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River City Motor Works

About Us

River City Motor Works, nestled in the heart of Dubuque, IA, is your locally-owned machine shop with expertise in automotive machining. Since opening in 2019, we have established ourselves as specialists in a wide array of services including boring, honing, crankshaft grinding, engine assembly, and engine parts sourcing. Proudly serving the communities of Dubuque County, Jo Daviess County, and Grant County, our dedicated team is committed to providing superior quality and precision for all your automotive needs. Discover the exceptional workmanship at River City Motor Works today!

Our Story

River City Motor Works is a locally owned and operated machine shop proudly serving Dubuque, Iowa and the surrounding areas since 2019. Nestled in the heart of Dubuque, we have quickly built a reputation for precision, reliability, and exceptional craftsmanship in automotive machining. Serving customers throughout Dubuque County, Jo Daviess County, and Grant County, our mission is to deliver high-quality engine services that restore performance, extend engine life, and meet the exact specifications our customers depend on.

Specializing in engine machining and rebuilding, River City Motor Works offers a comprehensive range of services for automotive, truck, semi, and agricultural applications. Our expertise includes precision boring and honing of cylinders, crankshaft grinding, cylinder head rebuilding, and complete engine assembly. Whether you are restoring a classic vehicle, repairing a daily driver, maintaining a fleet vehicle, or rebuilding farm equipment, our skilled team approaches every project with accuracy, attention to detail, and a commitment to long-lasting results.

In addition to machining and rebuilding, we provide surface refinishing and testing services to ensure every component meets strict performance standards. Our surfacing services for heads and blocks help achieve proper sealing and compression, while our crack inspection and pressure testing identify hidden issues before reassembly. These critical steps help prevent costly failures, improve durability, and give customers confidence that their engines are built to perform under demanding conditions.

River City Motor Works also offers a wide selection of products to support engine repair and rebuilding projects. Our inventory includes engine kits, engine oil, all engine parts, and engine accessories to ensure customers have access to the components they need in one convenient place. We proudly work with automotive, truck, and semi applications, sourcing reliable parts that meet quality and performance expectations.

To make the process even easier, we offer a convenient pick-up service for heavy engine components. This service eliminates the hassle of transporting bulky parts and allows customers to focus on completing their projects while we handle the logistics.

At River City Motor Works, quality workmanship and customer satisfaction are at the core of everything we do. Our knowledgeable team takes pride in delivering precision machining, dependable service, and honest communication on every job. When you’re looking for expert automotive machining and engine rebuilding in the Dubuque area, discover the difference at River City Motor Works—where craftsmanship, precision, and service come together.

Areas Served

Our Professional Associations

American Engine Builders Association (AERA)

What We Offer

Our Specialties include:

Locally-Owned-and-Operated

Our Services include:

Engine Machining & Rebuilding: We specialize in precision engine machining for automotive and agricultural applications. Our services include boring and honing cylinders, crankshaft grinding, and cylinder head rebuilding to restore optimal performance and reliability. Whether you’re working on a car, truck, or farm equipment, we deliver expert craftsmanship for every engine component.
Surface Refinishing & Testing: Ensure your engine components meet exact specifications with our surfacing services for heads and blocks. We also provide crack inspection and pressure testing to detect hidden flaws and guarantee durability before reassembly. These steps help prevent costly failures and keep your engine running strong.
Pick-Up Service: For your convenience, we offer pick-up service to make transporting heavy engine parts hassle-free. Let us handle the logistics so you can focus on getting your project completed.

Our Brands include:

Dart Manufacturing
Motor State Distributing
DNJ Engine Components
Engine Pro
Fel-Pro Gaskets
Federal-Mogul
Melling
Elgin Industries
PerformanceParts
Go-Fast-Parts

Our Products include:

Engine Kits
Engine Oil
All Engine Parts
All Engine Accessories
Trucks
Semi
Automotive

Testimonials

On 3/10/2026 RHS Landscaping had this to say:
Great place called them for some broken manifold bolts in a cast iron head this morning. I drove from 2 hours away and Josh got it done there on the spot with great pricing so I wouldn't have to drive back and forth . I would highly recommend river city motor works they did great work and awesome customer service. Definitely my new go to machine shop.

On 12/3/2025 Michael Douglas had this to say:
This is the place to go for all your machining needs Josh is amazing at what he does and has helped me out lots of times

On 8/8/2025 Dustin Shireman had this to say:
Special thanks to Josh at River City Motor Works for professionally refinishing my engine cylinders today. I strongly recommend him for all machining and engine-related services. Very helpful and good at his work!

On 5/29/2025 Mitchell Pfohl had this to say:
Josh is an awesome guy who does awesome work, he gives honest opinions and stands behind his work.

On 4/15/2025 Cory Griffiths had this to say:
Josh has done a bunch of work for me does great work and great guy

Contact Us

River City Motor Works
3191 Cedar Cross Ct Dubuque, IA 52003
Phone: (563) 207-1206
Email: rivercitymotorworks@gmail.com

Where To Find Us

Payment Types Accepted

Debit and Credit Cards (4% fee), Personal Checks

Our Hours

Holiday Hours May Vary. Please Call For Details.

Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: By Appointment Only

News

Check out our latest work on this Duramax block! We pressure tested it for top-notch quality, installed Wagler billet main caps and stud girdle, line bored it with our portable line bore machine, decked the block, and perfected the main bores with our precision line hone. Your engine deserves the best!

FAQ

What services does River City Motor Works offer?

River City Motor Works specializes in precision machining and engine work. Our services include:

Crankshaft grinding and balancing

Engine block boring and honing

Cylinder head resurfacing

Custom engine assembly

Rod and crank balancing

Component machining and fabrication

Performance engine building

What types of engines do you work on?

We work on a wide variety of engines — from classic street motors to high-performance and race engines. Our machine shop can handle both domestic and import engine blocks, whether for restoration projects or custom builds.

Do you provide new or reconditioned parts?

Yes. We can fabricate, recondition, or custom-machine engine components such as crankshafts, connecting rods, and valve train parts. If parts need to be replaced, we can either re-machine existing pieces (if salvageable) or make new ones according to your specifications.

How long does an engine machining or rebuild project take?

Timing depends on the complexity of the job. A basic crankshaft grind or honing job may only take a day or two, while a full engine rebuild or custom engine assembly could take several weeks. During your initial consultation, we’ll give you a realistic timeline based on your project.

Do you offer performance upgrades?

Yes. In addition to standard machining services, we offer performance-oriented work. We can help optimize your engine for higher power, better durability, or specific racing applications by offering custom balancing, porting, and precision builds tailored to your performance goals.