Looking for Merc mechanic in Mid-MI..
 

I am looking for another certified merc mechanic near mid-Michigan that has experience with performance boats. I have been using Wilson Performance Marine in Bay City but his turn around times are bad. Does anyone have any recommendations? Also interested in a Engine guy that could install Raylar packages.

Thanks

I may know someone but I have to call a friend to get his name, I cant remember it now, when I get it I will PM you.

Thanks

What you looking for Wayne?

Just not happy with Andy's turn around time. He will finish what I have up there now but want someone else to do any additional work.

Gotcha...There's a couple good tech's in Fenton at Skipper Bud's I have used them in the past.

Talk to Greg Reno at Kustom marine, he does all my work and very well known with the LEOPA group. http://kustommarine.com/

I have experience with installing Raylar kits. I have a dyno to test the kit before putting it in the boat, in fact a Raylar kit we did is going on dyno in the next couple of weeks. We are a full service high performance shop and dealer for most major vendors in the offshore market. I am in south east Michigan just look at some of my projects posted here on OSO.

I don't know anything about brians work, however I DO know anyone who would make such am unprovoked attack on a public forum such as this is a piece of work.
:Whatever:
Greg has done all my work for years, and I have yet to have a problem with any of it, and I don't know anybody with better customer service.

I think you might want to quit making statements for all of the LEOPA members. You might be surprised how many are customers at Kustom Marine, such as myself. Greg does a lot of work that never gets mentioned on the different sites, as he respects the owners wishes if they want their projects documented on a public forum. I can think of quite a few of Greg’s motors running around in LEOPA boats, and the owners run them hard….very hard. No offense Jimmy! If they can take that kind of abuse, he must be doing something right. It seems to me that with as many engines he has in process at the shop you would have been better off trying to get him to use your dyno services, rather than beating on him on OSO. I am sorry but I am not familiar with your work, are there a lot of LEOPA members that have your power in them?

[QUOTE=bws;3046234]. No offense Jimmy! QUOTE]
None taken! The reason there is none take is because my boat always ran so well no matter how hard I thrashed it.
BTW with al this crap going on I also have to respect Greg's integrety.

BajaMan,
Well I too am a happy Kustom Marine customer. I fall into the "runs the crap out of his boat" crowd. I have never had a Greg Reno related failure since he has been working on my rig and his customer service is second to none.
My motors were rebuilt by Greg 2 years ago and I have not had one issue since, and like I said I run my stuff hard.
Heck, I even had Greg do all the work on my Mom's fishing boat. So not only do I trust him with my boat but I trust him to make sure my Mom is taken care of.
I also have know Brian Bunch at Eerie Performance for years and I would not hesitate to sent work his way either. Brian knows his stuff and has always been a stand up guy.
IMHO, I would be hesitant to work with a company that will openly bash another company and person after admitting they do not even know that person, they just "heard" bad things. Also I would expect that company or person to reveal his name and company name if he is willing to openly bash other people by full name and company name.
And furthermore I would request references to validate that the company's accusations of poor workmanship are indeed valid.
I have been a LEOPA member since 1997, past commodore and past treasurer. I am unaware of who Brian41 is or his shop, therefore I am unable to verify his workmanship or customer service.

Dan Burtscher
38 Top Gun
"HalfNutz"

Always available......
 

And easy to get a hold of. Just keep us in mind.

I don't believe Raylar was telling anybody off in that former thread. I was just saying when you start making 5 or 6 changes to any boat at about the same time its hard to know whats working and whats not working as is the case with the boat in question. As that 496 is set up with our kit and a set of CMI's it should easily make 550HP on the dyno and if it does not, then something is either wrong with the engine or the fuel system or possible ECM program. If he dynos it and sees this kind of power then the place to look for the lost performance is in the boat or such.
Lets wait and see what happens on his dyno.

Best Regards,
Ray @ Raylar

+1

Darren.... please explain why you think this is a pathetic joke.... You were in my shop a couple of weeks ago.

Maybe because you are acting like a Jack A** ?

So what I gather from this is....

Greg Reno at Kustom marine

Brian Bunch at Eerie Performance

Skipper Bud's in Fenton, MI (more for basic services)

and Brian41 which I have no information on other than this post

It seems thes guys are close to Detroit, Monre and Gibraltar respectively. Gibraltar is probably the closest to me but still 1.5 hrs away.

Any others besides the ones posted?

I was kind of hoping for closer but probably not going to happen.

There is also McMachen Marine in Detroit down by Metro Beach

Try Art Cook Marine Service he's on Harsens Island, I use him all the time.

One of the best things about Greg Reno is his integrity. He would never slam another mechanic. And especially not wage an attack campaign against another club member to try to get more work.
I have been through good times and bad times with Greg, and he has always conducted himself with class. Even in stressful times.
When a guy is cool with you even when there is a problem... that's a sign that he is truly a stand up guy. In the marine industry, cut throat azzholes are easy to find but guys who you can trust like a friend are very rare.

Like so many LEOPA members, Greg is a 100% class act.
Leopa is lucky to have guys like him.

Millennium marine ( Lenny )and North Bay ( Doug )both in chesterfield twp on lake Stclair also Sommers marine in harrison twp.

ck motorsports, nunica keith holmes

I hope all is good and the LEOPA members are back to a fun group of people to boat with as they have been in the past.:drink:

Darren

The guy at Propeller Basin marina near 23 and Jefferson is really good, really nice, takes his time, does things right, and is realtively cheap (especially if you're not in a hurry). I think his name is Jim. He's an indian lookin' fellow (not east indian, american indian) if anyone knows him by appearance.

How about Tyler Crockett in Ruby,MI

Jim and Ed a great people and very good.

I've never worked with Ed, but Jim is great. He's helped me out of a couple of binds and does really nice, meticulous work. If he takes on a task it is going to get done, and when he does something it is done right (lines cut to length, wires ran, snipped, and tucked right, etc.).

Mel Riggs 920-872-2728 He is the best of the best located a few miles from Mercury Marine in Fondulac, WI. Worth the drive, he is a offshore legend. Good luck

Tyler Crockett did 3 engines for me so far... they rocked!
Carder

Is this the place?

http://propellerbasin.com/index.html

contact mcmachen marine harrision township,,,,they installed my 2 raylar kits,,,,good service guys jerry and ralph run the engine shop:drink:

Never thought of them...they have good turn around?

Yup... That's the place. Really good meticulous work done at reasonable prices. Jim is generally pretty cheap if you give him time. If you want it in a hurry he can do that too, but he'll charge you more.

JET CONNECTION PERFORMANCE MARINE 25 + year building some of the fastest boats on the pond 419-473-boat.

Did you by chance use Ray's relocate kit to move some wiring and ECM?

Are they capable of line boring, decking or balancing the rotating assembly?

I called and talked to him briefly but he hasn't called back yet.

I don't think he has a full machine shop. If you want a motor totally rebuilt I would have Champion Performance do the motor (or at least the lower end) and have Jim rig and install it.

http://www.champion-performance.com/

If your boat is small enough, and if it is a big enough job he may pull it inside for the winter saving you on winter storage costs. Stop by there and check out some of the old cars he restores in his spare time. They're awesome! It will give you an idea as to how meticulous he is.

Most storage facilities have boats and cars that sit around and rot. When we first started going there he had some 40's Fords and some late 60's Cougars laying around the property. They looked like they were just rotting there, but year after year they kept getting nicer. I think he fixes them and sells them, but they're really nice when he's done with them.

Thanks, I will give them a call in the morning.