port and polish

[philiow313]

id like to do a lot of work to my head when i get my cam installed.

 

will a competent shop know how to port and polish the head on my 1980 280ZX? ive heard that its not easy to do.

 

whats a port and polish job usually cost?

[zredbaron]

the first thing you need to ask yourself is how much do you want your Z to perform, and how much $$ that is worth to you. do you want a basic stock job, or do you want a sweet ride?

 

a top head job can cost $3000+. you can get a basic assembly and cleanup for $500.

 

i am by no means an expert, but a competent head shop will be able to to a head job on just about anything. however if all they see is v8s, then they may have to spend some time getting setup to handle a straight six on their bench, and this time will come as a cost to you. the common advice that floats around is to not short yourself when it comes to a head job. all of your power is made from your head....gas and air come in, exhaust goes out. how easily this takes place determines how fast the crank can start the next revolition, which translates to speed. the best advice ive come across for a head job is dont get the best you can afford, go to the best shop you can find and get it done right.

 

just to give you an example, i have a very poor head on a 3.1L stroker with headers and triple webers. i put a mere 157 hp to the wheels. a well built head puts 250hp+ at the wheels. i am going all out on the head ($3k) and fully expect to see a 100hp difference from the head and camshaft alone. in my case im shipping my head 1500 miles.

 

if you are interested in a performance discussion, check out the thread titled "NA 3.1L head and camshaft questions"

 

good luck, and enjoy the ride!