AVOID THESE GUYS AT ALL COSTS!! NO COMPENSATION AND ACCUSED ME OF POSSIBLY ATTEMPTING TO SCAM THEM!! I had Alec's Machine Shop disassemble a pair of vintage 1976 Harley Davidson Shovelheads from my original numbers matching Police Special FLH. While inspecting the heads, minus the valves, springs, and valve guides, I noticed the guide "boss" hole on the rear head, looked "beat-up." Upon closer inspection and measurements, it was blatantly evident the "engine builder" neglected to remove the heavy carbon deposits from the portion of the valve guide behind the valve. He hit the front head exhaust guide with such violence while trying to remove it from the head, that it broke a third of the guide right off, and then actually managed to drive the rear head guide (with all the heavy carbon deposits still attached), through the aluminum guide hole boss, tearing up the hole and rendering the damage beyond viable repair. My initial phone call to Alberto (company phone-answerer), to tell him of the damage I had found, was met with instant incredulity, and doubtful accountability. I took both heads in to have the owner's of the establishment scrutinize the findings; again, met with instant proclamations of prior damage, to minimize, if not eliminate, any compensation. All 4 guides (iron), measured .565", (including the guide that came from the now torn up guide hole, measuring up to .593"), and 3 guide holes measured the same (.565"). The damaged exhaust guide hole measured between .570", erratically up to .593". The hole was now "egg-shaped" and off center. The repair would cost a minimum of $850.00 before tax, and could only be performed by an extremely experienced machinist with the right tools, of which this shop was NOT qualified to perform. When all was said and done, no compensation was given, and they basically accused me of attempting to "scam" them, as they claimed that the broken head "may not even be the head they disassembled." After having my 35 years of vintage Harley experience minimized to novice proportions, I couldn't take the inability of these people account for their incompetence. I left feeling completely defeated, never to return. read more

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Best automotive machine shop period.. These guys really know what they're doing and build some of the best motors out there. Their super knowledgeable, friendly staff, are more than happy to hold your hand through your whole build. They have done a few of my engines flawlessly. I don't know about you, but trusting who builds your motor is a pretty serious decision to make as far as I'm concerned. I'd let these guys pack my parachute. Nuff said.. read more

I took an aluminum head from my 1996 Volvo 850R in to have the guys re-deck the head and give their professional opinion of the valve guides. Even though the exhaust guides were borderline they said that they would last just fine for many more kilometres and a full refresh was not needed. I appreciated their honest and they didn't push an upsell on me. A great bunch of guys to deal with and would recommend to anyone to give them a try! Klaus D Vancouver B.C. read more

The team at Alec's built up an exceptional motor for my classic car. They took the time to break down the costing to each nut, bolt, and gasket, and also explained the rationale behind the cam choice and lifter ratio. Rob also helped me break in the cam on my fresh engine on his own time. Could not recommend Alec's enough! read more

Never having seen an Audi engine or car didn't scare them. They refreshed the head and block and learnt as they went. When they were put together, there were some issues. At no time did Alec's make me feel that I was on my own, always offering suggestions to get it running well. read more

The service I found was great ,My father used this company on many of his projects over the years .so was going over the 1918 Buick bills and noticed Alec,s Automotive card and number so gave them a call and started looking for service on the motor , great advice and they know their stuff on the hundred plus years .So in this call we had a motor built for a customer car and we matched the drive train as well .I have learned to understand quality and service in this industry as some shops talk to you as if you don't know what it is you want,or understand .At Alec's they explain to you the issues and want you to understand the product you received as all projects are different and performance is not always drive ability .so yes I give the 5 star rating new product's old style service read more

I needed my fly wheel machined when doing my clutch, Rob was willing to meet me after hours in order to do this work and get me back on the road. This is a great family run business who value their customers and make every effort to meet your needs. read more

Hi my name is Frank Essiambre. I shopped around and talked to many many car builders and machine shops before commencing my build. I heard reviews from others about Alex Machine shop\ Canadian Crate engines. Rob spent quite a bit of time with me to build a engine that would be perfect for my 69 Camaro. 383 Stroker He could answer all my questions that were quite technical when others could not, and I asked a lot of engine spec and drive train questions. When I arrived at the shop to drop my car off and was impressed on the equipment they worked with and Rob showed me the parts going into my build. everything was very professional. They engine couldn't have been better dyno test showed 437 HP, 473 ft/Lbs torque, you cant get that kind of power without building a great engine. Thanks Rob and your team read more

Having the good fortune of living in Vanvouver my entire life .I know first hand what a Great auto shop is and and how they Used to operate . unfortunately very few "Real" machine shops are left now and Alec's Machine shop is among the very select few who are what I consider to be part of Vancouver's Heritage.... And the have earned and above all deserve recognition from all who enjoy what true sense of Community that Vancouver always had.... read more

Rob and his team recently built and installed a 383 Stroker in my Chevelle. I was extremely happy with all the service they provided. Rob is very professional with a great attitude, very knowledgable and always willing to give you advice even after the job was completed. They go the extra mile for there customers, tracking down parts and working towards my budget. They produce quality products at a reasonable price and in a timely fashion. Paperwork and dyno sheets so you know exactly what your getting, which was an absolute beast of a motor. I would go to Alec's for any and all of my engine building needs. Great shop! read more

OMG this is the cutest shop ever that I have walked by. Such character and history that my heart instantly fell in love. With all the nice character older buildings being torn down in Vancouver it was so nice to see something like this in a continuing evolving retail neighborhood. I came in here primarily to get an idea for the shop as I am in the market to finally get some body work on my car that has been on the back burner (I know). Sadly they do not specialize in body work but rather engine work. Thankfully it is not an engine problem. They did recommend me to a body shop which was appreciated as I would rather do business by word of mouth. The guys working in the shop were very helpful and conversational. The whole interior has a nice 50's charm and feel. It honestly put the biggest smile on my face for the day. read more

Just so everyone knows, Alecs Automotive, thinks knurling guides the same as installing new guides...and will tell you that they are installing new guides, charge you for installing new guides and only when it fails will you see what they have done, which in my case, to a set of new heads... a sloppy knurling job AVOID THIS SHOP AT ALL COSTS. http://www.aa1car.com/library/ar696.htm KNURLING VALVE GUIDES Though still used by some small shops, most professional engine rebuilders see knurling as a short term "quick fix" that does not hold up as well as guide liners, new guides or valves with oversized stems. Knurling should only be considered as a guide repair option if guide wear is minimal (less than .006 in.). And even then, it may not provide satisfactory results. Knurling typically decreases the inside diameter of the guide where it needs it the least, namely in the center where there is the least wear rather than at the ends where the wear is usually greatest. When the knurling tool is run through the guide, it leaves behind a spiral groove. The groove acts like a furrow and raises the metal on either side. This reduces the inside diameter of the guide so a reamer can then be used to resize the guide back to (or close to) its original dimensions. The grooves also help to retain and seal oil better than a smooth bore guide. This allows somewhat tighter guide-to-stem clearances (as close as .0007 in.). But the bearing surface area created by knurling is not that great, so it will not last as long as a guide that offers greater bearing area. http://www.enginebuildermag.com/2003/12/valve-guide-reconditioning/ Knurling is another technique that can be used to restore guide clearances, but only if guide wear is limited (.006? or less). Most engine builders today see knurling as a "temporary" fix that only provides limited benefits and won't last over time. When the knurling tool is run through a guide, it leaves behind a spiral groove that acts like a furrow to raise the metal on either side. This reduces the inside diameter of the guide so a reamer can then be used to resize the guide back to (or close to) its original dimensions. The grooves also help retain oil for improved lubricity, which means you can tighten up clearances a bit compared to stock. But the bearing surface area created by knurling is not as great as a smooth surface, so over time it will wear more quickly. read more

Had Alec automotive build me a 383 for my 71 camaro. Unbelieveable service! Even after almost a year I can still phone with any questions I may have and still get the same service the day I walked into the shop. Would highly recommend! read more

I took my cylinder head in after having problems with low compression in the engine of my 240sx. They were very friendly when I first walked in and as they tested the head they explained everything they were doing to me as I was watching them run the tests. Also being unsure if it was the top or bottom end causing the low compression rob ran me through all the options of what could be causing the problem. They did a great job resurfacing my head and got me a gasket kit for 1/3 of the price I was quoted at lordco, they also provided me with a print out of all the torque specs I would need for reassembling my engine. Weeks after I got everything back and I've called the shop a few times asking questions and rob is always happy to help and give advice. Overall I had a great experience with the shop and would recommend Alec's to anyone! read more

Rob and the team at Alec Automotive know what they are doing! I had a marine 383 stroker built for my Sanger dxii tournament ski boat. They used my original 350 mercruiser motor and consulted with me throughout the build whenever any decisions on parts and performance required my specific considerations. The final outcome was a well mannered beast of a marine motor that suited my barefoot skiing and slalom skiing applications beautifully. After a simple break in procedure and the required oil change intervals for a new motor, i'm happy to report that the tricked out Sanger towboat is pulling like champ! I have gained at least 8 mph (a lot for a tournament ski boat!) Great work Rob and team! Excellent service! read more

Have had 2 great experiences with Alecs Automotive this year, they always promptly fix and return anything I bring for them, and are happy to take the time to actually explain what has happened and why. Rob is especially a great help! read more