thought Id post a few pics of my buddies works, he owns an automotive machine shop in south eastern Pa, I used to work for him years ago. he specializes in performance and racing but does any job that comes in the door too. for years he's been doing inline 4 bangers for a couple vintage road racers and then they asked him to do a flathead for a hot rod and it snow balled from there. his reputation has grown to the point he's doing at least 1 flatty a month or more some stock some mild and some wild. Its neat to see he's keeping them going.
I didn't want to break any forum rules by posting my buddies shop but it seems like shops that rebuild vintage iron are few and far so I'll put his name and web link so people can get in touch with him. he's the last of the old school engine builders in south eastern Pa with over 50 years hands on experience and he has the vintage tooling to do vintage engines. He's done multiple engine for me including all my race engines (dragsters) street rods and everyday cars. great guy and he will do what the customer wants and advise why or why not to do different things. he also is very detailed and takes pictures every step of the way which is great for restoration guys. He does work for people in Pennsylvania, NJ, Delaware, Maryland and has even done work for people farther away and shipped the engines to them. His name is Joe Vigorita and the shop is ECAM (east coast auto machine) he's in Glenside Pa 19038 and his number is 215-885-3510, let him know you got his name from "Dragster Paul" and he will hook you up. https://ecamracing.com/
What a fine way to start the morning with a family of Flatheads rearing to go ! I appreciate your efforts the pictures are done well by you and yes here on the west coast we are loosing qualified experienced flathead machinists and some of the new guard thinks they own your flathead and your wallet steering you into what they want to build for you . My machinist is retiring/moving and another retired last year so am sure this is happening throughout our culture . Most ' Flathead Shops ' are a rip and just for say - " To open the door costs you $12k " well Flatties can be built nice for cheaper by honest guys as yours and mines machinists and am glad you share the information with us it's an important part of keeping the art of car building and restoring and maintaining feesable and worthwhile .
Where the hell does he get all the good cores when everything freezes solid in winter?? Tried to work on a couple old f100 & block always bad
Yes you are right. I do (did) know of a place near me that has buildings (5) all over grown with vines full of vintage car parts I was only in a couple but there was one building they called the machine shop ,which I could not get into because the door was jammed on the inside by a falling cabinet. my buddy said it has v8-60 blocks,flathead blocks, inline blocks, heads,pistons,rods, cranks,camshafts,NOS bearings,intakes etc! In one out building there was 14 model A inline ford engines with trans's piled up like cord wood. my buddy was helping to clean up the place for the old woman who owned in now (her husband died) he was landscaping and was scrapping Ibeam axles and banjo's by the pick up truck load till I told him to stop. there was a building I was in with nothing but winsdshild frames,splash aprons (running boards),glass and trim everywhere. Its been 5 years since I was there so I dont know if the stuff is all there still but Im just saying its out there if you can find it.
I'd try to salvage as much of the old stuff in the dilapidated buildings as possible, as soon as possible. I'm speculating that eventually it will get ruined by leaking roofs etc., and or get sent to scrap by the "caretaker". Sadly, that's usually impossible to do for various reasons.
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