Advantage Engine Restoration machine shop.

[BLOWN95GT]

This is a machine shop in downtown Leeds Alabama. THEY SUCK! I took my 94 model 351w roller block to them and payed $1900 the day I dropped off the block to have some machine work done. I wanted the block bored 30 over and ordered a 383w stroker kit with forged crankshaft, h beam rods, and forged pistons specifically for trickflow twisted wedge cylinder heads with 8.5-1 compression. Well the guy CLIFF said the kit would be there three days from when we ordered it. I call the shop a week later and they say well we had a little set back, the company we ordered the kit from couldn't find the right crank so we upgraded it to a 408. The kit got swapped without my permission, not even a phone call to get the go ahead! This really pissed me off but they upgraded the kit for the same price so I said well whatever as long as it has a compression ratio at or less than 9.0-1 that is fine. The guy says the kit would be at the shop within the next 2-3 days ok fine. One week later I call the shop again. The guy (Cliff) says well we have a problem, they sent the wrong pistons in the kit so now its gonna cost another $200 to have them flycut and balanced . I tell him to send the kit back and I will be there to pick up my money and block the next day I will order my own kit :banghead:. The next day I go to the shop to get my stuff to find out nothing had been touched the motor looked just as it did when I left it 3 weeks ago. I tell them I am taking my buisness elsewhere. Cliff writes me a check for $1900 and ask me not to cash it for two days (ok whatever) Im trying not to cause any trouble and just let it slide so I load my junk and go home. I call to see if he has the money in the bank yet, he says ok so I go to sign the back of the check to deposit it and he wrote the check out to someone else! NOT MY NAME. I went to the shop today to get another check wrote and Cliff isn't there so this fat ass behind the counter starts to huff and puff and has the nerve to say (well you know it cost us $98 to send the kit back right?) I say not my problem he says yes it is you didn't tell us you had trickflow heads! :censored: I go off and tell him not only did I tell them what heads I have but I didn't even order the f***ing 408 kit I ordered the 383 kit anyway Pass this on to everyforum in Alabama that has to do with cars and If ANYONE AT ADVANTAGE ENGINE RESTORATION IN LEEDS, ALABAMA EVER GETS TO READ THIS DANIEL DAVIS SAYS YOU GUYS SUCK!!! AND I HOPE NOONE EVER GIVES YOU ANY BUISNESS!

[Doc_G]

HAHAHAHAHHA sorry for your hard luck man, but it sure makes my day to know atleast I'm not the only one frustrated this week.

[nxcoupe]

Wow, so tell us how you really feel about it? Daniel, I feel your pain, I started my business up after being screwed hard in a similar fashion by one of the bigger name shops at the time. It took me from june til Dec to get my parts I ordered, and in Dec I still hadn't gotten one of the parts. I told him to forget it and give me my money back, which took a full week to get him to credit me 45 frickin bucks. I said screw this and started my business the next day.

[SlowJoe]

Are they any good machine shops left? I have found a guy in albert ville that has shop at his house. He even works on sat. I am going to give him a try next time up.

[ncontt]

we used to use R&R machine in Opelika, but they're no more...:-(

[JUICED SVT]

Are they any good machine shops left? I have found a guy in albert ville that has shop at his house. He even works on sat. I am going to give him a try next time up.
who is it?

[QWKSNKE]

Are they any good machine shops left? I have found a guy in albert ville that has shop at his house. He even works on sat. I am going to give him a try next time up.

We have a good one between Anniston and Gadsden that I recommend. Dutton Performance. Danny can do anything you want and is a Ford guy at heart to boot.

[nxcoupe]

Are they any good machine shops left? I have found a guy in albert ville that has shop at his house. He even works on sat. I am going to give him a try next time up.

I hear ya, It took me years and years to find a good one. Happened to stumble across a guy that is a one man shop and will do what I ask him for to the letter. he's not the cheapest, but by far not the most expensive either. He is the reason my engines I build, to both use and sell, are high quality and perform the way they do. I even bought him torque plates to use just for my stuff.
I'd say give the guy a whirl and see how he works out for you. I find the best way to keep a machinist honest and quality high is to double check him using the same intruments he uses. lol.

[SlowJoe]

I will get the info up in a few days. I lost it when i dropped my phone in coke

[SlowJoe]

Like i said i am going to try him. He put guides in a set of alum v6 heads for a friend and he has been happy with them. Ray Klaver 2565824112

[coupe]

I used Howton's in Hueytown for my machinework and they've always been straight-shooters to us.

There's also a guy in McCalla named Glen Sheperd (sp?). I had heard about him for years and actually met him before, but never used him. I was looking for a specific oil-galley plug and finally went by his place last week. It's pretty much a barn right behind his house (near Exit 1 on I-459 in Bessemer). He has balancing equipment, boring and honing machines, etc... I was impressed with his shop and I hear he's inexpensive. He had several different motors going together, including a Big block Cadillac, a 2.3 Ford, and some SBC's. He had the exact galley plugs I needed and didn't take a dime for them. I will certainly use him for future work.

[jonesgt]

As QWKSNKE said Dutton Performance does great work.

[banditmwp]

+1 for dutton performance :nice:

[03slobra]

+2 dutton is one of the best esp. on ford engines.