Good rebuilder in Philly?

[SixFoFalcon]

I'm looking for a good shop to rebuild a 250 short block for me. Anywhere in SE PA or Southern Jersey will be OK. I've seen a couple of speed shops that look pretty reputable, but I don't want to base my decision on looks. Any recommendations?

 

[Anonymous]

what do you want to do to your 250? what shops have you checked out? i live in trenton nj and i had a guy setup my head for the offy triple right across the street from me his name is jerry and he runs kistardt's body works and machine shop he did a really nice job for me cause i know him but if your interested let me know

 

[SixFoFalcon]

I'm mating the US250 to a Crossflow head. I haven't obtained the block yet, but when I do, I'll probably need to have the bottom end rebuilt. I'll probably get a slight overbore and have the deck milled. I'll be gathering up the valvetrain components over the next few weeks. I'm not sure yet whether I'll do the valvetrain assembly myself, or hand everything over to the shop and have them get the engine up to running condition. It depends on how much time I have. I'm definitely doing the intake, exhaust, ignition and fuel delivery myself.

I haven't personally checked out any shops at all yet. I plan on asking around at Ford Carlisle when I get together with the Keystone Chapter of the Falcon Club.

 

[Anonymous]

thts cool sounds like a plan if u are still interested just let me know and i'll set u up wit some directions and whatever else u need

maybe i could check ur car out some time when urs is finished and mine is finished since ur close and all

 

[addo]

Won't the machine work on the block exceed the cost of a full crossflow core motor and bell to suit?

 

[SixFoFalcon]

Won't the machine work on the block exceed the cost of a full crossflow core motor and bell to suit?

I don't understand... why would a Crossflow block be cheaper to rebuild?

 

[addo]

You won't have to do the machine work required to fit the crossflow head - that's why.

 

[SixFoFalcon]

I've thought about this for a few months, and my basic understanding is that to have a very powerful small six (175HP+) it would take a lot more than a basic rebuild and some tweaking. By the time I started "virtually building" my hot six, I was looking at at least $2000 just for the rebuild and basic hardware.

There aren't many machinists around here that have a good intuitive feel for the intricacies of the log head on the small Ford six. Sure, it's not brain surgery, but it would require a lot of effort and money to get a stock US200 or US250 head to breathe nearly as well as a stock Crossflow. The work required to mate a Crossflow head to a US block is a drop in the bucket compared to the work involved with hopping up the US head. Polishing a turd is no fun.

As of this moment, I have sales pending on the Crossflow head and intake. (Thanks to all those who helped me out! 8) ) The headers arrived today. If a Crossflow block and the right bellhousing happen to surface in the next few weeks, so be it. However, I'm not holding much hope for that.