Thread: is my friend getting ripped off

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my friend has a 1930 chevy the car was completely original
he is having a 235 straight 6 put in the chevy
the shop is charging him 4500 dollars to put that in
i dont know anything about 30 chevys
i just think with 4500 dollars i could do a lot for my car

Sounds alittle steep to me.........

MM64

The real question is . . . does your friend think he's getting ripped off? If so, he should have shopped around. If not, it doesn't matter.

However, think about this. The 235 isn't going to be a bolt in. Fabbing and fitting will be required. Motor mounts, wiring, exhaust, radiator hoses & fittings, and probably more. Today's shop rates run from $35.00 to $50.00 or $60.00 per hour. Sometimes two guys are going to be working on it. Suppose it takes 80 hours - just two weeks of work. 80 x $40.00 per hour = $3,200 just for labor. That only leaves $1300 for parts.

$4500 will do a lot if YOU do the labor. It doesn't get so much done if you're paying someone else a working wage.:

Originally posted by Henry Rifle
The real question is . . . does your friend think he's getting ripped off? If so, he should have shopped around. If not, it doesn't matter.

However, think about this. The 235 isn't going to be a bolt in. Fabbing and fitting will be required. Motor mounts, wiring, exhaust, radiator hoses & fittings, and probably more. Today's shop rates run from $35.00 to $50.00 or $60.00 per hour. Sometimes two guys are going to be working on it. Suppose it takes 80 hours - just two weeks of work. 80 x $40.00 per hour = $3,200 just for labor. That only leaves $1300 for parts.

$4500 will do a lot if YOU do the labor. It doesn't get so much done if you're paying someone else a working wage.:

yeah thats true a shop charged me 2300 bucks to overhaul a 2.3 liter in a pinto that was a stock overhaul ever since then i have individuals do the work or have friends work on my stuff
in no way i am a mechanic but still learning
as i am going to start on my wagon in feb should be a good learning tool

Originally posted by Henry Rifle

However, think about this. The 235 isn't going to be a bolt in. Fabbing and fitting will be required. Motor mounts, wiring, exhaust, radiator hoses & fittings, and probably more. Today's shop rates run from $35.00 to $50.00 or $60.00 per hour. Sometimes two guys are going to be working on it. Suppose it takes 80 hours - just two weeks of work. 80 x $40.00 per hour = $3,200 just for labor. That only leaves $1300 for parts.

$4500 will do a lot if YOU do the labor. It doesn't get so much done if you're paying someone else a working wage.:

Good point........ don't sound so bad when ya put it that way
I haven't been to a shop in awhile......

MM64

Anyone who's ever run a shop knows too that folks don't always tell all the story when they pass it along. He says it's to install an engine, which doesn't sound like all that much, but what else is being done to facilitate that, or add on beyond strictly the engine mounting "while you're in there...........".

doesn't sound unreasonable if they are doing any more than dropping an engine right in. If they have to fab up some mounts, exhaust, reroute wiring, and keep the stock look. Personally I'd drop a v8 in there if he's having all of that done, but then its not my car. If it were a straight up swap with no relocation of lines/wiring/mounts/exhaust then its a bit steep. Hell it might even be a good deal if they are also swapping out the trans(if I remember correctly, the original trans wouldn't be able to handle the power/torque of the 235).

Wait, there are people who do this for you? That doesnt sound like a bad deal to me if its going to be running when it leaves. This is a 6 volt car, and if he's getting a 12 volt conversion, thats a good deal. Along with the mounts, The tranny, the fuel lines, radiator, ect. If their just dropping it in, thats a bit steep. If their hooking it up, then its a good deal

Just do it yourself, It's not a hard conversion the original radiator will work too with a little modification as in adding an in-line thermostat and making it a pressurized system as the original WASNT..

The front mounting plate or side motor mounts are fairly easy to make, the transmission mount is not hard and everything else comes along in time

You will need an external cooler for the transmission and we all know that just getting the fuild OUT of the case and getting it back IN drops the temp like 20-degrees even with the smallest of coolers.. So an RV trans cooler would be some great overkill...

A problem is the sealed driveshaft on the 30', is this thing using the original transmission?, is an adapter plate needed?, or is it a bolt-on as most engines were in those era's..

Would hate to see what they would charge me to make a new frame from SCRATCH on mine !

Did it myself.., Cost $0.00 (free steel from old job)

I think its the "thought" of taking things apart and getting "LOST" is the problem with most owners.., This is why we have AD's all the time with those magic word in them..

"UNFINISHED PROJECT FOR SALE"

Would be glad to share my pages with your friend also.., Shes not a resto, But lotta ideas posted in it's 332 pages..

Evelyn, Rob's 1931' Chevrolet Hotrod TUB

See you on the BLACKTOP!

Rob

Originally posted by Tommycat
doesn't sound unreasonable if they are doing any more than dropping an engine right in. If they have to fab up some mounts, exhaust, reroute wiring, and keep the stock look. Personally I'd drop a v8 in there if he's having all of that done, but then its not my car. If it were a straight up swap with no relocation of lines/wiring/mounts/exhaust then its a bit steep. Hell it might even be a good deal if they are also swapping out the trans(if I remember correctly, the original trans wouldn't be able to handle the power/torque of the 235).

he is completely changing the brakes to disk brakes also a different tranny a three speed the my friends want a vintage type street rod he is all about that technology myself i would stick a 283 into the 30 he has i believe the 235 cameout of a 62 chevy truck i will start to know as i start on my wagon

If you are to spend that much to put an engine in it, drop
a small block V-8 in it. When all is said and done, you'll have
alot more for your money.

Daver.

Unfortunately there is no such thing as a cheap, well built hot rod especially if you have to farm out major work. I have done numerous major swaps over the years (believe me anything that requires engine/tranny mounts, exhaust, cooling etc to be fabricated is major).

Chances are you friend is actually being under-charged. From personal experience in my own shop and working in others you seldom charge for all the hours you actually end up having in the project. A good example is the motor mounts, I'll charge for actually fabricating the frame mounts and the materials involved and also a little for the time lifting the engine in and out and mocking up the templates and welding the mounts in. What is not counted is the time I spend looking though parts books for the motor mounts that will work the best and provide the cleanest installation. Also not charges is the time spent just looking at the mounting points and determining what the finished mount should look like. Then there's always the little things like the trip to the parts house for the longer/shorter bolts your going to need that you just don't happen to have on the shelf.

As a transmission swap is also involved, you are also looking at fabricating/modifying clutch and shift linkage. While the actual work may not require a lot of time, several hours (that are not normally charged) may be spent figuring out what exactly needs to be done/built. You also mentioned a disc brake conversion. From personal experience your friend will be charged for the time to remove the old components and install the new ones, but if the shop has never dealt with the particular kit they are using, there will be the time spent going over the instructions (some of which can really suck) and figuring out exactly how the kit goes together plus scrounging the little parts that are not included which is time not normally charged.

I would get involved in these projects because I enjoyed the challenge of figuring things out and making them work. The down side was that I could have made more money doing strictly service work ( which is a big reason most shops would not even consider doing this type of project).

Originally posted by Mike P
Unfortunately there is no such thing as a cheap, well built hot rod especially if you have to farm out major work. I have done numerous major swaps over the years (believe me anything that requires engine/tranny mounts, exhaust, cooling etc to be fabricated is major).

Chances are you friend is actually being under-charged. From personal experience in my own shop and working in others you seldom charge for all the hours you actually end up having in the project. A good example is the motor mounts, I'll charge for actually fabricating the frame mounts and the materials involved and also a little for the time lifting the engine in and out and mocking up the templates and welding the mounts in. What is not counted is the time I spend looking though parts books for the motor mounts that will work the best and provide the cleanest installation. Also not charges is the time spent just looking at the mounting points and determining what the finished mount should look like. Then there's always the little things like the trip to the parts house for the longer/shorter bolts your going to need that you just don't happen to have on the shelf.

As a transmission swap is also involved, you are also looking at fabricating/modifying clutch and shift linkage. While the actual work may not require a lot of time, several hours (that are not normally charged) may be spent figuring out what exactly needs to be done/built. You also mentioned a disc brake conversion. From personal experience your friend will be charged for the time to remove the old components and install the new ones, but if the shop has never dealt with the particular kit they are using, there will be the time spent going over the instructions (some of which can really suck) and figuring out exactly how the kit goes together plus scrounging the little parts that are not included which is time not normally charged.

I would get involved in these projects because I enjoyed the challenge of figuring things out and making them work. The down side was that I could have made more money doing strictly service work ( which is a big reason most shops would not even consider doing this type of project).

the car is coming along pretty good a vintage type rod original type late 50s early 60s rod original frame and everything
should be fun when it is done