My machine shop (Tim's Machine Shop) is in a larger town about 20 minutes away from where I live.  This machine shop does very good work for local race teams, and even has a dyno setup in the shop.  But the primary reason I use it is because the owner is an Oldsmobile fanatic.  He has his own 440 cid small block olds...he has NASCAR blocks in his shop...he has Toronado 425 cores laying around that he'll sell.  This guy also happens to have built my small block.  This summer I was trying to get the thing in tune...and with my little experience, and desire not to screw something up, I took it to him and asked if he'd be willing to dial in the tuning for me.  He drove the car around while I was at work and dialed in the tune and picked me up when I got off.  The guy didnt charge me anything for his time...not a dime.  His reasoning was that I would come back when I needed real work done.  

I have been trying to find a valley pan gasket for my new 425 for a while now...none of the parts stores stock it (or can even get one), and none of the parts stores stock an intake gasket for a 455 either (which would also work).  So I called up my machine shop...asked if he had one and guess what...he does.  Not only does he have one, but its cheaper than the one I was going to buy off summitracing.

When I go to build my 425 (instead of replacing gaskets and creating a monster for cheap), this guy is going to get all the business.  Plus I'll have him dyno the motor before I drop it in.

For someone in a town of 20,000 and 2 hours from the nearest city, this is a great find.  Anyone else have a really cool machine shop that they love to go to?

its not a machine shop but my tranny guy gets my first born son. tommy is a cool older dude that doesnt mind helping out a younger gear head like myself  since he says i remind him of hisself when he was my age and was addicted to fast cars.  if i need a tool i can borrow it as long as i bring a cup of coffe. need to use a lift to swap a rear end no problem just bring a cup of coffe(and maybe a box of krispy cremes) and he will help.i have spent many of my off days at the shop and worked on a bunch of customers cars just to get dirty and have fun with the guys.this is the atmosphere i dreamed of growing up.i have sent all my friends to the shop as well for every thing from a tune up to a complete resto(they are a tranny shop that does everything)

You have just learned the first lesson of being a small business.  TREAT YOU CUSTOMERS LIKE GOLD!  Why? Because they are.  The guy that sold you the gasket for cheaper than Summit would - he got your next rebuild.  The guy that lets you come to the shop and work for nothing and even helps you for free.  This is his form a advertising - you send all of your friends there.  This kind of personal service is gone when you patronize the chain parts stores.  I use the local parts store whenever I can because I don't want them to disappear.  I also like to keep my neighbors employed and not some rich Wall Street type guy that only looks at me as another dollar in his pocket.  It's not to say that the local guy isn't going to make money on your work - he absolutely has to or he will go out of business.  What he will also do is give you an education for close to nothing, be your friend when you are in need and probably give you darn good work when you hire him.  I have lots of stories like yours and every one of them came from a local business that cared about their customers - never have I gotten this type of service from the national sell-a-part chains that have to look everything up on their computer.  Be grateful that these business exist in your town and patronize them along with the local hardware store, the local lumber yard and every other local business that you can find.  When the business are gone they're probably gone for good.  I'll get off of my soapbox now.  

I'm not a religeous guy but, Amen.

I live in a city of 3000, nearest real city is 185mi - 3hours away and I always try the little guys first.

Jegs, Summit, etc. have really good prices, but when you can walk into a place and the guy behind the counter knows your name and what you drive, that's worth a few extra bucks right there. This philosophy extends beyond parts places and machine shops with me.  Heck, I still have an old pair of my machine shop guy's ring pliers.  I guess I'd better be getting those back.

Edited 12/27/2006 1:35 am by 283ci

Yup,I know exactly what you guys mean.Ron Farley in Lockport did the build on my 340,and cut me some great deals on some parts,as well as showed me everything he was doing to it,and said he'll make sure it's performing to it's potential (I had the engine done before I started the body,and that's almost done now!) When I first went there to ask about him building my 340 ,I saw several 426 (visually) HEMI's in various stages of assembly,along with several Hemi and big block Mopars around the shop.I said that if people trust him with their Hemi's my 340 should be no problem,and he treated my 340 with just as much care.I know a few other guys who've had their Mopars built there (he does Fords and Chevy's too,but Mopar is his specialty,and he is real well known around here for them,he did the Hemi for a blown Charger that was in Mopar Action a while back) and everyone is happy with his work.I can't wait to get my 400 stroker built!

Yo, how much do you pay for machining where you are?

I paid $375 to have a SBC block baked, blasted, decked, bored .060 over, and tapped for galley plugs.  The machine shop I use is called "Bane's Machine Shop" and is run by an older guy named Homer.

He's very knowledgeable, soft-spoken, and always jokes that my checks are probably gunna bounce.

not nocking your guy but in my experience the ones that "kid"around like that are usually screwing you some where and trying to make themselves feel better. not always but usually.

it cost me $300 to have a block bored .030, hot tanked, cam bearings installed and to have a crank turned .010.  guy did good work but was kinda an ass.  found someone in a small town who checked my rods and put the pistons on for $40 bucks.  he asked me what i was doing with it and was impressed that my first attempt at a engine build was a 383 strocker.  when two of my rods weren't within spec he gave me two good used rods for free.  oh did i mention that when i assembled the engine i noticed that all of my stock bolts were now arp ones.  he is getting my business from now on. 

Kinsley Automotive in Nashua NH.  The man should have been a surgeon.  The owner Len never made me feel retarted even when I was being a retard.  Very detail oriented too.  He actually blueprinted my brand new Edelbrock heads because they weren't up to his spec.  okay for Edelbrock, but not for Len.  He also sent back my brand new Comp bumpstick cause it was .007 out .  The motor is unreal.  I recomend this shop.