What’s the normal turn around on a drive line rebuild?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2010: What’s the normal turn around on a drive line rebuild?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will Copeland on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 03:11 pm:

I took my 1919 touring car last fall to an engine rebuilder to have the engine,trans and rear redone. I supplied the Stipe cam, High comp head, Ruckstell rear, Safty hubs and other things. He's getting the balanced crank and what ever else the car may need. It’s still not done and I was wondering what’s the usual turn around time it takes to do a job like this.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 03:25 pm:

A few days to do the actual work, likely about a week, but could be waiting for parts, or doing other work. Sometimes you need to ask for a certain date. If you don't get it done soon, you will miss the summer touring season.

If this person does many Model T's and that's his only job, it shouldn't take long. Some "rebuilders" work on modern iron, and they have certain clients for whom they do their work promptly, because they are continuing customers. That type do their Model T work in their spare time, and they have little spare time.
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Hylen on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 05:05 pm:

I've found that I work best when I'm given a deadline; not so close that I feel rushed and not so far out that I get sidetracked. Perhaps, your rebuilder is the same. Is he full time or doing work as a hobby business? Waiting on a part-time guy from fall to spring isn't too unreasonable, but fall to fall should be. Communication is the key.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Gould on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 07:40 pm:

It takes time to do T mechanical work properly. Just think of the various operations that need to be done. In addition, there is a lot of fitting of individual parts if you want a decent job. All very time consuming. If I were to tell you how much time it took me to bore Perfecto planet gears, machine bushings for a specified interference fit and bore to a specified clearance, you'd probably laugh. Those who have never built up a T engine or have done one half assed will probably never understand how labor intensive good work is.
All the time I hear comments like, "Just bore it out, install bushings and ream to .005" clearance. Because its easy to say, many folks think its easy to do. I have been rebuilding engines, transmissions, front ends and rear ends for more years than I care to remember and each job continues to be a challange.
I wouldn't worry about time, I'd worry about quality.
Speaking of quality, anybody see the new Ruckstell ball bearings made in India. Junk with a capital J. Langs still gets $94.50 a pop for them. I put mine on the shelf and found a much better used one.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Seth Harbuck - Shreveport, LA on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 08:04 pm:

It takes plenty of time to do ANY mechanical work properly. When a car is 80 plus years old and all kinds of half-assed work has been done (as it often has, especially on a cheap car like a Ford T) it takes even longer. When it is a T that isn't worth much as far as antique cars go and the owners often don't want to pay very much for the labor, guess what? It gets put on the back burner so that the mechanic can feed his family.

If a price and timeframe was quoted before he took everything apart, then shame on him because he probably is going to burn himself.

Seth


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Jeffrey Cole on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 10:48 pm:

With the economy the way it is,mechanics and people in other trades are taking on any work they can get.He probably took on your job,thinking it would be a peice of cake.And he found different.Chances are if he aint done anything yet,he wont.Give him a deadline of a month,then go get your car,in boxes,whatever,and take it elsewhere.Chances are to that when you get it in peices,the next man will charge more for haveing to go back and take care of things the other guy missed or he would go over what that man did to make sure it was up to his own specs.
If your car was the only 1 in the shop,and he works on it 40-50 hours a week,it should be done in a couple months I would think.with him takeing on a couple easy jobs to make grocery money.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Berch on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 10:58 pm:

Will, did you get a special deal and tell him to squeeze it in when he could? Or tell him you weren't in a big hurry and work on it when ever? I told a good friend of mine, a powder coater, that once and I'm still waiting on some parts 2 years later. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Seth Harbuck - Shreveport, LA on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 11:00 pm:

Gosh, if he works on it 40 hours a week and it takes a couple of months, at even $25 per hour that's over 8 grand in labor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mack Jeffrey Cole on Friday, June 11, 2010 - 11:04 pm:

Yep,I was going by if he was as slow as I am :>)
Surely to goodness it couldnt take that long but you know,since last fall,that has been well,at the very least 6 months.Long enough you know?

Oh yea! NEVER tell someone you aint in a hurry.When talking to someone about doing something I will say something like,"you know there is a cruise in at the end of the month,I sure would like to take this thing down there when you git it done." That to me is a positive way of putting the bug in his ear that you would like to see action.A sordof deadline without sounding like a stuburn jack---.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Will Copeland on Saturday, June 12, 2010 - 07:27 pm:

This should not be a side job. I asked to have the car by April-May time frame. I'v been told by other he dose a top notch job and bulding vintage engines is all he does. I will call on Monday but your right, I'd rather have the job done right rather than hurried. I'm hoping I can get it back soon, I'v promised a 91 year old Peral Haubour vet a birthday ride. I dont want to break this promies.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Putnam on Sunday, June 13, 2010 - 09:07 am:

6 weeks for total engine restoration, parts availablity, shipping and any speciality work that must be done outside the shop will have an impact. We are talking weeks not months.
If it goes longer than a couple of months call the shop and inquire what you owe for "storage". That implies you know they are not working on your project and they sometimes feel guilty about it being there a long time. May be better than yelling at them.

JP


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ted Dumas on Sunday, June 13, 2010 - 02:25 pm:

Don't ask a question when you dont want to know the answer. How much do I owe for storage? The answer, $375. Now what do you do?

I think you better just go see him face to face. Looks like its taken longer than 6 months already. Your rebuilders interest is nil. Better pick up your parts and go somewhere else.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Gould on Sunday, June 13, 2010 - 02:45 pm:

Remember its not just an engine rebuild. It includes a transmission (and mag no doubt)all assembled fitted and ready to run. Also a Ruckstell rear end with floating hubs. Looks like an entire mechanical rebuild except the front end, which is the easiest part. I don't think six months is unreasonable, although I agree that contact should be made. Just curious why no contact during this time. If it were my car and I was entrusting a pretty much complete mechanical rebuild I'd be on the phone at least a month.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Kuehn on Monday, June 14, 2010 - 04:34 pm:

If the person is a reputable rebuilder this should be completed in around 3 months. After a month I would call to see how things were going. Depends on the backlog of work and avalibility of parts after a breaking down of everything and to see what is needed. If he has to send out for babbitt work this could slow down things considarably.
There are a lot of things to consider as usually things dont always go as planned in any project.


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