Winter Project: 2.0 Head rebuilder?, Looking for a place on the East Coast, or anywhere Options

[1972 914 2.0]

Evening all,

For my winter project I'm rebuilding the 2.0 in my '74. The whole motor is torn down, case split, everything solvent tanked, and the plan for a mild hot rod is made. But I'm running into problems finding a reliable head rebuilder who knows these heads and will do them justice. The previous owner bollocksed up the heads by grinding the valves and guides down too far and also put rusty valve springs back in the heads. Before I bought the car last year, the intake valve spring on the #4 cylinder broke causing the rocker to shear, pushing the valve into the cylinder bending the valve and dinging the cylinder. New springs, rockers, cylinders/pistons are in the works so no worries there. But the intake guide was pushed into the head causing cracking around the seat. (Photos included)

In short: I need a company (or a shop) that knows what they're doing. New guides and valves, polished ports, etc. And to find out if they can repair the cracked head or if i need a new casting. Both heads need rebuilding but this is the one I'm worried about.

Any suggestions or help is greatly appreciated because without heads I'm going nowhere fast (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving-girl.gif) and I'd like to be on the road by late spring.

Best,
Chris

[pilothyer]

I don't believe you could find any better place than Len Hoffman's
Hoffman Automotive Machine HAM HEADS

[r_towle]

Agree

[Jesco Reient]

Len Hoffman at HAM, Inc
1-706-769-3783

"The GUY" for Type IV heads. I'm not trying to be rude or a jerk. You can probably buy a good pair of used heads and get the work done for what it would cost to repair some of that damage.

http://www.hamincgroup.com/blog/porsche/9144-type-4

[1972 914 2.0]

I don't believe you could find any better place than Len Hoffman's
Hoffman Automotive Machine HAM HEADS

Thanks for the input! Hoffman was one of the names that I turned up in my search. But seeing as this is a high price service, I wanted to be sure that I could find a place that come highly recommended.

[1972 914 2.0]

Len Hoffman at HAM, Inc
1-706-769-3783

"The GUY" for Type IV heads. I'm not trying to be rude or a jerk. You can probably buy a good pair of used heads and get the work done for what it would cost to repair some of that damage.

http://www.hamincgroup.com/blog/porsche/9144-type-4

No offense taken! I'm open to pretty much anything that would save time or money. I would only need one new head and I've already found one on Craigslist of all places. But I'd like to try to save it if possible so I'll be sending both to Hoffman for evaluation

[ConeDodger]

Len has been pretty much the go-to for all of us for years but...

A couple years back if I recall correctly, he announce he would no longer be working on TypeIV heads. I believe it was because the price he needed to charge to properly repair the old heads approached the cost of his LE series heads.

By all means call him though. He is *that* good!

[Dave_Darling]

Len still works on the 2.0 heads, but only if they pass muster first.

Another option--rather more expensive to be sure--is to have Len put together some brand new heads. As in, new castings. He takes the castings from AMC and converts them from 1.7 heads into 2.0 heads by moving the spark plug, reshaping the chambers and ports, putting in the correct sized valves, and converting them to three-stud. It's not cheap by any means, but the heads are literally brand new at that point.

He can also massage them for your "mild hotrod" and help you get the most out of it...

(Gee, do you get the feeling that we really like Len around here? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) )

--DD

[Jake Raby]

After 4 decades of service, heads are guilty until proven innocent.

[ConeDodger]

After 4 decades of service, heads are guilty until proven innocent.

And those look guilty... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[HAM Inc]

Len has been pretty much the go-to for all of us for years but...

A couple years back if I recall correctly, he announce he would no longer be working on TypeIV heads. I believe it was because the price he needed to charge to properly repair the old heads approached the cost of his LE series heads.

By all means call him though. He is *that* good!

I appreciate all the kind words (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif)

We do still work with used 2.0 914 heads, but only if they meet the criteria set down in this article.
http://www.hamincgroup.com/blog/porsche/91...-service-policy

Last year only 3 pairs met the criteria. I don't expect this year to be much different.

The new RS+ heads are pricey for sure, but they are turn key new heads, and quite spectacular, if I do say so myself.
Despite the price, our distributor, www.type4store.com moves them as fast as we can produce them.

Some pics and info for the interested.
https://www.facebook.com/HoffmanAutomotiveM...996031263745379

and

https://www.facebook.com/HoffmanAutomotiveM...e=1&theater

[mapguy]

Glad I read the thread. I also thought you didn't rebuild original heads anymore.

I think my heads meet your criteria. I'll get some pics together as soon as I can get the heads cleaned up. I'll send those pics to you to see what you think. My house got robbed a few days ago, and recovering from that and the holidays have eaten into my play time.