Hello all,

I need some advice. I have a 71 145. My wife got me the Street preformance cam w/lifters for my birthday (yea I know she is great :)) and I intend on putting it in soon. My brother is now offering to help me do some other engine work while I have things apart. I would like to concentrate on the head as the rest of the motor has been mildly modified ie. FI head but the engin is caburated with a down draft weber, "big bore" pistons, header + 2 1/4" exhaust, elec. ignition.

Is there a local shop that REALLY knows what they are doing and could port the head for me? Could I find all the numbers and take it to a shop I trust and have them bring it to spec?

What shall I do???

Thanks,
Wayne

Dan Baisley @ Baisley Hi Performance did the race heads for Richard Gordon and Gary Small. Though he currently specializes in Harleys, he still does work for a select Volvo crowd. The number is 503-289-1251 in North Portland. How's 'bout that dishwasher????? :-)

Wish I had someone local to ME for that kinda stuff. I have a very good shop in Reno who would love to "mess with" the Volvo head (or anything else weird I can come up with) but I'm not certain I would be happy with the result.
Shop rates here range from $60/hr for basic stuff up to $90/hr for experienced head work (2 hour minimum per head).

Mike!

Local to .. where are you?

I'd encourage you to not let any ol' machine shop do the headwork. Volvo heads are funny that way.

I'd also encourage you to sell the Weber on ebay and use that money to offset a good set of SU carbs - you won't regret it!

Best,

Cameron
Rose City

I am in Vancouver (Wa. that is). I have a trusted machine shop in Hazell Dell "Lou's Machine Shop" or "I-5 driveline" same place. Anyway he does fantastic work and has a beautifull shop so I would trust him if he said he could do it. However I do understand that knowlege of volvo heads in particular could be needed. Do you know of a shop you would trust in the Rose City?

Wayne

My experience matches Phil's - I've used Lou for some things but wouldn't choose him first for a Volvo head.

Baisley did flow bench testing on one of my heads, and is nearly finished with Shayne's head; used to do heads for many of the people we hear of who raced 'way back then' and is plain excellent.

Might be worth seeing if you could stop by and see the head he's working on now, to get an idea of what he does.

Not cheap though.

Best,

Cameron
Rose City

Cameron, could I get you to put on your diplomatic hat and try to clarify your statements...?
I thought in discussion about the time you did the boosted motor you said the head work you had done for it was disappointing- almost no gains on intake and only ~~20% on exhaust?

Ian

Baisley didn't do Cameron's head, he only flow tested it.

I've used Lou for some things, and he's done a fine job. He wouldn't be my first choice for porting a Volvo head, though.

Go talk to Archie at Sommer's Automotive Machine, corner of Minnehaha and St. Johns -- excellent shop specializing in high-performance engines only.

Better yet, strictly for porting, look up Dan Baisley in PDX -- he used to do Richard Gordon's race heads. Shayne's got one there now.