[Amc-list] 6 Cyl Head work

[Nick ALFANO <71amx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Justin,

I think you got a good deal.  It is easy for people on
the web to say you got ripped off, but in reality,
when it comes down to the work they did, $300 is a
fair price.  Think of how much time goes into the
things that aren't listed below like disassembling 
your head, hot tanking them, grinding a new set of
valves, setting the valve springs with shims so they
all match in pressure and height.  Installing the
guides means removing the old, installing new plus
honing to fit your valve stems so they are not too
tight and the cost of the guides them self.  Where
they bronze or steel liners (I assume steel or they
should have been more)?  $100 for a valve job on 12
valves, very fair.  For $100 I am assuming this was
not a 3 angle valve job.  If it was, you got a great
deal.  Then you have to clean them again before you do
the final assembly and install freeze plugs.  Now
multiply all that times the average shop rate of
around $75/hr (they probably charged you a lot less
than that).  It sounds like your head was not a quick
valve job.  You had valve problems, guides issues,
seat issues and possibly more. 

In my experience, you might find some shops a couple $
cheaper and some a couple $ more.  In the end, it is
who you trust and is it worth saving a buck to search
for the guy who will do it all for less. 

Now I am not trying to put you down, just trying to
make you see the other side.  These guys were fair to
you.  Being that you are only 50 or so miles from me,
I would tell you if you were getting ripped and have
you bring you stuff to me.  Feel good about the price
you paid and enjoy the engine.  I know I shop around
here where that would have cost $100-$150 more for the
work you had done.

Nick Alfano
Alfano Performance
Kenosha, WI. 53142
262-308-1302
262-942-8271 after 6pm central and weekends


 I complained last week about the cost of having a
head rebuilt for my 
196 
> engine.  This is for a '62 Cross Country wagon.
> 
> Here's the breakdown of costs that I got from the
Napa machine shop 
that did the 
> work:
> 
> Replace Valve Seat $60
> Replace Valve Guides $72
> Resurface Cyl Head $60
> Valve Job $100.
> Shop Supplies $12.
> Total: $304.
> 
> When you add the $150-odd $ that I spent on valves
and springs, the 
cost of just 
> redoing the head starts to push $500!  Yikes!  At
that price, I could 
just lay 
> low and wait for a low-mileage, totally rebuilt
engine come up on 
Ebay.
> 
> Guess I'll be in the market for another machine shop
. . .  those 
guys do good 
> work, but I just can't afford them any longer, I
don't think.
> 
> If you have a good shop to recommend in the Chicago
area, give me a 
holler.
> 
> - Justin
> 

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