[GordonC]

If I may add some info here as obviously you are considering either having 1 built or buying 1 complete. I had an 8ba built by a person recommended by a friend. I checked out his shop and he had all the right machine tools, motors all around being machined, and some race engines sitting on stands. I had previously had my block magged and pressure tested. He bored it out, installed all new valve seats, guides, new valves, new oil pump, all new bearings, pistons, rings, cam, cam bearings, in short he did all the work required to get a completed short block back from him. We started at about $2200 but by the time I picked the block up were up to $3200 because of various issues that he ran into, plus he relieved the block and did some other minor machining which made sense to do while it was apart. It is now about a year since I got it back. I installed the heads, intake, distributor, water pumps and so on. I have been attempting to get this motor to run now going on 2 weeks. I have tried everything. I am getting fuel, I am getting spark, and the motor turns over well. It just won't fire. Have numerous times checked to be sure #1 piston is on tdc and timing pointer and pulley dot are aligned. No dice. Ran a compression test and only have about 50 lbs in each cyl. Now it has not been run and the rings may not be seated and that may be why, but the moral of my story is I will NEVER, repeat NEVER, buy another motor without seeing it running on a proper break in stand before I pass over my hard earned money. The same is true of a used motor as well. If I don't see it run with my own eyes the it ran when pulled crap isn't going to cut it. The problems with this motor have ruined the fun of building my car.