Kim Barr or not to Kim Barr

[2vslug]

If you had a mod motor rebuilt there even if it was with all the good stuff....Do you trust it??If not where do you take it?

[Baba Ganoush]

Wow he's still around? I had several sets of heads worked there back in the day and they held up great. Never an engine built though.

[Strychnine]

They built the shortblock for the 383 I had in my chevelle. I never had any problems with it.

[Denny]

He rebuilt and assemb,ed my 331. It still hasn't fired up for obvious reasons, but the total price a bit higher than expected and it was completed a little earlier than expected.

[Txstang1]

Kim Barr is scetchy (sp).

Last year he balanced my rotating assembly by drilling a hole in the counter weight on my brand new balancer to get it to balance.

Most recently he did a 275.00 valve job and when I went to pick up the heads, he proceeds to tell/show me where the valves seats are pitted in his opinion and that it needs new seats. I got a second and thirds opinions for other machinests and they both disagreed with Kim.

But GOD DAMN, why would do a fucking valve job on supposedly bad seats? I can tell ya this much, had he been right and the heads did have to have new seats, I'd been in his face !!


End result: Heads are fine, valve job was BADASS, rotating assembly is fine, but he makes me wonder sometimes.

take that for what it's worth.

[War Machine]

Been down that road, I wouldn't use him personally.


I'd use either dennis wells or rick at metroplex machine shop

[J&T's 82]

Kim built my brothers 351 short block . He has been around for many years and actually does machine work for other shops.

[JMAC]

Been down that road, I wouldn't use him personally.


I'd use either dennis wells or rick and metroplex machine shop

+1

[ToRqUeTwIsTeR]

Been down that road, I wouldn't use him personally.


I'd use either dennis wells or rick and metroplex machine shop

Wasn't the motor in the 95 Cobra you had built my him?

[Vertnut]

I had friends using Barr almost 30 years ago. He was well-known and had a good reputation then.

[Denny]

I had friends using Barr almost 30 years ago. He was well-known and had a good reputation then.

LOL Most of us were either in diapers or not even born back then... just sayin'.

[Fox466]

Just depends on how much blow he's doing at the time...


I took a set of GT40's in years back along with a shortblock that I had him build and he sold me a valve job that had been done a month earlier. Said those seats were pitted as well.


Haven't been back and won't go back.

[Kyle]

If you want another place to go, Tyler and I (and maybe 5.0_CJ as well) have both used Charles Automotive Machine in Arlington. He has done everything from motors to building hydraulic fittings for my wreckers that were one off pieces. I found him because my machine shop recommended him for certain jobs back when I was into mustangs and they have been around for 25+ years with an impeccable rep. If they recommend Charles, then he must be doing something right!

The only downsides:
Some times he gets real backed up or isn't open at all. He mainly only does race motors for people, but he does one hell of a job and the wait will be worth it IMHO.

He can be a bit of an ass sometimes. I don't think he means honestly, but sometimes he can come off that way. Again his quality of work is worth it and when he begins to recognize you he lightens up quite a bit.

[greenbullitt]

Watt.

thats all I have to say.

[gearhead78]

Watt or Max Long