[Kurt in NJ]

Rich took the risk in having them made in the beginning, he gives discounts when you buy in quantity, starting at 4-5 sets, I suspect a rebuilder buying 50 sets would get a better discount. His "kit" of everything is $1010 (no block, crankshaft,cam) to me means that there is a $1000 in the job for machine work, and with efficient modern production machinery set up to do 1 type of engine could have under 10 man hours in a model A shortblock.
There is a lot of competition in the low end shortblock, I would say the profit is in the Xtras --crack repair, fancy cams, larger valves, lightened flywheels, counterweighted cranks and the added value of a totally assembled sorted out complete engine.

Rich could have kept his bearings, and rods all to himself,just for his shop, not given any quanity discounts, but he will share them with anybody that wants to buy them , and a shop that buys many gets a better price than a person buying 1 ----this is better than many of the auto parts stores treat the trade.