Someone that can recap/refurbish/recalibrate a direct drive turntable motor?

@lewm There are a range of experiences to be encountered when buying into vintage equipment. Limit these experiences to TT's and investigations will show up a variety of TT's that have undergone refurbishment or serving of some type.

Limit the TT's even further to Vintage Japanese DD TT's, investigation will show up, that there are plenty of TT's having needed work undertaken. Commonly it is seen to be operational issues where the TT is showing anomalies in how it is functioning. Usually these are resolved by a EE with the right skill set, or enthusiasts with adept EE Skills.

You went for the support that is offered from a business model, this is not the only option. I have encouraged the OP to look at an alternate option, not to push them away from your suggestion but to broaden their knowledge base.

I myself converse periodically on Two forums and have face to face discussions about the Vintage Japanese DD TT's I own.  

What the OP was gently informed of is that the overhaul of a TT can extend to the Bearing housing. We can't see inside, but for a selection of individuals that do see inside, the assessment might be a good clean out, with a replacement Trust Pad and Ball for the reassembly with new lubricant.

Individuals that have seen inside, also discover operational conditions that are very much unwanted and corrective works are required. How the corrective works are produced will vary. I have become a advocate of the work undertaken to replace all sacrificial inner bearing housing parts, that remove the risks of metal on metal contact occurring during the new replays. 

The use of Thermoplastics as Bushes and non-metal Balls and Thrust Pads, has been so attractive as finished design, there is no want to return to what was.

The OP as a owner of a Vintage Japanese DD TT is now aware of the Bearing Housing being very old and most likely never having undergone a oil change.

The OP also is now aware of how an investigation of the Bearing Housing followed by a service or overhaul will prove to be very good for its future use.

To receive the required support for a overhaul on a DD TT will be a hurdle to get over, if this is a adopted method. Other TT's have options for a overhaul readily available.  

Interesting Thread Policing going on.

"I'm interested in anything that can improve my motor. Is your friend currently taking new business?"

There are others on DIY Audio and other forums who have fully overhauled this  TT model and other Japanese Vintage TT's. These individuals are very open with what they did and have assisted others successfully with Trouble Shooting operational issues, these individuals are easy to find and do seemingly reside in the US.

My suggestion is a viable option to consider for the OP, as investigation could discover a local support might be on offer. Who knows? A good friendship might be very close to taking root. There is zero harm being done if a few more of these are able to be cultivated. 

I feel very confident the OP would very much enjoy learning of Panzerholz in use as Plinth Material. Especially as material that has been selected by quite a growing number of TT users, where the P'holz has superseded the use of the earliest  designs for a Plinth. I am sure the OP would like to know about cases where the use of P'holz has been very convincing, encouraging other materials such as Stones, Resins and Metals to be superseded in use.

I'm more than satisfied with my discovery of the different producers of the material known as a 'Phenolic Resin Impregnated Densified Wood', of which Panzerholz is a Brand name for it.  

 I'm more than satisfied with my being an advocate for the use of Densified Wood, enabling others to learn more if wanted. 

If being confident about Rotation Speed is important to you, investing in a strobe not controlled by the Mains Power will offer improved readings.

A dedicated Strobe such as the Key Strobe will give peace of mind.

I am not suggesting the following is something you are experiencing, it is made known to show how a dedicated strobe can be an additional value as a speed measure tool. 

The strobe will also have the capability to show anomalies, where further investigation has for myself in the past, proven Platter Spindle Bearing Wear was present and a eccentric rotation was the result, the strobe was capable of showing the fluctuations in speed. A friend who specialises in refurbishing DD TT's has discovered many TT's with Platter Bearing Wear using this same method. For those who use his service, the option of having the Bearing rebuilt using modern materials, machined to extremely tight tolerances and bespoke produced suit each Spindle/Housing Interface. The end product is one where no more metal on metal is able to occur at the Spindle/Bush - Spindle/Ball-Thrust Pad interfaces.

This type of bearing mod' has become quite popular and for those that can swap out a bearing housing reasonably easy, there are many adopting this approach to utilising a modern bearing design.

DD TT's are a little more difficult, but this is a modification very much worthwhile investigating. 

I'm UK based, their is a Member of the Forum Lenco Heaven and DIY Audio who's user name is 'BillWojo'. I believe he is residing in the US and is very well versed on TT's from this Brand and a selection of other Vintage Japanese TT's.

I would also include somebody who is not a business in any inquiries to be made, it is not strange for a proprietor of a Commercial entity to not have made discoveries they charge for as a result of enthusiasts publicly sharing information.

Most Bearing modifications and replacements that are offered be a Commercial entity are only available as a result of what has been learnt from investigating forums where DIY enthusiasts are offering up information about their undertaking the servicing or additional engineering required to improve / modify these. mechanical devices. 

The TT 81 is a TT that is very worthy as a donor to undergo a modifications.