

Talk to Dan.

[norcalcamaro]

thanks for the referrals. I'll call them all & see what they can do for me. I'm not looking for anything for racing. It's for a daily(except during winter) driver. I won't be taking it to the track just want decent power & a reliable engine.
I actually had a 67 mustang that I bought off a fellow on craigslist a few years back & he had the 347 stroker built by Nick Rescino of Bayshore engines. The engine set the guy back close to $10K in parts in labor, but it sure ran top notch. I belive it was faster off the line then the 2000 Lightning I also owned at the time. Anyways I do understand if you cut corners with the engine you could be asking for trouble, but what is a guy suppose to do when he needs a new engine & tranny but has a limited budget? How would you feel when you have it floored & a Toyota Corolla passes you like you were standing still. Right now I'm stretching my budget at around $5-6000.

[eville]

any decent builder should be able to work within your budget. I think you'll be ok.

[Damn True]

You can build a pretty sound motor for that kinda money. Particularly if your block and crank are sound.

[norcalcamaro]

Unfortunetly the money needs to include a new tranny & also installation of both. I see alot of engine quotes but they are always right at my budget & of course that doesn't include the engine swap. I'm thinking $1200 for the transmission $ 3000-4000 for the engine. That doesn't leave much for the misc parts & install. If I had the garage space I would try to tackle it, but this is my primary transportation. I have lined up a car to borrow when I take it to a shop, but can't keep it too long.

[Damn True]

If you can arrange the borrowed car for a bit longer I'd highly recomend dropping the new motor in yourself. You are going to be paying $50+ an hour in labor for someone to yank a motor and drop in another.

You could rent a car for $25 A DAY.

[blackbeast]

how about a G.M. H.O. 350 crate, currently about 2,300 for a longblock. 330 h.p., 380 lb/ft. great motor...

[norcalcamaro]

If you can arrange the borrowed car for a bit longer I'd highly recomend dropping the new motor in yourself. You are going to be paying $50+ an hour in labor for someone to yank a motor and drop in another.

You could rent a car for $25 A DAY.

My garage is a 2 car side by side & I wouldn't have the room to store the engine/trans & puller. It barely fits the 2 cars in it now. Plus there are alot of car thieves in the area & my wife has a new Lexus & she will not put it out side. Believe me, I have insisted many times.
I have never pulled or installed an engine/tranny, but it seems like something I can handle though. I just wish I had the room.

[69Nova]

how about a G.M. H.O. 350 crate, currently about 2,300 for a longblock. 330 h.p., 380 lb/ft. great motor...

Yeha look into GM performance motors. For 3,300$ I got the 350 basicly complete with 330 hp and 380 lb/ft. I have had mine for 3 years and it still runs awsome.

[blackbeast]

Yeha look into GM performance motors. For 3,300$ I got the 350 basicly complete with 330 hp and 380 lb/ft. I have had mine for 3 years and it still runs awsome.

i second that, i think i paid 2,100 for a longblock 4 years ago. I'm thoroughly convinced i'd be deep in the 13's with a posi and some traction. Mustangs are no problem, Ls1's are a dead even and C5's are close, until 80 or so when my bricklike aerodynamics kill me.

[trackrat79]

I take it you car still runs ,just not to the performance you would like. I would say figure out what you're going to do for an engine and tranny and at the same time ask friends about using thier driveway for a weekend to do the swap. Or maybe someone on here that is in within a deacent distance will pitch in a place to do the swap and some labor for some food and beer. Another Idea would be to scedual pickup or delivery of the parts for a saturday morning and try and recruit some help and bang it out in one day. MY freind and I have done engine and tranny swaps in a matter of hours with the right prep work. The car does not have to be running in one day the new parts just need to be in so you can put the car back in the garage. I'm guessing that you wont care to much about the old stuff so you could just set them to the side till you figure out a way to dispose of them. Of course it is all in you're hands just thaught I would give some ideas.

[eville]

My garage is a 2 car side by side & I wouldn't have the room to store the engine/trans & puller. It barely fits the 2 cars in it now. Plus there are alot of car thieves in the area & my wife has a new Lexus & she will not put it out side. Believe me, I have insisted many times.
I have never pulled or installed an engine/tranny, but it seems like something I can handle though. I just wish I had the room.

where do you live?

[Damn True]

I'd offer to help, but I'm leaving the country in a little over a week and won't be back until the first part of June.

[norcalcamaro]

I live in south san francisco. If I thought I could do it in a weekend, I would probably give it a try. Everything always takes me longer. Simple things I have done to car I start on Saturday & I'm rushing to finish & test drive by Sunday Evening. I'm learning as I'm going, so most of the things I take apart it's a first for me.

[coony]

I bet the motor in the car could be made to run better if you are getting passed by toyota corollas. If you could get the 327 running decently then you could invest all that money into suspension/brakes/wheels. I bet that its just way out of tune, or maybe just has one bad part in the combo.

[norcalcamaro]

I bet the motor in the car could be made to run better if you are getting passed by toyota corollas. If you could get the 327 running decently then you could invest all that money into suspension/brakes/wheels. I bet that its just way out of tune, or maybe just has one bad part in the combo.

I was thinking the same thing months back, but I have come to find out the engines a dog. It was supposedly rebuilt before i bought the camaro. If it was if was a poor rebuild. Since I have owned it the freeze plugs have leaked, the heads needed to be rebuilt, so I replaced them & other things that make me question the reliability of the block. I would rather replace than rebuild.