WHAT’S NEXT
This study and engineering effort is on temporary hold. It can end now or it can go on to produce hardware.
This new engine is not something that would be put into continuous production, but would instead be built in batches (production runs). Foundries and machine shops must work in quantities to keep costs reasonable. Setup and tooling costs are similar whether 1 or 10000 parts are produced. For a viable bid, foundries and machine shops need to have a quantity number.
Target cost is under $3000, and hopefully less for this new cylinder block assembly that also includes a crankshaft with connecting rods, seals, o-rings, bearing inserts, and fasteners. New replacement small block Chevy short blocks from China with ductile iron crankshafts and connecting rods typically sell in the $2000 range. Actual cost would depend on quantity ordered and whether the parts are manufactured in the USA or China. This target cost compares favorably with the cost of a rebuild, is a fraction of the cost that many have spent on modifications and improvements, and should be within an acceptable price range for someone collecting parts for a future engine.
Factories all over the world are ISO (International Standards Organization) certified and theoretically they are all equivalent, which means that anything produced by any ISO factory is equivalent. In China, tooling is typically disposed of after every production run, and any subsequent production run would have to pay for all new tooling. Tooling in America is a little different. The customer who paid for it usually owns tooling in America, however it is often not compatible from one producer to another.
The first production run of this design (and any succeeding runs) should be at least 500 units to spread the costs of tooling and setup to keep costs reasonable. Larger quantities would result in lower pricing.
This study and engineering effort is on temporary hold. It can end now or it can go on to produce hardware.
This new engine is not something that would be put into continuous production, but would instead be built in batches (production runs). Foundries and machine shops must work in quantities to keep costs reasonable. Setup and tooling costs are similar whether 1 or 10000 parts are produced. For a viable bid, foundries and machine shops need to have a quantity number.
Target cost is under $3000, and hopefully less for this new cylinder block assembly that also includes a crankshaft with connecting rods, seals, o-rings, bearing inserts, and fasteners. New replacement small block Chevy short blocks from China with ductile iron crankshafts and connecting rods typically sell in the $2000 range. Actual cost would depend on quantity ordered and whether the parts are manufactured in the USA or China. This target cost compares favorably with the cost of a rebuild, is a fraction of the cost that many have spent on modifications and improvements, and should be within an acceptable price range for someone collecting parts for a future engine.
Factories all over the world are ISO (International Standards Organization) certified and theoretically they are all equivalent, which means that anything produced by any ISO factory is equivalent. In China, tooling is typically disposed of after every production run, and any subsequent production run would have to pay for all new tooling. Tooling in America is a little different. The customer who paid for it usually owns tooling in America, however it is often not compatible from one producer to another.
The first production run of this design (and any succeeding runs) should be at least 500 units to spread the costs of tooling and setup to keep costs reasonable. Larger quantities would result in lower pricing.