lookin to upgrade my 69 350 heads from basic clean up / valve job ( never run ) to new guides / port work / 3-angle plus ??? i don't dare go crazy ( not that i wouldn't mind ) but if the alum. heads become a reality then that will be $$ down the drain . lookin for input that i can pass on to the shop as to what to concentrate on / beware of / etc . they are local and handy and have a good rep . alot of the local sbc dirt guys use them and i'd like to beat the rush . are there any sbc tips that shouldn't be done on the buick or are the basic the basics and gonna give me a nice bang for the buck . i'd like to get a rough price quote from them and maybe compare that to some gessler $$$'s . he's not tooo far away and that may be a possibility i guess also . any other shops in my area - upper mid ny state . del
Del - Do you go into Oneonta for work, or is there someone there in Unadilla? I don't recommend either of the shops down here...not yet anyways.:Brow: I hear ya on not putting too much $$ into a set of 350's yet....especially with the alum. heads (hopefully) on the horizon. I would go with a nicely ported set, good Serdi-style valve job, and springs to match the cam. Whether you go with (or already have) the larger TA valves is up to you. Obviously, they'd give you much more performance. Then there's that cost thing. **One BIG thing to make sure the machine shop gets right - is the valve stem tip height!!:Smarty: Make sure they're within +/-.005" of each other. Stick a straight edge across the tips before leaving the shop - check for any excessive gaps.
350 heads hey scott , hows it goin ? sell your brothers car yet , the wagon ? one of the guys that work with me at the gm store in bainbridge has his sbc dirt heads done at RPM and says he's pretty satisfied with that end of things - his car is decent and pretty fast and consistant , been doin' it for awhile . machine shop in Oneonta ? Vans ? thanks for input . del
I'm more than a little familiar with RPM...I did the cylinder heads there for several years!! Small world eh? Been gone from there 2+ years now...haven't been back. Must be something about that 'knife' in my back, I guess. SBC guys can get anything done they want in this town, much like any other town. Like I said, for your BUICK heads - I'd go elsewhere!!!! If you don't have any shops up there you can trust, let me know. I have a few other sources that I TRUST!!:Brow: :TU: *My brother is hanging onto the Invicta wagon for now. Pretty much got him convinced to finish it up...make something cool out of it.:bglasses: :TU:
Del - One shop is in Syracuse. James Farrand is the owner's name...pretty sure he uses his last name in the business name. His daughter or wife (can't remember which) has a figure skating shop/skate resharpening business which is part of the same building. My sister is a figure skater, that's how we met him. Come to find out, he's known my aunt & uncle for ALONG time. James Farrand Engines 140 Ball Circle, Syracuse, NY 13210 (315) 472-8708 There is a great german restaurant just to the right of the machine shop, by the name of Danzer's. Here is a map of both places. Pretty easy to find. When you come to the 481 split, take a right (East) and take the first exit. Turn right to head to Brighton - turn right and go down the hill. Turn right on Ainsley, which is the first street after the tracks. Both places will be on the left. The other place is in Ithaca...Rich's Auto (or Garage). They're kind of a 'full service' garage/machine shop. :TU: He's on Hayt's Rd. on the west side of the lake. Beautiful area to visit!!:TU: Rich's Body Shop 468 Hayts Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 273-1777 Map *There is a new cylinder head shop in Whitney Point (just off I-81). I'm going to stop in and check things out. I know both the owner and the guy doing the machine work. He's a Mopar nut...so he understands non-adjustable factory heads.:TU:
350 heads scott : thanks again for info . i take it the german joint has brew too ? the shop in norwich that did my nailhead sent the rotating assy out ( balance, polish , rod work ) to a place called johanson's ( spelling ?? ) in weedsport near syracuse . if i remember correctly the norwich place told me that they pretty much concentrate just on balance/rod/crank work etc which sounds good to me . ever heard of them ? i have not but it seemed like the stuff that came back balanced looked good and were serial numbered individually . i had the rods mag'd and checked over then sent back to me and i did the basics on the beams and then sent them back with the assy for balance and beam finish etc . they looked very nice . ALOT nicer than the 455 rods i sent down to dougs speed shop in binghamton for balance ( not marked ) etc . del
The place in Norwich is owned/run by United Auto Parts. Not sure of the place in Weedsport. Funny thing is...United in the Binghamton area used to send the heads over for me to do!! Alot of times they didn't have the time to waste, taking the heads all the way up to Norwich and waiting for them to get done.:grin: From what I heard, those guys were a little slow.:Brow: Both RPM and Doug's have Hines balancing machines. Both shops 'can' do good balancing, but unless you actually stand there and look over their shoulder - it's a real crapshoot what the 'actual' final #'s will be.ou: Donnie Kinkle, owner of Precision Crankworks, also has a Hines balancer. He's the only crankgrinder in this town. Next nearest is up your way in Oneonta. James Farrand in Syracuse does all his own crankwork.:TU: BTW...you can be SURE that Danzer's has plenty of brew!!:beer They are German!!:Brow: :Brow:
350 heads scott : the "nailhead" place in norwich is cummings machine and the place you are thinking of is actually parts plus now ( used to be united auto parts ) , and now there is a different united auto parts in binghamton area . let me know on the whitney point shop , i'm a parts mgr in a mopar store and that could be useful i think . thanks . del
Does Cummings Machine have extra nailhead stuff around? Or are they just familiar with them? Will do on the shop in WP.
"stuff" scott : no , they did'nt have nailhead stuff , i just felt after i talked with them that they were a little more laid back and in tune with older motors . i on the other hand do have nailhead stuff . del
A friend of mine is building a 'rat rod' powered by a 425" and ST400. He is looking for a real nasty sounding cam w/lifters. Frame is a '98 S-10, body 'was' a '51 Chevy sedan. We've got the crossmember and motor mounts all done, C-notch done over the rear end. Car will be a 'full time' convertible!!:grin: He's trying to do the whole thing for $1500 too!!:shock: Might actually happen too.
350/nh scott : have a new kb nailhead cam , never installed . one of their older grinds , #c113 i believe . have the cam card out in the barn , will check and get back to ya . here's what i got : '65 cat 401 and swth400 . engine is pretty much ready to go back together and the trans was done at gordons in oxford/norwich with a hd kit and has a poston sw3000 tq conv . engine/heads debur'd , bored .030 , new hd cast pistons , rods mag'd beamed arp , crank mag'd polished debur'd , balanced , poston hd oil pump , gsca plated headers , all new bearings and rings , kb adj timing set , the kb cam , kb o/s dual springs , heads were done with a basic valve job - bronze guides - os spring seats - unleaded exh seats - etc . also have '66 riv spare engine (apart) and trans and a few misc. parts around from a '63 lesabre wagon . was gonna put that in my special but a 350's goin in there and this nh stuff has been sitting and its just not good for it . i either need to sell it and put the $$ into a "ringer" 350 or grease it and seal it and wait for a nice "street rod with no engine" deal down the road maybe . thats what i was lookin for the '63 lesabre for previously . so if someone needs cam or misc parts thats ok . i can replace those easy enough later . del
kb nh c113 cam scott : basic card info is as follows . lift:490/490 - duration:284/384 - lobe center:113 - gross lift:308/308 - degrees of duration @.50":228/246 . del
Del - Wouldn't mind hearing more info on the '66 Riv engine/tranny. Together? Running? Let me know a price on the KB c113, so I can tell my friend. Also, do you have lifters with that? I'm sure he'll ask.:Brow: Lastly, do you have any extra nailhead distributors? Thanks.:TU:
NH CAM/ENG/TRANS SCOTT : cam $100 plus shipping ( which is of course n/a here ) , riv engine is apart trans is together . that eng i took apart because i intended it to be used for "spares" for the 65 motor . it is scattered around the barn/shop somewhere . its been sitting for quite awhile and really needs cleaning/checking/dipping/polishing/etc etc . trans is probably ok for a "rebuilder" , may be a runner but thats a real guess . was told by another party that the 66 trans has an improved (?) pump and is slightly preferred . i think i have the tq conv for it also and probably a flex maybe , but the mounting holes on those varied . may have a distributor , will check . sorry , lifters are gone . easy to get , 69 and older all same i think . let me know if you need more info . del
I'll try to get that cam sold for you!:TU: My brother may need another dist. for that '62 wagon, so I can send it out to IgnitionMan sometime.
350/NH scott : didn't you mention before that you had a line on someone that was into maybe fabbing up a girdle ? is that still feasable and if so i would be interested in $$ guesstimate and required info/parts . del
You may want to get a hold of B & B Automotive Machine in Lynbrook, NY 11563, 213 Denton Ave.. They are quickly becoming familiar with Buick 350 heads. Tell'm I sent ya. Email me if you would like..
350 heads isaac : phone number for b&b ? someone else could maybe find it useful also . anyone else have any experience with B&B ??? thanks for the info . del
