Topic: Jim French, Mike Rieck, Rick Stetson brought my old race head back to life

[Sam Green Racing]

 

[Don R]

 Good on you for saving it, the porting is phenomenal. Someday I'll get around to my 1124. Really.

[gschuld]

The photos of the porting is from the Butch Pace head that started the thread.  Butch Pace was a racer/distributor, race shop associated with RC in St Louis in the mid/late 70s.  His porting is reportedly from the same patterns used at RC that Byron developed in the early 70s(it sure looks like it anyway).  Mike opened the intake for 33.5 intake valves (it was an 836 bore size race head), and he had free reign to improve the porting as he saw fit.  You'd have to ask him how much playing around he did. The rest of the head got new EVERYTHING.  To say I was pleased with all the work done would be a huge understatement.

The latest head in process (slow process, no hurry) is also a vintage race head, this one with a cool history.  It was in FAR worse shape.  I can clearly recall Mike shaking his head in defiance, or sheer bewilderment (hard to tell), at the idea of repairing that old war horse.  He and I stared at it at his shop, and it appears to have been beaten, repaired, raced, beaten, repaired, raced hard,(repeat a few more times), busted badly, then retired in a very sad state.  It was WAY past the point of being "worth repairing given it's condition", but I'm stubborn, and this head is special.

Unfortunately for Mike, I'll be sending that head his way to perform a few more miracles at some point.  Assuming he doesn't get smart and refuse my business anyway

George

[bwaller]

  Poor Mike has been talked into a few jobs that meer mortals would refuse. 

Your mention of these three guys is cool, all with very special talents. Had it not been for this forum I'd have never had the pleasure! 

[BobbyR]

I spent and evening with Mike few years back. We went into his shop and all of his work is first rate. Nicest guy you will ever meet.

[kmb69]

I spent and evening with Mike few years back. We went into his shop and all of his work is first rate. Nicest guy you will ever meet.

Huh? You talkin bout the Mike I know?       

[gschuld]

Poor Mike has been talked into a few jobs that meer mortals would refuse. 

Karma is a #$%* Mike.    You went from knee deep to neck deep in vintage RC Engineering race parts.

Aren't you glad that Billy, myself, and others offered you some, umm, practice dealing with these old obsolete parts over the years?

George

[bwaller]

Huh? You talkin bout the Mike I know?       


Hahaha, awesome.

[gschuld]

Just playing Mike.  We love you man

George

[Big Jay]

They are actually the valves APE sells guys. they certainly do look like Manley's. Just check the piston to head clearance carefully George. I tried to build a wedge squish area into the chambers to help push charge into the middle of the chamber. I also wanted to keep compression up (leave as much material in there) as it will be used for racing. Wish I had a before pic of the chamber damage....Jim did a fantastic job repairing it. That man is good!

I thought they looked like our valves. Our material is very advanced over the older Manleys.  We actually decided to do these valves when we got involved with Russ Jr in the restorations of his dads fuelers.

[BobbyR]

I spent and evening with Mike few years back. We went into his shop and all of his work is first rate. Nicest guy you will ever meet.

Huh? You talkin bout the Mike I know?       

Huh? You talkin bout the Mike I know?       


Hahaha, awesome.

I spent and evening with Mike few years back. We went into his shop and all of his work is first rate. Nicest guy you will ever meet.

Huh? You talkin bout the Mike I know?       

No, I am talking about the Mike I know. I was there on a social visit.    Gracious host, lovely wife and nice kids. Ha Ha!
 

[kmb69]

No, I am talking about the Mike I know. I was there on a social visit.    Gracious host, lovely wife and nice kids. Ha Ha!
 

Bobby, I was just poking fun.    Mike is one of my very best friends. We hang out every chance we get. And yes, he has a VERY SPECIAL WIFE and awesome kids. 

[BobbyR]

No, I am talking about the Mike I know. I was there on a social visit.    Gracious host, lovely wife and nice kids. Ha Ha!
 

Bobby, I was just poking fun.    Mike is one of my very best friends. We hang out every chance we get. And yes, he has a VERY SPECIAL WIFE and awesome kids. 

I know you were. I was just busting balls.  It's a New York thing. Trump did a lot of NY stuff during the campaign.

[Jim F]

Glad too see the finished work is coming along
As expected. Hope to see these at valdausta in the spring
Or November
My wife and I had the pleasure of having a great dinner
With mike and his better half in Boston this past October
Mike and I were givin a total of 5 mins to talk shop
And then it was back to including are better halves
Wounderfull evening and the steaks? Oh my god.
Can't wait to head back to Boston this spring
Love you brother
Jim

[gschuld]

Glad too see the finished work is coming along as expected.
Jim

I'm very pleased with the work to date on that head.  But it is a back burner project, other more pressing things are in front of it.  I got all the fins repaired, they look great again. 

Still have that one cam tower stud thread issue to tackle, plus a top to bottom JMR workup to get her back to raceworthy condition.  I'm sure Mike will be just dying to tackle my "back from the dead" RC race head after finishing up the mother of all RC engine jobs (outside the Sorcerer anyway) ....

George

[PeWe]

Cam tower thread as for the std. stud?
I have repaired 3 of mine. One got a self thread cutting one I glued with Loctite 272 and JB weld from underside (plug side) cover the hole and upper since I let it come under the head surface. I did not trust the self cutting thread insert to NOT continue to cut when tighten the nut
I use now a torque wrench I trust (2.5Nm-25Nm) and torque all M6 10Nm. I used more before and a bad free wrench was expensive in the long run.