[Duc Hunter]

I had a headstud go bad in Anni (89 25th Aniverarry Carrera) in 2017. That was a full top end, though we did not do the cylinders. Heads were done, valves, guides..everything he is doing except no cylinders (if he is doing them), rings, pistons. Mine was $7k for the shop to do, all in. Guys is a ex-Brumo’s guy and very good with Porsches and to his customers. A friend had the same shop do the same thing to his engine a few years earlier, plus rings for about the same. Another shop in town who does great work would be $10k-11k, and he takes the “make it all right, and reuse nothing unless you HAVE to...” model. He woudl do a new timing chain, new tensioners, etc where we reused all of mine as they spec’d out fine.

If Matt is getting new pistons, cylinders, head work (they are doing a cam and new Ti springs, so its a safe bet there is head work too) it still seems a little high. He could go up in displacement for that price, based on what I have seen here.

As for Matt being a moron about cars, not so sure about that. He has had The Smoking Tire for a long time, seems to know a lot about cars and know a lot of good car people. He also has a big following, so any shop he deals with knows if they mess up, a lot of people will know all about it real quick. Many people in Matt’s business (internet bloggers etc) do things like this and get it almost free, because of the visibility they give the vendors. Also, the prior shop was BBI. They are another seemingly very reputable Porsche shop, so I am not sure they damaged anything. Ever heard of Project Nasty? I don’t know any of these guys, just going based on what I have seen.

I agree, it would, be nice if Matt would do a real review of what work was actually done. Head port/polish? New Cylinders? Custom ground cam based on the 964 blank? Undercuts valves? CR changed? Because it seems to me that he is paying 60%+ more than the going rate we see out here for similar work. A good shop, with a really good reputation can charge what they want, and you pay it if you want their work. It could be that simple.

There is a shop here in town who does 100 point car typ restoration of Porsches and other cars. They quotes me a min of $10k + parts to do a front suspension pan and pedal box in my Rat Rod. Other places have quoted me $1,500-$2,500 for the same work, and a friend did a front pan only in his car for $1,400 including parts. This guys work is AMAZING, and he can fab panels from bare sheets that looks factory installed to Concourse Judges at Amelia & Pebble (has had cars win at Pebble Beach), so he is def worth what he charges. My car will never see Pebble though, and I can get it driving straight, and looking good for a normal driving car (like 99% of ours are) for apparently a lot less. Lesson is.......there are people worth that much $$ for their work.....IF you need that level of work.