• From: WOOTville USA
  • Registered: 2009-05-06
  • Posts: 2,415

Topic: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

I'm looking for a known/good/trusted place to take 3 crankshafts (yes 3  roll) to be inspected/polished/turned as needed. 2 are for the Killer ZomBee and the third is for my personal ride, which I refuse to hand over until a shop gains my trust.

Obviously it has to be budget friendly, but I can't afford to take chances on shoddy workmanship. Seems the humor in running an MGB wears thin after a second DNF and my core team is about to stage a mutiny on my ass. (Guess they can't see the glory due to the stench of blue smoke)

Any shops with high praise or good recommendations? Better, anyone here do good but semi-cheap work?

I know I could build an all out race-motor, but not only would that be against the spirit, but also futile and not NEARLY masochistic enough.

"Sparky" Pete

"Real ZomBees prefer Bacon"
IOE(x2) MGB/SAAB 96, Judge's Choice, Class C Win, & 2011 Hooniverse Car of the Year!
MRolla, Stick Figure/Animal House, Free Range MR2, SAAB Sonett, "The Death Flip"
2008 Exoskeleton Jag Fiasco, Concours d Lemons - Rue Britannia, worse British car.

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  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

Pete- my crank grinder is right here across from my shop.  Yes, in West Sac, but he's both good and charges a fair price.    I can walk across the way and check on whats going on.  All he does is grind cranks.           Most standard machine shops do not grind cranks and send them out, many in the bay area send them to this guy.

   I know its a bit of a hike, but he's good and inexpensive.

  -John

Gosh, my business card says 'Tech Tyrant'

3 Reply by Judge Phil (edited by MurileeMartin 2010-03-15 03:20 PM)

  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

I've had a couple cranks and blocks machined at Al Hubbard Machine Shop on Meekland in Hayward. They did very good work and have a good rep among old-time hot-rodders in the area. Plus they have a great collection of bent rods on display.

However, why rebuild that horrible pushrod BMC B for the race car when you can swap a REAL race-car engine into your car? Yes, I'm talking about an Alfa Twin Cam! Way more power, beautiful exhaust note, and a win-win combo of British and Italian reliability.

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  • Registered: 2010-01-15
  • Posts: 93

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

you could do the sensible thing and swap a big block chevy into the B

  • Registered: 2009-10-25
  • Posts: 1,993

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

Evil Genius wrote:

Pete- my crank grinder is right here across from my shop.  Yes, in West Sac, but he's both good and charges a fair price.    I can walk across the way and check on whats going on.  All he does is grind cranks.           Most standard machine shops do not grind cranks and send them out, many in the bay area send them to this guy.

   I know its a bit of a hike, but he's good and inexpensive.

  -John

Pete
This guy is GOOD.....he fixed the crank that came out of my "real" race 928 after the engine builder saids "its a goner".....it is PERFECT NOW.....  Cheap too...around $150...but probably less for a MG crank...since the 928 crank is MASSIVE

Richard Doty
1984 Porsche 928 "Estate"
Porsche- "there is A substitute" Racing
Dirt Poorsche Racing #2
  • cmice
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  • Registered: 2009-07-21
  • Posts: 187

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

MurileeMartin wrote:

However, why rebuild that horrible pushrod BMC B for the race car when you can swap a REAL race-car engine into your car? Yes, I'm talking about an Alfa Twin Cam! Way more power, beautiful exhaust note, and a win-win combo of British and Italian reliability.

Skip the Alfa, go Fiat.  5 main bearings, forged rods from the factory.  The bottom-end is bulletproof.

Except for the broken rings, which was my fault, and the broken gearbox, which was not my fault, or the galled crank bearing shell, which was also not my fault, and the cracked exhaust manifold, which was partially my fault, and random other crap that breaks - whether it was my fault or not.

Chris

"Chief Idiot" - Italian Stallions Rotary X1/9
Class Win (Bad) / IOE Win (Guzzi Fiat 600) / We Got Screwed / GRM Most from Least

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 9,416

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

We'd all be just as happy with a Fiat-powered MGB as with an Alfa-powered one.

Make it happen!

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  • From: WOOTville USA
  • Registered: 2009-05-06
  • Posts: 2,415

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

djsupersoul wrote:

you could do the sensible thing and swap a big block chevy into the B

Ha-ha-ha! I like you.

"Real ZomBees prefer Bacon"
IOE(x2) MGB/SAAB 96, Judge's Choice, Class C Win, & 2011 Hooniverse Car of the Year!
MRolla, Stick Figure/Animal House, Free Range MR2, SAAB Sonett, "The Death Flip"
2008 Exoskeleton Jag Fiasco, Concours d Lemons - Rue Britannia, worse British car.

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  • From: Oaktown Yo
  • Registered: 2009-05-08
  • Posts: 416

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

Dad has a diesel Renault crate motor (in a wooden box) and a couple of DS motors ready for action!

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  • Registered: 2009-04-30
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Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

There is Shannon machine shop in Oakley done a few Yota motors for me

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  • From: Oakland, CA
  • Registered: 2009-07-28
  • Posts: 134

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

Ashland Grinding & Balancing
21921 Meekland Avenue, Hayward, CA 94541-3862
(510) 537-5353?

They do not flinch at weird stuff.  I had them re-grind the cranks from an Ariel Square 4 motorcycle which is vastly more obscure and British than what you need.

  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2010-02-11
  • Posts: 156

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

vwminispeedster wrote:

Dad has a diesel Renault crate motor (in a wooden box) and a couple of DS motors ready for action!

Only if you crank the fuel pressure/injector cycles way up to make stupid amounts of smoke (and EGTs, but who's counting?)... big_smile

  • From: Hayward, CA
  • Registered: 2010-03-23
  • Posts: 1,762

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

Ed's crankshaft which is just off Winton Ave, 1 street east of industrial does a great job on crankshafts. He does all the crankshaft work for Rob's Auto Machine shop (industrial ave, just south of Hwy 92).

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  • From: Kinda Seattle-y-like-ish
  • Registered: 2009-05-01
  • Posts: 182

Re: Need a GOOD machinist in/near South Bay Ca

Try Jeff @ Zinola Machine.  140 S Whisman Rd Mountain View  (650) 390-9367

My neighbor at work and new machine shop guy.  Very good, very fast, realistic pricing.  Helluva nice guy, too.

TST, fool.

It's a Bunny.  With a pancake.  On its head.  Really, is it that tough?