1500TC head replacement - Cost?

[bazyerma]

Hi

I have been quoted £700 plus vat to overhaul my head with a unleaded conversion. Seems expensive. I see Quiller is offer a converted head for £369, any on used them or could advise someplace else?

I was going to be happy with anything under £600 total but £700 plus vat is a bit to salty for me!

http://www.quillertriumph.co.uk/Quiller ... 0heads.htm

Regards

Barry

[DOLOMITE 135]

I got my re-con unleaded head when I re-built my Toledo's engine five years and 15000+ miles ago from Canley Classics.
Though Toledo's were not specifically mentioned on their website I gave them a call and they re-built me the correct head to order, could be worth a call.

https://www.canleyclassics.com/?product ... nder-heads

[marshman]

Seems a lot of money - even allowing a generous "you get what you pay for" margin. Are you sure that is for them to just convert your head supplied to them or did they assume you deliver them the car and they have to remove, refurb, then refit. I ask because Quiller quote £698 + vat for exactly that.

Parts (valves, spring & guides) are less than £100 - from Rimmers so that leaves 8 hardened valve seats at around £6 each so less than £150 for parts.

With the right gear it doesn't take long to counterbore the old seats and press in the inserts, press in new guides and then grind in the new valves.

I paid £900 for a rebore, crankgrind and balance, head skim, new guide and hardened seats on my 948cc engine for my Standard 10 -basically the same engine as the 1500cc, though that was a couple of years ago.

Quiller have been around a good few years, I bought a recon diff from them a good few years back when they were in Woolwich, seemed OK and a good price.

Roger

[bazyerma]

Seems a lot of money - even allowing a generous "you get what you pay for" margin. Are you sure that is for them to just convert your head supplied to them or did they assume you deliver them the car and they have to remove, refurb, then refit. I ask because Quiller quote £698 + vat for exactly that.

Parts (valves, spring & guides) are less than £100 - from Rimmers so that leaves 8 hardened valve seats at around £6 each so less than £150 for parts.

With the right gear it doesn't take long to counterbore the old seats and press in the inserts, press in new guides and then grind in the new valves.

I paid £900 for a rebore, crankgrind and balance, head skim, new guide and hardened seats on my 948cc engine for my Standard 10 -basically the same engine as the 1500cc, though that was a couple of years ago.

Quiller have been around a good few years, I bought a recon diff from them a good few years back when they were in Woolwich, seemed OK and a good price.

Roger

Hi Roger

I was really surprised at the cost, but its the first time I have had this sort of work done so thought to ask. The £680 plus vat also has parts on to of that, plus the £105 plus Vat I owe them for the pressure test , and I know its just the head as the Car is hear in Aberdeen and the head is 50 miles down the road in Dundee

The worst thing is all my life messing with cars I heard this machine shop in Dundee was great but I kinda feel the just don't want the work?

Regards

Barry

[cliftyhanger]

The Quiller website has not been updated for many years, or at least parts of it.
So make proper enquiries before comparing costs.

Not so many places do exchange heads any more, but plenty will do the machining. I reckon £3-400 is the ballpark figure. 10 years ago I had hardened seats fitted and that was £20 each, down in the expensive SE.

As a note, it is worth the couple of pounds extra for a 3 angle seat.

[marshman]

Yes I noticed the Quiller site is very out of date and that they have recently moved to Lewes on the south coast.

Oselli - sports and classic - quote £100 per seat (£40 to cut and fit and £60 to make the insert)


Just found this on fleabay - not recommending it in anyway but it gives a marker:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TRIUMPH-SPIT ... SweRhal9pC


Just over £300 (inc carriage) for an exchange recon head - Skim, inserts, new valves, springs and caps.

Roger

[bazyerma]

The Quiller website has not been updated for many years, or at least parts of it.
So make proper enquiries before comparing costs.

Not so many places do exchange heads any more, but plenty will do the machining. I reckon £3-400 is the ballpark figure. 10 years ago I had hardened seats fitted and that was £20 each, down in the expensive SE.

As a note, it is worth the couple of pounds extra for a 3 angle seat.

Hi

I noticed that, So I emailed them last night and they replied with "We can supply reconditioned exchange at £480.00. Yes we can use your old unit as the surcharge" so just awaiting the delivery address to get the ball rolling.

Regards

Barry

[TrustNo1]

its a wonder they are still in business, I guess there are a lot of gullible people out there.
getting a head converted to UL will be about half that cost for a proper engineering firm

£150-200 for the skim, seats etc.
£100 for the valves, springs, collets
plus the valves fitting if you can't do it yourself

the local shop I use would charge me £120 to fit hardened seats

[Steve28]

We have just had my sons 1360 head that's in his Toledo unleaded conversion and skimmed and i'm sure it was only about £250 all in, we took head of took it in and collected when completed from a localish (south yorkshire) engineering company thats been around for years.

[cliftyhanger]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114314987845

No idea on what they do exactly, but then again Quillers are again completely unknown.
They do seem to have cleaned up their act since selling up the London site, presumably the knuckle-draggers are no longer employed. But the head will just be sent to a machine shop. Possibly Eureka......

[Stephenread]

I used Head Technique in Telford on a recommendation from Carledo for my 1500 SE about 18 months ago. It was around £250 from memory for test and then setting up for unleaded. I did have to drop off / collect but I'm assuming a courier wouldn't be that much....?

[Jod Clark]

I used Head Technique in Telford on a recommendation from Carledo for my 1500 SE about 18 months ago. It was around £250 from memory for test and then setting up for unleaded. I did have to drop off / collect but I'm assuming a courier wouldn't be that much....?

I've also used Head Technique in Donnington, Telford (01952 610770) as I used to deliver to the printing company next door. Excellent work they did too. Cylinder Head Services in Bilston (01902 497939) are also very good and offer a nationwide collection and delivery service. https://www.cylinderheadservices.co.uk/


The standard exhaust valves are fine for unleaded fuel too, so replace with standard valves in new guides if going for a full overhaul.

I would say £250 is a fair enough price for full clean-up, skimming, exhaust valve seat inserts, pressure test and new valves fitted and lapped.

[bazyerma]

Hi All

I now feel like a prick, found a machine shop in Aberdeenshire that are going to do it for £200 plus vat if I supply the valves / guides.

Ordered from Rimmers and will hopeful have the head back from AGRA engineering in Dundee tomorrow and £145 pounds lighter for a pressure test and delivery back to me

I cant get over how disappointed I am about all this, feel a right twat. But hopefully get it all back together and can forget about it. Ordered a Chrome valve cover to cheer myself up

Regards

Barry

[Carledo]

[quote=bazyerma post_id=333686 time=1603801793 user_id=13747

.......will hopeful have the head back from AGRA engineering in Dundee tomorrow and £145 pounds lighter for a pressure test and delivery back to me

Barry
[/quote]

Sorry to add to your load, Head Tecnique charge £20 for a pressure test............once the head is in their shop of course.

Steve

[bazyerma]

[quote=bazyerma post_id=333686 time=1603801793 user_id=13747

.......will hopeful have the head back from AGRA engineering in Dundee tomorrow and £145 pounds lighter for a pressure test and delivery back to me

Barry

Sorry to add to your load, Head Tecnique charge £20 for a pressure test............once the head is in their shop of course.

Steve
[/quote]

Yip, I usually like people to buy me dinner first before f$$king me!