Needed 383 short block or Machine Shop in Nor Cal

[Aloha Randy]

Just found out that my 1970 Challenger had a wrist pin come loose and took out number 2 cylinder. The car is in Livermore, California and we are looking for a stock HP 383 short block rebuilt that we can swap parts and accessories over to. Would prefer 1969 date code. Or, looking for a great Mopar machine shop in Northern California to talk to to see if we can get one built. Anyone's help would sure be appreciated as we need to get this back on the road soon. Thanks, Randy

[7212Mopar]

Is putting a sleeve in the block an option to save a number match block? I recall seeing some threads about shops up in Sacramento but I don't know any up here.

[Aloha Randy]

I am looking at that option but since I have not had it done before that is choice #2. Block, journals, cam, crank, bearing etc. would all have to be cleaned, measured and inspected. Thinking the cost of that could be more than a short block. Had one shop in Livermore that said they would do the engine for $15k and that's without removing and replacing the engine in the car! So we will see if any options come up in the $10k range. Engine had 3.2 miles on it but it was done 3 years ago back east.

[rikkitik]

 Sorry about the bad luck.
Livermore (Bay Area for that matter) is kind of a "buck$$-up" area, so it may make it a bit difficult. There were some Mopar specialists some years back, but most I knew of are gone. Most of the better machine shops that are left are in fairly high demand.
You may have better luck in Stockton or Modesto. Bell & Gaines in Modesto sleeved a buddy's bbc (race) block, really outstanding work, but last I spoke with Bell & Gaines they had a 6-8 week backlog.
Tech Machine in Livermore seems to have a decent reputation, but I don't personally know anyone who has had work done there.
I'll try to ask a friend who still lives there if he has any recommendations (or "stay away froms").
You might call BRE in Salida, they may have a recommendation as well.

[Aloha Randy]

Thanks for your suggestions. Tech Mach is the shop that gave me a good price on the sleeveing and they had done a 426 engine for me years back. I will go with them if a short block doesn't come up. I want to stay in the stock format but I will look at all big block options.

[1 Wild R/T]

Is the block in the car #s matching?   If not then there's no reason to sleeve it... If it is it's worth looking at...

[rikkitik]

 $15k????? $15, followed by THREE zeros? For a rebuild?? Holy s***!!! That's insane 😳 When I said Livermore was a "bucks-up" 💰 area, I would not have expected that.
BRE put an LS7 in a friend's '71 Trans Am for $8k.
Which is kind of the overall situation in the Bay Area, you can probably find a dozen places to do a modern hemi conversion, but very few to do a restoration rebuild.

[Aloha Randy]

It does have numbers matching and I would save the block in any case. The car will be a driver for me, not an investment type car. My dilemma is I can't find a short block and I am not finding a shop so far that wants to do this work of removing the engine, sending to machine shop and replacing the engine and components back in the car. If I didn't live in Hawaii, I would do this myself but its in Livermore at a friends shop. It was in transport from the east coast when the issue was discovered.

[1 Wild R/T]

That's a problem... But pretty sure a sleeve will take care of it....   I'm assuming the engine has floating wrist pins & lost a Tru-Arc.. Cause a pressed pin doesn't move...

BRE is about three miles from my house, they do more hotrod & racer type stuff, not sure if I'd use them for stock type work... 

My real job has me traveling for the next few weeks or I might offer to have a look...

[rikkitik]

BRE is about three miles from my house, they do more hotrod & racer type stuff, not sure if I'd use them for stock type work... 

Agreed 👍
BRE was only suggested for potential machine shop recommendations.

[1 Wild R/T]

I'd probably talk with Joe @ Yosenite Machine or Kenny @ Valley Balancing... Could talk to Bobby @ Bell & Gaines but 15K might not get you there...

[7212Mopar]

Engine shop in Hawaii? May be just ship the car back to you as is and plan to have the work done in Hawaii.

[Aloha Randy]

Thanks, BRE was going to take 3 days to return a quote and I ended going with Driven Garage in Oakland and they work with Joe's Machine Shop in Concord. Both good Mopar reputations. With quotes from $15 to $5k and timeframes from September to one year out, it has been a wild ride finding a solution that works! Thanks for your suggestions etc.!

[Aloha Randy]

Tech Machine Shop is working 8 months to a year out !

[Aloha Randy]

They make good drinks out here but not much in machine shop work except the small car and Drag racer arena. Parts to ship, the last parts I ordered cost $200. to shipp over here! Add 6 months to a year to a restore project and significant shipping cost.