NEC classic car show
Discussion
A word of warning the car parks aren't safe, they lost 2 skylines, 3 evos and 2 scoobys in one day at the ski show a couple of weeks ago, even though there is 'security' and high level cameras, and a police station just 3 miles away. 2 days after none had been recovered
The viper stand is usually next door to the vettes so pop in and say hello, we've got 3 cars on show this year
The viper stand is usually next door to the vettes so pop in and say hello, we've got 3 cars on show this year
eric the brave said:
Doing the top end is a bit like oral sex - a dark and lonely job but someone has to do it!!!
What?
You mean to say that doing the top end is like sticking your tongue on a PP3 battery? 
Found anything untoward in there?
Anyway, I usually go to the show on the Sunday as an exhibiter told me that was the best day.
I had really hoped to find one kanckered old engine when we took it apart. However, compression good - 150 - 160 on all cylinders. Smooth bores and nothing nasty visible.
The seals on the valves were shot hence the oil usage and smoke etc. Everything else looks pretty good. Needs new valves and we may skim the head by 20 thou or so. Have given the heads a good clean up so we may just bolt it all back together. Gives me the chance of tidying and detailing, I suppose.
I am weighing up the pros and cons of replacing the heads to get some more grunt but, as always, its the cost.
Any thoughts???
The seals on the valves were shot hence the oil usage and smoke etc. Everything else looks pretty good. Needs new valves and we may skim the head by 20 thou or so. Have given the heads a good clean up so we may just bolt it all back together. Gives me the chance of tidying and detailing, I suppose.
I am weighing up the pros and cons of replacing the heads to get some more grunt but, as always, its the cost.
Any thoughts???
Hi Steve,
Yes! As you can ship from the US then you've got a large selection of heads to choose from. The 1st question is whether you want cast iron or ally? Ally will allow you to run a higher CR than iron & they also weigh a lot less. They also cost a lot more. Personally, if I was loaded, I'd be grabbing a set of AFR 180's, but the Trick Flow 23 deg get good reviews as well. For iron heads it'd be well worth checking out the GM Vortec heads. They've got a good name & apparently flow really well out of the box. They are also priced very nicely at about $450/pair fully assembled!!!! The one downside is that you need to buy a corresponding intake manifold for them.
Check out this link: www.chevyhiperformance.com/howto/47075/
Yes! As you can ship from the US then you've got a large selection of heads to choose from. The 1st question is whether you want cast iron or ally? Ally will allow you to run a higher CR than iron & they also weigh a lot less. They also cost a lot more. Personally, if I was loaded, I'd be grabbing a set of AFR 180's, but the Trick Flow 23 deg get good reviews as well. For iron heads it'd be well worth checking out the GM Vortec heads. They've got a good name & apparently flow really well out of the box. They are also priced very nicely at about $450/pair fully assembled!!!! The one downside is that you need to buy a corresponding intake manifold for them.
Check out this link: www.chevyhiperformance.com/howto/47075/
Steve,
If you stick with the stock heads (something I've had to do due to financial embarassment ) but are fitting new valves then try to get valves with the stem diameter reduced just above the head. I've fitted that type to a bike engine & they really do help to increase gas flow. All the other head work you'll probably be advised to do (skimming, 3 angle seat cuts, cc'ing, porting, bowl jobs (BOWL!!), etc, etc, etc) are all good for performance & economy but, unless you're doing it yourself, it all adds up & you can easily spend more than a new set of heads.
In this country you'll probably be advised that Edelbrock are the best to get for a C3 (I was). But if you look at the price (not forgetting VAT) you'll find that you can get better ones in the US for about the same or less. I'm not saying that Edel heads are bad (they're not), it's just that there are others out there & it's worth shopping around.
If you stick with the stock heads (something I've had to do due to financial embarassment
) but are fitting new valves then try to get valves with the stem diameter reduced just above the head. I've fitted that type to a bike engine & they really do help to increase gas flow. All the other head work you'll probably be advised to do (skimming, 3 angle seat cuts, cc'ing, porting, bowl jobs (BOWL!!), etc, etc, etc) are all good for performance & economy but, unless you're doing it yourself, it all adds up & you can easily spend more than a new set of heads. In this country you'll probably be advised that Edelbrock are the best to get for a C3 (I was). But if you look at the price (not forgetting VAT) you'll find that you can get better ones in the US for about the same or less. I'm not saying that Edel heads are bad (they're not), it's just that there are others out there & it's worth shopping around.
Just a small bit of advice Steve, The last two sets of Edelbrock Victor heads I have fitted both had no valve stem to guide clearance. On the first engine as it warmed up the exhaust valves stuck open on two cylinders and enevitably caused a missfire, thankfully nothing else! The second set I took apart just to be sure and again mimimal cold clearances so out with the reamer!
We went through a spate of crap heads from the US a year or so ago, we even had a pair of Brodix heads with short valves in one head and the correct valves in the other!
The only consistantly good supplier has been GM Motorsport parts, no problems and good results.
We went through a spate of crap heads from the US a year or so ago, we even had a pair of Brodix heads with short valves in one head and the correct valves in the other!
The only consistantly good supplier has been GM Motorsport parts, no problems and good results.
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