Dave Dyer Rebuilt Beta Engines

[betabuoy]

I noticed that a chap called Dave Dyer has a rebuilt Beta engine with twin carbs for sale on FB at just over £4k.  Does anyone on here have any experience of Dave’s work?

[peteracs]

Hi Chris

He posts on FB regularly about his built twin cam engines. No personal knowledge.

Peter

[Ferrit]

Ha, I was going to search the same tonight.  I have had a brief chat with him tonight.  My previous option to sort my head out has gone AWOL all week.  I was also recommended him by a 124 owner with a few racey engines that this guy worked on

[deks]

This is how far I am out of touch with costs of restoration. I too saw this add and the spec on the engine suits my own ideas but the cost was not in my mind of what it would be to do. Clearly the person carrying out the works needs to earn a living and make a profit hence why most restored cars cost a heap more than they are usually worth but is circa £4k the reality of rebuilding an engine.? I know not what the state of my engine is and until I strip it out more will I. I would like a set of 40"s on it as I love the sound. The rest of a rebuild will depend on the wear found when I take the head and sump off but if I am likely to be spend around £3-4K then it may make sense to entrust it to someone who builds them regularly and correctly

[WestonE]

I have built a lot of performance TC engines over the years for my own education and fun. I had a lot of help and advice from Guy Croft RIP. The level of ignorance on component life/quality vs low budget expectations is why I refuse to build engines for anyone else. Components like pistons conrods and valve guides are normally simply not worth re-using if they are original. You can get decent cast Oversize pistons and good forged conrods at sensible money. You are £1k into a budget on parts already. Every time compromises are taken and corners cut your likely painful engine blow up is closer. Did you crack test the flywheel? were the plugs removed from the crank to clean it? Are the valves worth re-working? Using OE Con Rods? were they crack tested weight matched and provide with new bolts and nuts? The books from GC are a how to do it right guide, but can you judge oil pump condition from experience and recognize that a brand new part is not built to the spec needed? This stuff is detail intensive surgery with obsessive measurement and cleanliness. If you do not have the attention to detail and patience your disaster awaits. I think 4k is good value alongside the list of parts and operations performed in building the engine. I like stage by stage photos to add confidence. I like what I have seen of Dave's work over a number of years. If in doubt ask to speak to some of his customers.       

[Ferrit]

cost to refurb v buying new v buying better new is a hard one, eg cost to just refurb and repair my DAT twin choke carb by me was £365, probably could have had this done by Classic Carbs for c£500 + the repair, v's a pair of new carbs (I dont have a clue but inc everything I need I bet its £1k+++

Nothing is cheap anymore.  If you want quality it will cost.  Problem is with these old cars and engines, where do you stop?  For time being I just want a normal stock and reliable engine

I am hoping for an okay solution for not bonkers money for my engine.  My understanding of what is not bonkers is being reset on a regular basis though...  I am going to take the risk the bottom end is okay.  I will test the compression on all cyclinders maybe after I test drive post rebuilding and fitting the head.  If its no good (2 and 3 were c190psi)  if they all come out near to that and will be happy for the time being.  If not I will re think.

I put a VW crate engine and new twin turbo's in my Caravelle a few years back.  The engine was exchange, I think it cost about £5~6k just for the engine, plus some parts you should do whilts you are there, turbo's was £2k and the fitting etc.  I think it was £12k by a specialist down in Taunton.  £4k for that engine now sounds cheap to me ;-)

I totaled up what I had spent so far on this car, I will not share :-) 

[deks]

I have built a lot of performance TC engines over the years for my own education and fun. I had a lot of help and advice from Guy Croft RIP. The level of ignorance on component life/quality vs low budget expectations is why I refuse to build engines for anyone else. Components like pistons conrods and valve guides are normally simply not worth re-using if they are original. You can get decent cast Oversize pistons and good forged conrods at sensible money. You are £1k into a budget on parts already. Every time compromises are taken and corners cut your likely painful engine blow up is closer. Did you crack test the flywheel? were the plugs removed from the crank to clean it? Are the valves worth re-working? Using OE Con Rods? were they crack tested weight matched and provide with new bolts and nuts? The books from GC are a how to do it right guide, but can you judge oil pump condition from experience and recognize that a brand new part is not built to the spec needed? This stuff is detail intensive surgery with obsessive measurement and cleanliness. If you do not have the attention to detail and patience your disaster awaits. I think 4k is good value alongside the list of parts and operations performed in building the engine. I like stage by stage photos to add confidence. I like what I have seen of Dave's work over a number of years. If in doubt ask to speak to some of his customers.       

Thank you for this informative comment.

[betabuoy]

Yes.  I was thinking that £4k was not a bad price, hence posing the original question.

Thank you, Eric, for putting things in perspective. And I agree, if you want first class stuff, you need deep pockets. But there are folk out there who ‘appear’ to be doing some good engineering (although shiny paint and polished alloy doesn’t, in itself, make for a long-lasting and strong donkey!).

It seems like Dave has actually been around for a few years with some happy customers.  So £4k? For a fully rebuilt engine with twin 42s… probably worth every penny!

[deks]

cost to refurb v buying new v buying better new is a hard one, eg cost to just refurb and repair my DAT twin choke carb by me was £365, probably could have had this done by Classic Carbs for c£500 + the repair, v's a pair of new carbs (I dont have a clue but inc everything I need I bet its £1k+++

Nothing is cheap anymore.  If you want quality it will cost.  Problem is with these old cars and engines, where do you stop?  For time being I just want a normal stock and reliable engine

I am hoping for an okay solution for not bonkers money for my engine.  My understanding of what is not bonkers is being reset on a regular basis though...  I am going to take the risk the bottom end is okay.  I will test the compression on all cyclinders maybe after I test drive post rebuilding and fitting the head.  If it's no good (2 and 3 were c190psi)  if they all come out near to that and will be happy for the time being.  If not I will re think.

Yes my naive prices in my head as to what the restoration will cost are slowly and surely being put right.  like my music my costs are still in the 80's.  I intend to do the car right and quickly realising this is going to cost me way more than my expected £8k forecast. I will be out of pocket but I dont plan to sell it and will keep it for my daughters to sell so for them it will be profit whatever its worth.  I think I may also be taking longer than the two years planned and thus hope this engine chap is still around then to discuss the matter with

[peteracs]

Hi Steve

If you have the time, then rebuilding your engine yourself should be fairly straight forward outside of any machining. You would need very few special tools, just take your time and attention to detail.

Peter