At CVMS, we offer professional porting services. We don't have
a "CNC" machine, we have an "LD". David "LD"
Wilcox, jr. has been porting heads for over 30 years. He is also the man behind
the wheel of what is currently the quickest Pontiac-powered car on the planet.
Oh, and he ported the heads that are on it!
We read on various forums and hear from folks all the time, about their
CNC-ported heads. It's funny, but the perception seems to be CNC porting is
superior to "hand" porting. Perhaps CNC porting IS better
than some peoples' hand porting. Professionals are not among those.
A good cylinder head man can maintain consistency in both cross-section and finish
quality. In truth, a "CNC'd" port is only as good as the person
that ported it for digitizing.
More importantly, a CNC machine does not learn. A professional
porter does! We've read where it's okay as long as they start out with
a "perfect" port. Well, since humans design the ports AND the machines,
perfection is not part of the equasion. Any statement to the contrary simply
isn't realistic.
Our cylinder heads are designed individually for the specific application.
Each set is different than the rest, just as each car and each customer are different.
In this day and age, it's fashionable to use "cookie cutter" parts and
buzz words for bragging rights. We at CVMS are a bit more discerning and our
customers are more demanding. If you buy the heads from the CNC people, your
engine will perform the same as any other engine using the same source for heads.
We have also had our customers told by other shops there are certain
limits to what is possible for a given casting. While that's true (limitations
in physical space), in one case it was said "You can't get more than 270 CFM
from a 4X {Pontiac} head no matter how hard you try!" In this particular
case, we were building a new F.A.S.T. (Factory Appearance, Stock Tire) Class engine.
CVMS had built the previous engine for the customer. The heads for the old
build were already at 285, and they were three years old. When asked if he
(the customer) was looking for a bargain or an "edge", he replied he was
looking for the edge. The new engine sports 4X heads that flow 300 CFM at
.600" lift, and all within the confines of the stock location for ports and
pushrods. It would have been better worded "WE (the other shop) can't get more
than 270 CFM..."
The sky really IS the limit. With enough time and effort, old
barriers (perceived more than real) fall by the way. We're getting more flow
and more power (the two, while related, are not necessarily the same) with every
set of heads we build. We can provide flow numbers, as we DO have a Custom
Flow 400 pitot-tube style flow bench. However, we have learned the numbers
aren't always the only measure of a good set of heads. We've also learned,
low and mid-lift flow are far more critical to overall power production than "peak"
numbers. Instead of flow numbers, we offer track numbers. Our customers'
cars are among the quickest in their respective classes than any other out there,
especially the Pontiacs. By applying modern techniques to the old Injun, we
have brought the Pontiac to the next level. Our Chevy engines don't run too
bad, either!
We understand port work is labor-intensive, and therefore rather expensive.
One will ALWAYS get the fair amount of time charged, devoted to their cylinder heads.
We have some "packages" that can save a bit of money, as they're the more
commonly requested levels. We offer all levels of cylinder head work, including
repairs of damaged race heads from other shops. Aluminum heads are rather
easily repaired in most cases. Iron heads take a bit more effort. We
install screw-in studs and guideplates in stock small blocks all the way to
480 CFM "Tigers" for a blown-alcohol Pontiac. Imports and exotics
are also welcome. Ask about our "swirl/tumble" combination for 4-valve
heads.