Interviewed 3 more machinist' "Am I asking the right???

[LameHoof65]

Talked to one who had to think about whether they did heads or not before saying "uh, yea...sure what do you want done." That one was over before it got started. The second wanted about 200 dollars for a complete head remake but then said he couldn't take off more than about .002 for a clean up...so that one was a no go. Talked to an older guy in Shawnee Ok., and he said "sure I will do it all for 220 to 250 but I would rather put in the "Vitron seals, ????" ". Oh those teflon were alright in the 70's but Vitron is better. I told him I already had the teflon seals and that was what I wanted put in, he didn't say he wouldn't..so I quess I will take the head by for him to look at. When asked if he could mill off .015 he said he would mill off however much I wanted. Man, I thought shopping for a new car was a pain in the aorta, but this is nutty.. : Any thoughts guys/gals--fellow inliners and anyone else who has knowledge about securing a good machinist?

 

[Titleist16]

It sounds to me like these machinists are scared to do any kind of radical work on a inline 6. They probably don't work on a lot of 6's and there aren't too many radical things that you can do to a V8 that hasn't been done before. They are probably scared to do radical work on it because if for some reason it fails and blows your engine they don't want to be held responsible for it. They don't want to go outside the bubble or their comfort zone. That's what I think anyway.

 

[ludwig]

Check out David's Falcon Performance handbook. He lays it on the line real fine. If they can't get what the intention is from that, you are talking to a bench guy not a machinist.

 

[Anonymous]

I guess I got lucky with my machinist....I just print off information and pictures from here, hand them to him, he says cool and just does as I ask!

Quite reasonably too!

Later,

Doug

 

[Stubby]

Good luck in your search. I spent fifteen years in an automotive machineshop. Most machinest do not want liability. I always loved doing something different, but most do not. Even the ones who build race engines turn their noses up to anything different than a Chevy because that is what they are comfortable with. You say Ford, they tune you out and probably didn't even hear the six cyl part.

I would recomend putting the specs on paper. Clear and concise instructions!!! Three angle valve job (45 degree seat, 30 degree top angle, 60 degree bottom) width of seat int/exh placement of seat on the valve lap valves angle of back cut on the valve cut for Teflon seals (if he hasn't installed this type of seals before he might destroy a couple learning how) Mill the head .000? Setup the springs ?lbs seat pres ?lbs open pres Bronze guides? cast guides? how much clearence on the guides? If he has to make these decisions he wil be conservative because if it goes bad the liability falls on the one making the decisions. Only hold him liable for the machine work being done to spec.

Now if you give him the impression you know what you want, he will be more inclined to do the work and might even give some recomendations you haven't considered. If he gets the impression that you know you are trying to do something with this engine that it was not designed for and fully understand the potential to blow it all up the first time you stick your foot in it he might be inclined to do it.

If he gets the impression that your missadjusted carb or wore out distributor might cause you to barge thru the door and want to know what he did wrong he might be inclined to aviod modifications.

If you don't find someone localy that you trust, spend a couple of days at the local race track and talk to the guys that appear to know what they are doing. Find a machinest who is trustworthy, and be prepaired to drive to get there.

 

[Stubby]

If a drive to East Texas isn't too far I can hook you up with a good shop.

 

[WhitePony]

Darwin, you're in OKC right? Try Charlie's Cylinder Heads on SW29'th. He's just west of I-44 on 29'th.

 

[JackFish]

The other day I stopped by the shop I chose to drop off and pick up some stuff, and met the machinist for the first time. This grizzled silver-haired guy came out from the back and we chat. We've been waiting on parts from Mike and about two weeks prior I had left a copy of the Performance Handbook at the front desk.

He sez, "Read that book." I was shocked, astonished, thrilled.

"Yup, breathing's a problem with those engines. Don't know those guys that wrote it, but they say you can get 6000rpm out of 'em", (skeptically).

I says, "Yup, well, I don't need 6000rpm, but I want it to run really well on the highway, so I got these parts (cam and stuff), that we're gonna install."

We chat a bit more and as I leave he sez, "yup, had a Falcon, back then. Been there."

I sez, "Right on!"

I figure I'm in good hands. 8)

I figured that once I picked a shop I would leave the book to see if they were interested enough to check it out. And also that we would be on the same page with what I wanted, and to get feedback from a professional on the ideas presented, and how to proceed.

 

[LameHoof65]

I saw his ad in the yellow pages whitepony (Charley's probably the only one I haven't called) but since I live in N. OKC I tried to get someone on my way to work or close to the house. But if the guy is good and within reason price-wise I would take a day off and get the head to him. Do you know him, has he done any work for you? I just got all my stuff from Mike and need to get this head finished. Hey, thought we were looking to set up a breakfast meeting 'or something some weekend, saw your last post on intro's and no one has ventured to give a date, place and time?

 

[LameHoof65]

Yea, I hear ya. m. geezer some folks have all the luck. I know those guys are out there, just don't seem to run into people like that in my professional line. So I just search and search until someone gives me a good lead, looks like whitepony may have a line on just such a guy.

I'll take yours jackfish and stubby's advice, print off a few more pics, take some of the info directly out of Dennis's book and go a little better armed next go round. Appreciate the feedback and i will listen to anyone else who may have some ideas or know of someone here in OKC or around the area.

 

[WhitePony]

Darwin,

Charley did my head, although I have yet to get the engine together to try it. He put new valves in, milled the head .050, and did a 3 angle valve job for right around $200. I should have had him back cut the valves, but I forgot at the time. I have to replace the stock springs with the 351 exhaust springs that I got, so I may take the head back to him and have him back cut the valves and put the new springs in, He's a crusty old guy, but friendly, and seems to know his stuff. He kinda shook his head though when I told him that I was building a performence 200.

Kris

 

[LameHoof65]

Well if he knows what he is doing there is nothing wrong with the price. I bought the 351 windsor ex.springs and the 4.0 v6 retainers, got em from fleming trucks, and I shopped all around for them, couldn't even get them at the ford place off NW Expway. Yea, I will probably give him a call and see when he can get to the head. I am slow as a snail but if I can get the head work done I think I can have it running by Sept. anyway.

I appreciate the info...and I love that convertable. Every machinist I have talked too gave me that second look with a raised brow over that performance six statement.

darwin