New Engine Builder, who would you use? Options

[RFoulds]

Who is out there that can reliably build and warranty a completely new 2270?

Preferable near me in SoCal..

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

we build many 914 engines here but only stock fuel injected versions
jake does a good job on the high performance ones

[drem914]

we build many 914 engines here but only stock fuel injected versions
jake does a good job on the high performance ones

One of his more recent FB posts Jake was stepping away from custom type IV engine direct orders and just build what he wants and then will release them through LN Eng. to handle the distribution, paperwork and customer contact when and if they become available.


"No more direct human interaction for me. I am moving to my final engine, one displacement, one stage, and one proven result. All will be the same, and I’ll build one when I want to. No more orders, no more timelines. No more budgets. No more opinions, comments or telephones and messages. No more groups, forums, or bullshit!"
"I sold the T4 Store to LN Engineering in 2012. They will now sell my engines, in the very limited quantities that they will be built."

[Jake Raby]

we build many 914 engines here but only stock fuel injected versions
jake does a good job on the high performance ones

One of his more recent FB posts Jake was stepping away from custom type IV engine direct orders and just build what he wants and then will release them through LN Eng. to handle the distribution, paperwork and customer contact when and if they become available.


"No more direct human interaction for me. I am moving to my final engine, one displacement, one stage, and one proven result. All will be the same, and I’ll build one when I want to. No more orders, no more timelines. No more budgets. No more opinions, comments or telephones and messages. No more groups, forums, or bullshit!"
"I sold the T4 Store to LN Engineering in 2012. They will now sell my engines, in the very limited quantities that they will be built."

This is true. I tagged the line for aircooled engines last September. I am now completing the final “built to order” T4 engine this month. After it I have one more 993 engine to build, which is my 4.1L spec, making 440HP. Plans are in place to build my favorite combinations and have them be sold without wait lists, and without prior commitments through LN Engineering as a retail sale. LN will provide all after sales support, and will handle all of the admin. They took overe the Type 4 Store a decade ago, and that worked out extremely well.
As the engines are built, I will take hundreds of photos of the core engine, all machining, head prep, flow bench work and shoot multiple videos of the process as well. I will do a ton of work during assembly so I don’t have to fool around with direct user interface afterward. My full instructions for supporting components, service intervals, first start preparation, and etc will accompany every engine. There’s no reason for anyone to talk to me with this level of information, and detail put into the build.

Do not expect to see any engines offered until mid- 2023. I’m tasking a lot of time off after the transition is completed. I’ll build 1-2 engines per month between T4s and aircooled 911, mixed with my R- Series engines for the 996/997/991 platforms.

After all these years I realized that I never started this business to be a business person. I started this business to build engines my way, and answer to no one. The past two years have really soured my outlook on exchanges with humans, and I realized that the chef never meets those who devour what he creates. People don’t think any less of that chef if they don’t get to meet or talk to him, right????

I will be able to focus on development and building more than ever after the phone lines, and email addresses are forwarded to LN. I belong in the shop, not on the phone, or answering questions in emails. We have a trained staff to do that, and its time that I do whatever the hell I want to do.
I wanted to just flat out retire, but too many people still depend on me to offer them employment, and they’ve been here for over 2 decades. I had to do this to retain my sanity. Purchasers have become damn near impossible to please, and these purchases are emotionally driven to the point that waiting for over a year for an engine tears people apart. Now if you can hit the “buy button” fast enough you can have my engine in a week, for the first time ever. I won’t allow pre- sales, or lists because I don’t want a clock or a calendar to impact my life any longer. We have not been late with an engine since covid began, and that has taken extreme focus and effort.
I was determined to finish all work on time, and my final built to order engine will be done 1 month early. Find that anywhere else today.

Realistically building to order today is a disaster, because you never know what part you promise to use, that you can’t get. Building the engines I want, and selling them once completed means that this element of variability is removed completely.

No engine of mine will be given to LN to sell until it is 100% completed, dyno tested, and crated for shipment. I don’t even want to know thew purchaser’s name. I’ll slap a label on it, and fire it away. My General Manager, Jud will be going to work at LN at the end of the year, and he will handle these sales, and support… That way he knows all the purchasers over the last decade personally, and can support what we’ve built without me.

I just want to be left alone.

You guys will see new stuff rolling out soon… It will be good, and you’ll like it. You may not see my name mentioned, but you’ll know that I was the guy that developed it.
Here’s a sample.. The first plug from our new molds for a complete set of carbon fiber 914/4 engine tin.. No more fighting with rotted tin that is bent and twisted. A true bolt on set. Its not being done in CF for looks, but more so the tin can be shaped exactly like the factory tin. I plan to do them in clear resin, kevlar, virgin CF and plain old black.

[Superhawk996]

I just want to be left alone.

I can only imagine the drama behind the scenes that has led to these words. I can feel it in the post.

Never having met the man . . . I know exactly where he's coming from and I say that never having had to put up with 1/1000 of the BS I'm sure he's had to endure.

For all you guys wondering why good engine builders are so hard to find. Bookmark and re-read this post next time you ask that question. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pray.gif)