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Is Sunbelt Performance Engines no longer in Business?


Chris_Hamilton

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Wow that website looks great!  I haven't checked it in a while.  As far as I can tell they still do some L engine development; though, Datsun is not there typical customer any more.  The shop is a hustle and bustle of bimmer, 350/370z, P-cars, and other non-door cars.  Some of the former sunbelt LGata specialist have dispersed and it is good to know where to find them.

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Jim is no longer with Kinetic.  I know of two people waiting for engines and they have been waiting a long time.  Jim is currently managing one of GMG Racing's engine and development programs.  http://www.gmgracing.com/

Thanks John,That's the same info I heard on another forum. Kinda seals the deal for me as to getting them to do my machine work. Guess I better start working on my crate to send my stuff across the country to Rebello.:)

Just out of curiosity do any of you have recommendations of some Shops on the East Coast? I know of plenty of good shops in my area (Sonny Leonard to name one), but I would prefer one that has some familiarity and experience with Datsun/Nissans. Plus they gotta have a torque plate IMO.

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A very reputable Atlanta Z builder uses Not on Main Street Garage.  I think one of the guys who used to do head work for Sunbelt works there, it's in the same compound that Sunbelt was at. 770-932-9311

 

Eiji may be your best bet from a practical standpoint.

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  • 1 month later...

I have been in contact with Jim Thompson since October of 2011, while he was still at Kinetic. I was wanting him to build a head for a NA L28 that I have had since the mid 80's.  The block had be worked and detailed with threaded oil gallery plugs as was the crank, all casting flash had been removed etc. The demise of the motor was theft, someone had stolen the cylinder head and carbs.  The real problem with putting the motor back together was the domed pistons, the head would have to have someone knowledgeable with the L series heads, open up the combustion chambers to get the compression down to a street-able level.  This is where Jim was the most desirable choice in my opinion. I also like the idea of his custom ground camshafts.

 

Well to make a long story short I was put off by Jim from October 2011 until July 2013, reason being that Kinetic's racing program had him just swamped, with all the track time as well as with the development of the Optima's.  I had maintained contact with him through out, and he did express interest in doing the build.  In July 2013 we had a conversation with him asking if I was still interested in doing the build, he had left Kinetic and now would have time to again build customer engines, well I was elated.  Upon discussing the project, we decided to ditch the almost 30 year old Venolia pistons in favor of new type construction forged pistons, so it was decided that the entire engine would be sent to GA, and Jim would assess it, supply a complete head, check the detailed, peened rods etc.  Basically go through everything and build a bullet proof autocross/street engine to run on pump gas.  The engine was to be complete by the end of September 2013.  Perfect right.

 

I sent Jim a little over $4000.00 to get started, before long the head was complete, according to Jim, he needed more money for parts, then more money, then he had a Stahl header he would sell me, then another $1000.00 for a customs bond.  Anyway by the end August $10,000.00 had gone his way.  Okay, I'm excited, after almost 30 years I will have the motor of my dreams resurrected, and it will be even better than before.  The motor and all of the parts needed to assemble the motor are in a custom built crate, all enclosed in plywood, so no damage could come to my prize possession. The only problem is that the crate is still in my garage, not in GA at the machine shop.  Well Jim was busy, he was in Europe with the Lambos, all over the US at the race tracks, running 4,5, even 6 cars.  But he guaranteed he would get my motor picked up and built. Promised pictures of my head and parts, He had trusted people at the machine shop, no pictures, engine still in my garage.

 

I gave Jim the option of getting out of the deal, since he did not have time for the build, but no, I want to  get this done for you he said, he guaranteed, the motor would get picked up, never did.  I asked for my money back, my parts if he had them, no just let me build this for you he said, I guarantee, you will have the motor by April, 2014,  Okay he was very convincing, after all why would a man with Jim's reputation do anything but the honorable thing , he is just very busy right?

 

Well to expedite things after yet again being reassured by Jim that this was indeed going to happen, I arranged the shipping, Jim was going to look after the customs end of things since I had already sent him money to do that, so the motor finally left my garage in the first part of March, boy was I excited, we had talked about me flying to GA to witness the engine go together, and to meet this amazing engine guru, it was an event of a lifetime for me. the motor would be there in a week, Jim had all the parts, a few weeks and it would be a dream come true.....not so the motor ended up stranded at the border for almost three weeks, customs paperwork was not done by JIm, Customs people were hounding him, freight company was hounding him, Finally 19 days later the motor was en-route to the machine shop.  Oh but there were storage charges, guess who got the bill, yup, yours truly, although Jim said he paid them, he never did provide and documentation of such to the freight company.

 

Anyway to cut to the chase, the motor did make it to the machine shop, sat there for almost 9 months, exactly as it had arrived, countless texts, emails, promises of phone calls, parts, spec sheets and money being sent to the machine shop, none of which happened.  I talked to the owner of the machine shop and I was not the only one looking for Jim Thompson, there were others in the same boat as me, I personally spoke to two people, and with me included Jim had $48,000.00 and the three of us had nothing but empty promises.  After not having a telephone conversation with Jim for almost 3 months( not due to lack of trying) I , under the advise of my lawyer had the motor brought home, and it arrived as it had left, the box never being opened. I have tried to contact Jim via Telephone, email and text with no response for months, other than one day mid November I was blowing up his phone and he text ed that he was in Malaysia and would be back on the 26th.

 

Now here I sit with all the money I had to allocate to my engine gone, and the motor the same as it has been since 1985...in pieces   Thank you Mr Thompson,

 

 

I sincerely hope no one gets caught in the same situation, and if anyone one has any information on the where a bouts and dealings of James D. Thompson, former proprietor of Sunbelt Engines, that they get in touch with me.

 

 

Thank you for reading about my experience 

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If you are prepared to get an L series engine done overseas then there are a couple of builders in Australia who routinely do proven L performance and race engines. One provides a drive in drive out service including a race track test and tune. Over the last few years there has been enough local demand to pay for the development involved so to them the L series is much more than a gunna engine. Gunna get round to it some day.

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I appreciate that Tony I guess had I been on here prior to that it would have been interesting to have someone question him..I have not  had any luck at all trying to get any type of communication at all for a very long time now

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That really sucks Redzee. I hope it works out but I have a feeling it won't. Hopefully you'll find someone to build your motor the way you want it. I've kinda given up on finding a Datsun specialist on the East Coast. Yes I've know of Datsun Spirit/Elji but I've shot him a couple of emails and have never heard anything back so that's it for me. I've decided to go the route of buying my own torque plate (expensive but I want it done with one)  and getting a local company to do the machine work. Don't give up on your dream. Good Luck.

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I have seen guys make there own out of a damaged old head, just mill the cylinder bore through them.  The worst thing about having someone local do the the l-series head is that very few people have the same expertiise that Jim Thomspon aquiired through all his developement, I still find it hard to fathom a guy with that kind of reputation doing such a thing

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