Tommy Holmes – Woody Boaters Sexiest Man Alive Reports in From CD’s Engine World
Tommy’s INDAHOUSE!
Cub Reporter Tommy Holmes reporting in from Michigan with his first Winter 2016-2017 shop tour. Russ Arrand of Cadillac Boat Shop had a engine pickup scheduled so I tagged along due to having nothing to do. We traveled to Hudsonville, Michigan (between Grand Rapids and Holland, Mich) to CD’s Engine Service where we meet up with Casey and Dave (C & D, get it).
CD’s Engine
This shop has an amazing collection of machines that I have no idea as to what they do but I assume Casey and Dave do. I’ll let the pictures do the talking – oh ya they also always seem to have engines hiding all around so it’s like a squirrel finding a nut or in my case a Woody Boater finding a Block.
Russ and Casey having a power meeting, so powerful it blurred the shot.
After getting tossed from the power meeting, I’m off to find some engines. The first one is big and blue.
The second engine is a secret red and gray one under a confidential wrap.
Here is one that I know, it’s a 300.
This is another big blue one.
This one is a small one so that’s why there are two.
A few recent barn finds.
OH, this is the one we are taking home. It’s silver.
These are some pretty shining, high performance pistons for a Lotus racing engine.
The Lotus block. (Thanks to Bryan for explaining this).
The big meeting was dragging on and on so I decided to do a “machine show”, sorta like a boat show, and take pictures of all the machines and explain them to my fellow woody boaters.
This one is a big green machine.
Sun performance analyzer
This device was once on the cover of Popular Mechanics magazine, circa 1959.
This is part of the shop, CD’s.
This is where Mr. Wizard controls the Land of Oz with an engine nearby of course. In focus of course!
I know what this machine does, it Flows Mega about 1,000 times.
This is not your father’s Drill Press.
Carburetors, dud.
This is a big red machine. I need one of these.
This is the Big Red T&A machine. I want one of these.
This is a Big Jet machine.
OK, that’s enough. Its people like Casey and Dave that keep our Woody Boats running like a , well like a boat. Thanks to them we can spend more time varnishing.
BTW, Dave was too busy viewing woodyboater.com to say hello.
p.s. we did finally get loaded up and Casey said the magic words “I’m buying Lunch”.
Thanks for the visit.
Casey and Dave are Woody Boaters. Always good to support our own.
Thank god Casey and Dave are not color blind or they would never know what machine to use on which engine. I assume it’s all color coded. Red machine is used on the red engines. Now where are the on switches.
Thanks for sharing your story with us here today Tommy. You are the best.
You could almost say that story had a lot of “lumps” in it… – Texx
Casey and Dave know Hot Wood. The Cadillac Boat Shop knows where to get r done. Good job Thomas helping Russ carry that motor to the trailer.
I’m really glad Tommy Holmes was able to nail down all the details and specifications of the shop equipment and the engines.
I went to a BIG shop that rebuilds classic engines in Richmond Va, had them doing a flathead for my argentine boat…..took a woodyboater buddy along for the tour. He and I began commenting on several of the blocks sitting around and because of OLD AGE we knew what most of them were….a young machinist called out to the rest of the employees…”guys, check these two out, they know what this old stuff IS. A senior moment…..but we were left to wonder who will know in a decade or so???? or care, I guess….
GREAT SHOP those fellow have, thanks for posting Tommy!
John in Va.
Tommy, You totally missed out on Casey driving your favorite brand of boat!
What a riveting report, Tommy. Thanks! I bet your favorite piece of equipment was the red T&A machine, right?
I hope Tommy didn’t like it too much, I hear Troy has already contacted them to buy it.
Yup, just my size.
Way to go Tommy! Thaks for not boring us with all of that technical stuff.
Can they fix my engine? It’s blue, not like a robin’s egg blue, maybe a little less blue, with a touch of yellow-green, but not too much yellow, sort of reddish blue-green-gray-yellow, but not too reddish…
Oh yes. I forgot. It smells like oil, not too much oil, sort of a bacon oil, smells like……..
Casey & Dave can build/rebuild anything with those fancy colored machines.
Engines that leave their shop rarely return. They just keep running…
Casey and Dave are honest. They have done a lot of exotic engines and ones that others couldn’t fix. From Scripps to 427, from Gray to Hercules blocks. The key to these two as they stand by what they do and they are honest as the day is long. Strait shooters and know their stuff. Very high quality work and they both have wooden boats themselves, and work with chapters in the area.
Can I have them put a 300 sticker on my blue engine will it make Panther go faster. B just doesn’t sound like a fast letter.
Casey and Dave have done great work for me over the years. They stand behind their work and offer advice after the fact. They both own wood boats and use them in our club activities. Use them if you want quality work and want the best there is.
Great to know there’s still a good machine shop up and running. Their all pretty much gone in my neck of the woods. Thanks Casey and Dave!
Enjoyed the reporting, Thomas. Nobody can accuse you of “fake” news. Mary
Tommy, the secret engine is Scarlet and Gray. Must be a Buckeye! Well done. I now feel educated on engines and machines.
Take all those old rusty engines pieces and parts back in the the remote corners of your shop. Throw them into the back of your pickup and send them to CD’s. Months later back comes a shinny juiced up engine. Oh, and don’t forget to send your check book
My colleagues and I have nothing but praise for Casey’s work. We have all had him rebuild engines for us with nary an issue. A highly talented, fair-minded man in the classic engine business is a wonderful resource to have.