What if?

[LameHoof65]

Just want to run this by some of you out there. I have simply given up on the machining of my 77 head. This last machinist has had it since early Oct. and says he can't get to it. It's a long story, but the guy just was not able to get it done, don't blame him and I am not criticizing him, he had a good reason. At any rate I am thinking after 4 machinists, two of which specialized on heads and this one a performance machinist---well, I am just forgetting the machining part of this deal. It is a pretty true head and looks good as far as being square and flat. I won't have the desired compression or the 3 angle valve job nor the teflon seals, but I can lap the valves and I think the springs will work with the umbrella seals, so I can put the thing together and put it to my engine.

 

[addo]

Can you send it away? This would surely be a better option than giving up on the work.

You are not alone in struggles such as this. I am hounding a bodyshop over a measly little repair to a fuel flap... They'll clear $60/hr and can't get motivated on it. :roll:

 

[JackFish]

Can you be sure it's flat :
Might actually require milling.
Don't know where you live but there must be more shop options :

 

[JackFish]

You are not alone in struggles such as this. I am hounding a bodyshop over a measly little repair to a fuel flap... They'll clear $60/hr and can't get motivated on it. :roll:

My shop asked for a deposit. Instead, I left town for two weeks.
When I came back the job was done. If it hadn't been done I would have taken it elsewhere and they would have been out $1000. They did a really good job, too.

Oh yeah, darwin, are you replacing a steel shim gasket with a new composite?

 

[LameHoof65]

I could ship it, but I just like the idea of meeting, talking and getting some kind of take on the one doing the work. That's just me--I have been took once or twice and have learned a few things and I was reared with a bit of skepicism about what people say they can do and what they really can do. He is closing his doors at the first of the year and just has too much to get done before that happens. He felt bad, and I told him not to worry about it.

No, this guy was good and very encouraging about building the 6. His grandson had done a 200 a few years back with the clifford stuff and he was excited about what we are doing on this forum. I like folks who are as excited about something as I am and who know what they are talking about, this was too good to be true...So I am just blowing off my discouragement---I will find someone locally. A friend called me this A.M. and he thinks he knows someone here who's father began a Ford parts place here, and he is apparently a good automotive machinist.

Jackfish, The gasket was some kind of fiber but didn't look steel to me, and yes I am going with the FSPP corteco hi-comp gaske.

 

[Anonymous]

Where do you live?

 

[JackFish]

Jackfish, The gasket was some kind of fiber but didn't look steel to me, and yes I am going with the FSPP corteco hi-comp gaske.

I was really wondering if the head been milled already to compesate for the thicker gasket?

 

[pedal2themetal45]

Maybe its where you are at but I don't see no difficulties with rebuilding a head.. any shop should be able to do it I would think.. un less the machinest is a young person and don't know sh....
Tim

 

[JackFish]

I gave the shop a copy of the Performance Handbook with stickies all over it. :idea:

 

[Anonymous]

Where in the heck do you live? They aren't going to do it for free and they aren't going to do it if it is cracked or warped but they will tell you straight up to give them another. Don't ask them to do the impossible. Ask them what they can do with what you have. Just tell them what you want done and ask if it is possible. They aren't gonna even mess with you. If you want to sit there and watch your part go through the process, you got the wrong mindset. Drop the darn thing off and let them do their magic. They may sound stupid to your desires but they know what they are doing! (ALL OF THEM). I went to a another shop a couple weeks ago wanting an exhaust manifold surfaced. He dropped everything and proceeded to put it on a sander belt immediately. I was on my way to work and informed him I didn't need it back till next week. Good thing cause he would have been on that belt for about a week. I left and next day he had already surfaced it on the grinder for me.

 

[LameHoof65]

Jackfish, the head has not had anything taken off of it but the block has been decked. There is less than .014 of piston to deck clearance. I am going to call a couple of others tomorrow regarding the machine work. Oh, and by the way Budlight I have plenty of experience as a machinist myself---it's just been 30 years since I have done any of it and I know little about cnc, but I can tell you when talking to these guys I pretty much know if they are being up front or just smackin' there lips---And just like any other profession there are good ones and bad ones. I, by choice want to discuss it with them and if they don't have the time then I will take it somewhere else.

Do I think I could do the machine work myself, probably with a little review and a good ole cinn. mill and the right cutters, but I don't have the machines, cutters, space or time.