Classic Engine Company

[Gerald C.]

Does anyone have any experience with these folks from Oshkosh, WI? I spoke with Tom and he seems to know what he's talking about and seems sincere.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Jerry

[Tim S.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

Jerry,
I just purchased a block from him. I am happy with the block and you are right, nice guy to deal with. One of my friends suggested Classic to me. He has purchased blocks and completes from Tom and was very satisfied as well. Hope this helps.
Tim

[Pierre J.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

I tried to deal with Classic Engine about 18 months ago. I called many times and eventually spoke to Tom. He had the block I was lookin for, he gave me a price and I thought we had an agreement.
Couldn't complete the deal as he wouldn't returm my calls afterward to complete the transaction.. Gave up after many calls and bought an engine from somebody else.

Pierre 34410

[William D.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

Tom did the rebuild on my engine, 65 L76. Over all I was happy, but did have a couple of small annoying problems. (ex. oil pan leak, wrong VAC)

Bill

[Patrick H.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

He built the engine for my friend's 66, and it's been a very nice motor. Zero problems with it, and it passed judging without a problem.

[Bill O.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

Tom Luedeke rebuilt an engine for me in 2007 and I have had not a minutes problem with it. I delivered the engine to his shop (that might have helped) and returned to pick it up when complete. He's a nice guy, but so very busy (and in that location...he has another where some of the work is done... a little shorthanded) and because of that if he doesn't recognize the caller ID, it might just go into VM. His phone rings all the time. BUT, he spent a lot of his time with me explaining what he was going to do. He partially dismantled the engine right there to show me. He always either picked up my call afterwards or called me back without fail. He leaves and locks his building over the lunch hour and is very disciplined about this. I had lunch with him one day and he couldn't have been friendlier....but he is going to lunch, and is going at the same time every day!

He has an exceptional reputation in that neck of the woods. And as you see in Hemmings he's got quite an inventory. I'd give him another try, but call early afternoon.

http://www.classicenginecompany.com/

Bill

[Steven N.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

Tom is a very busy man. He does alot of the work himself. Makes money doing blocks. I have seen many motors on the judging field that have been exceptional and i have no complaints with his work. Worth the wait for zero problems...............

[Gerald C.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

To all,

I just purchased a block and a set of heads I was looking for from Tom.

Thanks for all your replies.

Jerry

[Jason S.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

I am considering getting at least one 327 engine block through Tom at Classic Engines - and I see several threads on both NCRS and the Corvette Forum with some tags related to experiences there.

Most experiences are favorable - regarding machining, engine assembly overall, and pad stamping quality.....except one that I see archived here:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/archive/index.php/t-22020.html

There is a quote from Mike McCagh:
"...If you are going to have the car judged, the broach marks will leave a lot to be desired..."

Does anyone have any experiences with Tom's pad stamps - or know what issues Mike may have had?
I will also try to message him directly.

[Gerald C.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

Jason,

I did purchase a block from Tom and I was very pleased with his attitude and customer service. I was not going to bring my 67 through the judging process so Mike's comments about the broach marks didn't concern me. Again, it depends on what you're looking for.

Good luck

Jerry

[Terry D.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

Am I missing something here? It is OK to get a motor (not the original) and have it fudged into looking original, so you can pass judging and sell for big bucks, but you get tore apart for making a small block car a big block car. I guess I'm in the minority when I say it was only original once! I know I maybe comparing apples to oranges but I think you get the point I'm trying to make.

[Joe R.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

Terry,

This is called the National Corvette Restorers Society!!!!!! Restoring a car to original is what it's all about!!!!!! Stealing, cheating, lying and faking is just part of some people's lives. I restore Corvettes, Radios, Clusters, Clocks etc.! That doesn't make me a bad guy! Restoring to original or appearing original is just part of this hobby!!!! Cheating and Stealing should not be part of the NCRS!
I say expose them and run them out of town!

JR

[Jason S.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

I agree - I am sure some people have used the availability of date-coded parts and restamping this-and-that with a profit motive in mind - but not in my case. I have no plans to sell my car - it's been in the family since 1980 and I grew up around it. I'm going down the path of a body-off, and using the opportunity to "fix" things as correct as I can, budget and time allowed.

I'm assuming many others are in the same boat. Yes, they are only original once - but even many of the originals 50 years on have had to have their engines decked and rebuilt (maybe a couple times).

If some of us are willing to spend the time chasing down REAL original rebuilt parts (and willing to pay for them) rather than just ordering reproductions, what's really wrong with that? For instance - recently I bought a REAL DEAL #609 water pump, rebuilt. I also bought a REAL DEAL #4657 fuel pump, rebuilt.....and the parts list goes on. How is my water pump or fuel pump any different than someone else who's had their own "original" rebuilt?

As I state above, not all of us have been lucky enough to have a car that is a low-mile, all-original car some 50 yrs on. Many of our cars were maintained with parts ranging from later GM service parts, or NAPA-type replacements in the '70s and '80s. The fact that some of us are willing to make the effort to find original parts, salvaging them and rebuilding them, is what is keeping this hobby alive.

Here's an analogy from a TV show that's currently on the air - you have an 1890's barn on your property. Some logs are aged, or water damaged. You make the effort to find a similar barn in the same county, built with the same species of wood from the same area, likely built by the same community of people that hand-hewned your own barn logs. Isn't it commendable that you'd be willing to rebuild your barn "as correct" as you could, rather than having it done with modern sawmill parts?

Or a better analogy:

http://www.hotrod.com/events/1511-427ci-mystery-motor-corvette-mickey-thompson-and-smokey-yunick-built-for-hot-rods-sema-booth/

This guy had an original '63 SWC that had history as a developmental mule for the 427 "Mystery Motor". The ACTUAL engine it raced with was long gone.....but he went through the effort to find another period-correct Mystery motor from the garages of Smokey Yunick when all his parts were auctioned off to the public. He could have just built a commonly available crate motor 427 and dressed it up with whatever reproduction parts he could find - but he didn't. He went through the effort to make the car as correct as possible with some very hard-to-find parts. Based on some people's logic here - I suppose he shouldn't have bothered to do anything with the car?

With all that said.......all my logic is based off the assumption people declare their cars as "date code correct" and not claim they are "all original". I know it's a fine line, and some people are willing to conveniently stretch definitions of all this to make money. Many of us on this site are not out to do that. We just want our cars to look correct, sound correct, and perform correct, just like they did when new, with parts that were new when the cars were new. To me, it's better to do this, and stay true to the hobby, than slapping our cars together with Chinese repro parts, or NAPA replacement parts.....or worse......resto-modding them.

[Wayne L.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

I have dealt with Tom for many years and my experience has always been positive.

[Terry D.]

Re: Classic Engine Company

Jason
If you have no intension of selling the car, why go through the cost and trouble to put a fake original motor in it? Why not just put in any chevy motor and drive it and enjoy it. After you do all this and the car is completed and you are out somewhere and a guy walks up to see your car are you going to tell him the motor is not original? The M/W dictionary defines restoration as "act or process of returning something to its original condition by repairing it, cleaning it, etc." Doesn't say anything about replacing with a fake to make it seem original. Don't get me wrong I'm a firm believer in doing what you want to your car, but I hate to see cars passed off as original when they are not! And by doing so you are keeping these tricksters in business.