Machine Shop Recommendations and Steering Box Rebuild

[sdkunick]

I just moved to the Olympic Peninsula last year and I have a 5 bolt 289 that I want to build and put in my 64 Sprint. At the same time I'm going to convert it from a Ford-O-Matic to a Borg Warner T-10. I've got everything to do the conversion. I plan to to use a hydraulic clutch set up from Modern Driveline instead of the stock Z bar.

My question to all of you is, I'm looking for a good engine machine shop, I'll go as far as Tacoma/Seattle for a good shop. I'm not in a super hurry, I'd rather wait and have it done right than somebody rush through it.

I also need my stock steering box rebuilt. I found a place called Red Head Steering Gears in Auburn. I was wondering if anyone has used them or if there is another option out there.

TIA. Steve Kunick

[Ilvmygt]

Steve, one of the main machine shops in the peninsula area is Westbay. Their machine shop is located in Bremerton on Navy Yard HWY. They have been around a long time. If you go to the shop they will talk to you. A very long time ago I had work done by them and it was good. In 2000 I need some machine work done on a Corvair head that dropped a valve. It needed welding and a new valve set. After a month they had not even started the work so I picked up the head. This soured me from using them. I would go talk to them.



Since you are not is a hurry I would go to the monthly Cool Car Cruise in Silverdale and talk to the hot rodders that come to the meet. There is usually 500 to 800 cars that come to the meet. The cruise is held the first Tuesday of the month from 3 to 7 in the Kitsap Mall north parking lot. People come early and it is pretty thin after 6. April and May were canceled. The next Cool Car Cruise would be June 2 provide it's not shut done by Corona Virus.

Frank

[Jeff W]

I have heard good things about Johnson Machine and am considering having them do my 200. Apparently they are Ford specialists and have great reviews. Sadly they are was South... close to Tumwater I believe. I do not have first hand experience yet.

Kenny and Roger in the club have both used Redhead. Hopefully they will chime in.

[Luva65wagon]

Steve, RedHead is the place. They do awesome work and may be able to do a swap. A couple years ago I wanted to do a new box in my Ranchero and had 4 cores (including my own and a unit off a Mustang) and when I got there they looked at my cores briefly and handed me a new box and said to have a nice day. They used to be in Seattle and I've been going to them for years. I fact when I went there with the cores they were gone - only to discover I had to drive all the way to Auburn from Lynnwood... on a Friday. Made it there about 15 minutes before they closed, but they were very accommodating.

As for machine shops I've always used Action Machine in Shoreline. Perhaps too much of a drive, but Rob there has been there forever and they know there stuff (but most shops do...). Recently dealt with a shop up towards Everett who did the machine work for a 69 Mustang for a members' son. They were a shop with no frills (at all), but their work was awesome. I can't recall the shop name, but it is around 212th on HWY 99 in Everett.

Hope you find a good spot.

[SmithKid]

I too used Redhead and was very pleased with the results.