current cost of having good stocker head work?

[Mike Gray]

There is only so much you can do to a stocker head. Are some shops just charging twice as much for the same work or are you getting your money's worth for spending double?

[340Cuda]

Wow!

I am sure it depends on the head but how much does a pair of Super Stock heads run these days?

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by 340Cuda

Wow!

I am sure it depends on the head but how much does a pair of Super Stock heads run these days?

Probably not a whole lot more. You don’t have to disguise the work on a super stock head

[Alan Roehrich]

When you pay for good Stock heads, you're usually paying for 20-60 YEARS of hard earned experience gained from long hours. You're paying for what people KNOW, just not what they DO. You're paying for their ability to work within the rules, and what will pass tech.



Plain shop time at any good repair shop is $250 per flat rate hour. Expect premium quality machine shop time to be well above that.



Parts are now at ludicrous prices, IF you can get them. And if your cylinder head shop can get them, it often means they bought them in advance, and tied their money up.



If you have not priced shop tools and equipment, you should try that.


I know what work goes in to a set of record holding legal heads. My friend does extremely nice work, and it passes tech. It's as close to perfection as human hands can make, and it's done with production heads that are worn out usually, and the tolerances are very loose on.


A good set of heads will have every chamber within 0.5cc, every valve height in the chamber within 0.005", every installed height within 0.010", and every stem height within 0.005". Take a guess how long it takes to learn to do it, and what it takes to make it happen.


Most guys doing "speed work" like to eat, like a roof over their heads, and they like to race, too.


Ask MJ Quinn how I know all of this.


By the way, MJ, missed you at the combo on Sunday.

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

Ask MJ Quinn how I know all of this.


By the way, MJ, missed you at the combo on Sunday.

I was actually in Bowling Green on Saturday to see my granddaughter’s high school play. Man, I sure miss racing but some things in life just aren’t meant to be. I also miss the guy in the Black Stetson !!!!! :

[Bob Sherwood]

Originally Posted by 340Cuda

Wow!

I am sure it depends on the head but how much does a pair of Super Stock heads run these days?

--- less because you don't need to hide your work

[B/S 428]

Why not just build your own stuff, that's what I do and my Comet runs pretty good. Brian Seaberg 627

[Henrys Toy]

Originally Posted by B/S 428

Why not just build your own stuff, that's what I do and my Comet runs pretty good. Brian Seaberg 627

Good afternoon to all,
Not to take away anything from any of the talented Racers that are active in our sport, but if you look at the investment of tools and time , and factor in the failures - Cylinder Head work is often the most mis-understood work in a race engine. Any race engine, and understanding the relationships with the cylinder head , flow paths and the rest of the reciprocating parts in general, it is a very exhausting path.
Please take a moment and re-visit Darin Morgan talking at length on " Super Stock Hemi Head Tech " , and that only scratches the surface. Depending on the level of competition you are dealing with will depend on the amount of time spent testing and performing R&D. The folks that find the right path - worked pretty damn hard to get there.
Just look at you're investment in your car, trailer and towing equipment just to race your car, the cost of proper cylinder head preparation seemly large is still a small part of it. Look at what top shelf piston rings go for these days . The tooling just to cut seats is considerable. I'm not complaining - I do this because I love this stuff and want to learn what makes things "Tick"! You don't want to get into Camshafts, Lifters and Valve Springs do you ?
We all do this for various personal reasons, and that's what keeps many of us going, So the costs are what they are, we live in a Free Country and can still have the freedoms we still enjoy, so enjoy them!
Have a Good Day.

Respectfully,
Henry Kunz 1534 H/SA

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by B/S 428

Why not just build your own stuff, that's what I do and my Comet runs pretty good. Brian Seaberg 627

Hahahaha, I don’t know Brian, maybe because MOST of us didn’t receive a GENEROUS gift from NHRA ……

[B/S 428]

Wow, thanks for the disrespectful slam, never mind that I build everything on my car, rear end, rollerized trans, custom cylinder hone and ring pac, heads and seat work by me along with carb, 20 years of working on it, I went from running mid 15s to a best of 12.90 at 101 with a .355 lift cam so yeah it's been a gift...21 Wallys and #1 indy 2022 Ive never worked so hard to go so slow.
Brian Seaberg 627