The 'E' Type Forum

I'd like to know if you have the same dilemma as in France with car prep workshops?
On the one hand very few workshops remain doing only bespoke works on parts, like crankshaft balancing or engine block surfacing. Only garages with larger activities, like complete race preparation, can survive, for their costumers insure a solid turnover. So they are almost the only way for us to have access to a certain know-how and machines.
On the other hand those preparators seem to be too busy to have your local works done. We are too small, as long as we do not want to entrust them our cars for races, on a yearly basis.
Guess why I am asking
Is it better in England or US?

In the UK, many of the proper workshops have effectively been driven underground because of operating costs.

I can get cranks ground, engines built, upholstery done, paint done, shot blasting done reasonably but its all located in farm building, or in domestic garages.

All the bigger players with property business premises and employees have to charge high prices to remain in business because of rent, rates, materials and tooling costs, employment legislation, pension costs, insurance costs, tax costs, health and safety obligations, professional fees and energy costs.

Chroming has been one of the worst hit industries I would say.

I have noticed a few car restorers and engineering workshops have to close this year already unfortunately.

That is the way it is nowadays, very much "Sous la table".

James,

you could add "au noir" to describe the way we can sort this out today.

As an example, I know a retired mechanics who loved his job so much that he reconstructed a workshop with a lathe and other machines. Plus his unique know-how. I use him as much as I could, but he is limited for complicated operations like cranks ground or balancing.

As for chroming, there is a company in Lourdes (sounds like a miracle ) that is still active. I have not yet used them though. But it is the last one, or close to, in France.

Here is an excellent shop in the uk, near Bracknell.

https://cmesuk.co.uk/

They do everything from lathe work, grinding, resurfacing, balancing, dyno testing all in house.

Based in scruffy looking workshops, but they had a Ferrari engine in when I was there. They did my cylinder head, great job, and did a full engine rebuild on a friends E Type.
Reasonable prices too.
You have to take your engine, head, whatever in to them (or have it taken there) They don't take them out of the car, they are engineers.
They prepare the race engines for all the moggy 1000's you see screaming round Goodwood during the revival.