Boss Mustang stocker

JRyan · 12-26-2015, 03:26 PM

Let me tell a story about, "passed with flying colors".

Several years back I purchased a '86 Oldsmobile Stocker. It came with a new engine, with complete shortblock - remainder to be assembled, but the heads had been passed by both Div 6 & 7 tech people and were freshly done by a known engine builder.

Well I was going to Texas to race, so I drove West and picked up the car and left it with friends at Denver. I did look at the heads (307 Olds 317's), and they were bogus in my opinion, so I decided to take one along to get checked. One of the well known tech people agreed to check it out so I took it to him and left. I came back an hour or so later and he said, "its good to go". So it passed. Then I pointed out the three things that were obviously incorrect to anyone familiar with that head. After looking at them again he said, "Yeah I wouldn't be putting them on your car if I were you".

So! What does "passed tech" really mean. Some tech guy who doesn't know squat looked at it and said it was OK? Remember, I had three (one very knowledgeable) look at mine and passed it. I had to show him the problem areas. Did Bill show him the changed valve angles he talked about? Has the lifter bore angle change been addressed with tech? The heads wouldn't need that odd-ball looking pushrod hole if everything was still at STOCK angles (exh. 3 degree, int. 9.5 & 4.25 degrees off center). Did tech even check that? Do they ever? Maybe they should.

So Bill, if you want to be, "legal to the T", as you said, maybe you should point out these grey areas to the tech people as I did and THEN see if they pass. If they do, then go for it, but Stock as a class will be ruined if it hasn't been already.

Jerry

12-26-2015, 03:26 PM	#29
JRyan Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aberdeen SD Posts: 645 Likes: 30 Liked 112 Times in 31 Posts	Re: Boss Mustang stocker Let me tell a story about, "passed with flying colors". Several years back I purchased a '86 Oldsmobile Stocker. It came with a new engine, with complete shortblock - remainder to be assembled, but the heads had been passed by both Div 6 & 7 tech people and were freshly done by a known engine builder. Well I was going to Texas to race, so I drove West and picked up the car and left it with friends at Denver. I did look at the heads (307 Olds 317's), and they were bogus in my opinion, so I decided to take one along to get checked. One of the well known tech people agreed to check it out so I took it to him and left. I came back an hour or so later and he said, "its good to go". So it passed. Then I pointed out the three things that were obviously incorrect to anyone familiar with that head. After looking at them again he said, "Yeah I wouldn't be putting them on your car if I were you". So! What does "passed tech" really mean. Some tech guy who doesn't know squat looked at it and said it was OK? Remember, I had three (one very knowledgeable) look at mine and passed it. I had to show him the problem areas. Did Bill show him the changed valve angles he talked about? Has the lifter bore angle change been addressed with tech? The heads wouldn't need that odd-ball looking pushrod hole if everything was still at STOCK angles (exh. 3 degree, int. 9.5 & 4.25 degrees off center). Did tech even check that? Do they ever? Maybe they should. So Bill, if you want to be, "legal to the T", as you said, maybe you should point out these grey areas to the tech people as I did and THEN see if they pass. If they do, then go for it, but Stock as a class will be ruined if it hasn't been already. Jerry