The winter project started on Thanksgiving when I used some available
out-of-town labor to remove the head on the '73 TR6. I'm now trying to
define the path forward and wanted some feedback. Thanks in advance
1) I need to decide where to send the head and what to have done. My plan is
to polished the combustion chambers smoothing the hard edge as recommended in
David Vizard's book. I would also take the sharp edge off the short side of
the port just below the valve seat. I then need to send it out for
machining. One choice is British Parts NW. I can sent the head to them and
they will replace the seats, install bronze guides, dual springs and new
valves. The exhaust valve will be the larger one off the earlier head. All
this for $430 plus an extra $50 to shave the head. This seems reasonable and
the larger exhaust valve "sounds" good. The question I have is how I ensure
the seats are properly blended in to the intake port and this doesn't get me
the desired 3-angle valve grind. I suppose I could take the head apart upon
receipt and make sure the seat in blended enough and I probably could live
w/o the 3-angle grind. Any comments or recommendations for machine shops in
the NE area that I could work with?
2)While the head is out, I'm considering removing my radiator so I can
replace the Camshaft. I'm trying to decide what cam to get. Going back to
BPNW, their most popular grind is called a Piper 270, this provides peak
power at 5800 with power range claimed from 2200-6800. This seems a little
hot for me. I have headers and HS6 SUs but my current driving style has me
shifting at about 5200-5300 rpm. While this is generally because the car
seems to run out of gas at about 5000, I'm not sure I can see taking it to
6000 regularly to get to best performance. When looking earlier, I had
thought the Triumph Tune Road 83 giving peak power at 4750 might be better.
Comments particularly who has the BPNW Piper 270 and how do you like it?
3) Maybe the most controversial, but I want to consider this. I'm several
years away financially and otherwise from pulling the engine. I'm looking
down at that block, however, and am tempted to crawl under, drop the pan and
push out the pistons to put on new rings. I understand this is not the
prefered approach but I want to hear from those that have tried this. I
would plan on putting standard size rings back in and probably honing with a
fine hone to create slight cross hatch. Comments please.
Thanks and with everything spread out on the work bench downstairs, I'm ready
to start cleaning.
Darcy Hunter
'73 TR6
North Easton, MA
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