Well, here I am, Insomniac. It's been about 0 degrees F. all week with 14 in. snow and I have not been out banging and thrashin in the shop.. Geezer bones are hurtin. Been packin and inventorying stuff for my move. Sittin, drinkin and hoggin space on Hotrodders.com.

I have a Ford 14ft. box van with a 460, that is gettin tired. So I thought I would see what a rebuild kit would cost me. I know how much my wholesale price from Engine Parts is, but I was wondering about a complete Ebay parts rebuild...... So... This week I have purchased these new items on Ebay.......Fel-Pro full gasket set. 429-460=$20.00, Fed_mogul pistons 460=$65.00, Hastings Moly rings 460=$25.00, Timing set double roller 460=$8.00, RV Cam and lifters 460=$.99(ninety nine cents). Rod and Main bearing set 460=$24.99, Cam bearings 460=$5.00, 16 SealPower rocker arm kits=$9.00.

I have a set of freeze plugs $4.00. and Oil pump$8.00, from previous ebay deals.

So if you total all that up I should have a decent kit less pushrods.. for about $160.00. Shipping not included. roughly $75.00. NOT BAD!

Now all I have to do is get that big Pig of a 460 dragged out of that darned van! ya can't even get to the bolts, it's all engine under the cover!!

if it weren't for ebay, my truck would still be in the garage.

don't envy you having to pull that motor though.

I love ebay my self. My parts were not as cheap as yours, but they are cheap for what they are. I almost built my entire S-10 from ebay.

SRP dish pistons -$325
4340 Eagle crank - $329
4340 Pro Mod rods 7/16 bolts - $459
Dart Pro 1 Heads complete - $925
7 Qt Moroso Pan - $25
New Headers - $40
76mm Garrett Turbo - $175
50mm wastegate - $175
38mm BOV - $149
Like new Proflo 3500 system - $1200

I know there are other things I cant remember. Like I said, it is not real cheap, but it is pretty dang good if you add up what I have in most the big parts for a turbo/efi engine it is pretty good.

Chris

CMan, "...inventorying stuff for your move..." ? Are you pulling up stakes for warmer climes like a lot of your friends and neighbors? I think of all of my Northern friends on days like yesterday when I was getting sunburned in my T shirt working on the deck. My Bud says I'm crazy to replace the floor and railing of my deck in the winter, but beats swatting gnats and sweating in the summer!!!

I have always bought the complete engine kit to save a few bucks and keep the unused parts in drawers for later use.

Trees

I don't mean to hijack your thread Bobcrman but I wonder how badly the web is going to hurt speed shops and other local parts stores. Don't get me wrong, I buy virtually ALL my parts from Ebay or other automotive web sites so I'm not putting anybody down for shopping around and getting the best deal. I recently even bought a set of tires on the web. They were $18 less per tire (and that includes the local mounting I had to pay for) than the best price I could get locally. And that also included shipping right to my shop door. And the price difference with more specialized speed and engine parts is even more dramatic. (last year I got a B&M shifter from an Ebay store for $79 that was $149 at the speed shop.)

I'm just wondering how long local outlets can even stay in business with that sort of competition. If I were going into the parts business these days I wouldn't even consider opening a local outlet. It would totally be a web operation.

BTW, I have a 460 in my '32...so I feel your pain.

Dewey

Cboy,

I think that local shops just have to be smart and follow the times. Kindof like the car dealers are all doing. Most have an internet sales rep or even a manager that does the cyber space thing. I have actually had thoughts of trying to open a web based speed shop bases locally where people could shop the warehouse as well. I decided I did not want to go 100k in debt just to buy the parts and 2x that for a facility. It was just too much risk for a guy that makes good money and a nice paycheck everyday. I have another busines venture now that may fund the speed shop in about 7-10 years.

Chris

I have little patience or sympathy for those who buy engine parts on eBay, especially if they are in the auto parts business. Those who get parts off eBay and bring them to me get no breaks or deals or extra service without paying for it. If somebody is out to save a buck for themselves, fine, but that also makes it OK for me to get all I can for what I do--it cuts both ways.

If a customer saves money by buying off eBay (or Summit or Northern Auto or whoever) instead of getting a good deal through me, I see no reason to spend any of my time trying save him money (he's already done that). He'll get good machine work (I would never do less), but he'll pay for every bit it. On the other hand, those that buy parts from me get a lot of little things gratis, like time spent picking out the best combo, cleaning of miscellaneous parts, installation and assembly tips, etc.

I just completed two engines (less assembly) for two guys. One guy had me give him a detailed estimate and spend some time with DD to pick out a cam and parts for him (460 Ford). The price I gave him was within 50 bucks of what PAW gave him. So he got the parts from them.

The other guy got the same estimate and such for his 455 Pontiac. But he got all his parts through me.

You can bet that Mr. 460 got some good, solid machine work, as did Mr. 455. But Mr. 455 got a lot more consideration when it came time to make out the bill.

tom

__________________
Ya cain't fix stoopid, but ya kin TAX it!

Trees, Actually I am moving NORTH 200 miles. of all things.. Several factors. I have had a house on acreage up there thats been unused for many many years. My parents are both in poor health, in their eighties. They live close to my property.. I have a new 32x80 ft. building going up, along with the 40x80 ft existing bldg. Low property taxes, no Yuppie neighbors. A very friendly small town. I am originally from the area.

Only thing I don't like is the "lake effect" snows and cold.. ( I'll consider a winter place in Sunshine country) But, even the weather is much better than when I was growing up in the area.

The biggest problem is moving all this "Stuff" as I am a pack rat. Been junk yardin, swappin and packin "goodies" away here since the early seventies. Have already sold off eight waiting project cars, moved a dozen old cars and have at least that many to go. Plus the daily drivers and work vehicles (6). I figure it will take three months, at a couple trips a week. My basset hound and I are gunna see a lot of north bound I-75 and 10..Man, the barns are gunna be empty around here.. The next owners will probably level this place and build Condom minimums any hoo!

Good luck on the move. My sister in law resides in Westland and she and hubby owned a nice place out side of Gaylord that wife and I have visited in the summer, fall and winter. We enjoyed it imensely. Hubby died and she has sold the place. Know what you mean on the about the sprawl and higer taxes.

Tom, I know what you are saying. I always get my kits from the shop that does the machine work. That way, I know everything is going to be compatible with what has been done to the block/heads. We do all our assembly except for the cam bearings and we have never been steered wong.

Trees

I buy a lot of stuff through e-bay, summit and northern auto. It's really easy to tell which sellers on e-bay are real shops and which are drop shippers. There's no doubt that northern is a real parts store. I don't have a problem paying a fair market mark up for parts that are in stock. If was a difference of $50 I'd help the machinist out and get the parts from him but over the last several years I have never saved less than $100 per engine by getting my parts delivered by the big brown truck. Some engines I've done would have cost me double if I got my parts from from the machine shop. One shop complained to me that Northern was selling part cheaper then he could get them wholesale. Not my fault dude, why should I pay more because he chose a slower, more costly supplier.

The old saying is if you want to make money sale on Ebay
If you want to pay to much buy from Ebay.
If I want to buy new parts for my old truck I won't even look on Ebay. The prices are higher than I can buy at local hot rodshop.
Then half of the rod shops that you buy such at Jegs kills you if you just want a small Item They say free shipping but nail your butt with $7.95 handling charge.

Just wanted to put my 2 cents worth in.

I really got PO'd at my local NAPA machine shop. I had a crank turned awhile back for $55. Recently, I called and asked what they were asking to turn a crank. They said $55...if I bought my bearings from them. It was $110 if I didn't! They said they were "tired" of doing work and people buying their parts somewhere else. Well, they can stuff it. I now go to another shop.

I buy parts from Ebay, but "Caveat Emptor". I just received a 400 balancer that wasn't the one that was pictured in the ad. The seller said the original one was damaged. The one i received was filthy and damaged. I think the seller didn't get as much as they thought and just switched them. Negative time!

The wave of the future is to get parts and SERVICE off of the internet.

The shipping industry is gearing up for it.


You have to change with the times. If we didn't we would still be using a blacksmith in the local village.

Thank you. Kindof like an engineer that does not want to use a computer......either get over it or you wont have a job.

Chris

Tom suppliers can sell at whatever price they want. You buy 10000 pieces you get a better deal that the shop buying 8 at a time. Then the big guys turn around and sell those 10000 at low margins that undercut the little guy.
Sad but true its a cutthroat industry.


If we had a fight and you had a slingshot and I had a shotgun you would always lose right? Well you wouldnt stand for that youd go get a shotgun too and whup me. I would check out the internet deal and beat them at their own game.

Service service service its all about service. A person can buy parts anywhere if they know what they need but finding a good machinist that knows what theyre doing and can be trusted to only sell what is needed is a lot harder.
If you want to discount your shop work when the guy buys parts from you theres nothing wrong with that. But shouldnt be running things so tight that you cant make money if you dont get the parts too. Treat it like 2 separate businesses they each gotta pull their weight.

You sound kind of bitter about it all.