When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Have any of you in the mid atlantic had any dealings with (or know someone that has) Classic Motors and Machine out of Leesburg Virginia?
I'm looking at having the engine pulled and rebuilt over the winter. And yes, I know a few of you purists out there are asking why I don't do it myself. Well there are a few reasons.
1. No space.
2. Don't have the correct tools.
3. Lack of knowledge to work inside the block. It's been almost 40 years since I pulled and worked on a block.
4. No space (did I mention that?)
What I'm running into is that almost every machine shop around says "Yeah sure we can do it. But you have to pull the engine and just bring that to us." If I had the tools to pull the engine, I would just figure it out and do the work myself. I have found only 2 places where I can take my Olds, that will pull the engine, rebuild or refresh it, put it back and break her in. Those are Classic Motors and Machine in Leesburg VA, and Thornton Muscle Cars out of Quarryville PA. I know Thornton is supposed to be very good, but they're 3 1/2 hours from me. At least Leesburg is closer.
I've already been down the rabbit hole of local's recomendations, and these appear to be the only ones to do what I want. Any ideas?
Its tough as garages really don’t want to do that stuff anymore. You have to find an old-school mechanic that’s willing to do it and that’s not always easy. Just finding somebody that’s confident to work on an older cars anymore is very very difficult. I buy the manuals and do the best I can I’m no certified mechanic but I know my way around it somewhat, I mean I have to pull an engine in my car I have a friend that has a lift which is always helpful and he has a big garage and he’s fairly helpful with it. I usually throw him some money. I mean he bought the big garage and the lift for himself not for everybody else so I understand that
Ive never had any dealings with this company, that said
Make sure everything you want done is written on the work order
Know what your paying upfront
Any extra parts or work should be approved by you before its added to the bill.
Ask them if they are willing to photo document the journey, it would be nice for you to have, but not a deal breaker if they can't
Last edited by 70W-32; October 28th, 2021 at 03:08 PM.
Make sure everything you want done is written on the work order
But isn't that part of the problem. How will you know what you want done, until the block is apart and you can see inside. I'm pretty sure that this is going to be more of a "refresh" than a "rebuild". She has 150K on her right now and runs great after I rebuilt the carb a few years ago. I'm the 2nd owner. The original owner died and it was his family that sold it to me through a co-signing group. So I have no idea if he ever pulled the engine in the past, and if he did, what he might have done.
The engine is running fine... But, it still has 150K on it and I have noticed that the main seal is starting to drip, and since the engine will need to get pulled anyway for that, might as well get it checked out also.
I bet Trimble would do it. It won't be fast turn around or cheap, but it would be right. He builds a mean bullet. Shoot Frank an email ProSreet442@aol.com
TR Performance in Beltsville, MD
Pull the valve covers and take a look at the inside of the engine, do a compression test, do a pressure test on the cooling system. If the heads look clean under the valve covers (no large build up of sludge), the compression is decent/ even across all of the cylinders, and the cooling system holds pressure then I agree you should really leave well enough alone. I don't know of a machine shop that will pull a motor and do the machining. Any shop competent enough to do the work will not have space to store a car while rebuilding the engine (this would apply to machine shops and not simply a shop/ garage pulling the engine out and apart). If you have ever been inside of a real machine shop, all the space they have is taken up by parts either freshly machined or waiting to be machined (blocks, heads, etc). If you have a shop who is willing, in your budget, and can schedule it you should take them up on it if that is what you really want. If you are mostly unhappy with the oil leaks, I would have the shop focus on that. Have them replace all the seals and gaskets including the rear main seal (I would not ask them to pull the heads if the compression is OK). For peace of mind, you could have them change the timing chain, replace the oil pump, and look at the rod and main bearings (rear main cap will have to come off for the seal anyway). It is possible to pull the oil pan and replace the rear main seal with the motor in the car. if you want to go that route. Below is a pic of the 350 that was in my vista cruiser. Over 150K and still ran well (I would not say great as it was still a 2 barrel and would not get out of its own way). It leaked oil from every seal, but as you can see it was still very clean inside. This was my daily driver for over 3 years and I took it on several trips from central PA to OC MD.
Mileage is not as important as whether or not the motor has been well maintained. I will take a 200K mile motor that has had regular oil changes over a 50K mile motor that hasn't.
Last edited by Loaded68W34; October 28th, 2021 at 05:37 PM.
Do a compression test, if it is good have the rear main seal replaced. Also replace the timing chain while the oil pan is off. If compression is bad then pull it apart.
What machine shop? Ask any machine shop how many Olds engines they have done and what are some of the unique issues with rebuilding Olds motors. If you hear crickets you'll later hear taps, knocks and smell smoke.
Look through the threads and see how many times engine rebuilds have turned into problems. If it is still good after 150K miles it has proven to be well assembled, have good clearances and made of proven "known to be good" parts...leave well enough alone.
I absolutely would not pull an engine for a starting to drip rear seal. No way, no how. If the drip is the only problem with the engine, leave it alone, get a drip pan, and check the oil every few times you drive it. Most of my old cars drip oil. Dripping oil is not an issue unless you run out of it.It would take a slow drip 50 years to empty an oil pan. Go for a drive, if the engine satisfies you in every way, tell it it's a good car, put a pan under it, and check the oil once in a while. The rope seal will ooze some oil; it's not going to go ka-blam.
Once it becomes a dog, smokes, stinks, or loses a LOT of oil or coolant, then it's time for a rebuild.
Chip,
I dont know of any machine shops in the DMV area that actually pull engines . I have not heard of Classic and I thought I knew about most other shops in the area. I know a couple of guys in that area I can ask. Maybe Joe P will chime in, he is in NOVA. Where are you in Maryland ?
Also, I dont know if you can edit your post but it would be nice if you put the name of the shop in the title. More people might pay attention. I almost didnt look at this because of the vague title.
I live in Loudoun County and have never heard of that shop in Leesburg. I use Gunther's Machine in Walkersville, MD for all my machine work. The will also pull the engine and rebuild it for you if you want. They did this for my friend's 1969 F85. Note that they are typically very backlogged for that work. (Sorry, Bill, but being at the far north end of Loudoun, they are a lot closer to me than your shop. )
October 28th, 2021, 01:36 PM
)
