The V8 Owners Forum -

I was talking to Ian Richardson at Wildcat yesterday about pistons and the subject of top hat liners came up. They apparently will Top Hat Liner a block for £600.. which seems very competitive from a company you know will do it right.

Ian Richardson is extremely helpful and quite willing to chat, even when I had told him I didn't have bucket loads of cash to spend. Also gave me some good advice about using the Chevy 305 Keith Black pistons in that the top ring must be gapped to NOT LESS THAN 30Thou as the Hypereutectic pistons expand more with heat and this can cause failure of the top ring land if there is insufficient clearance on the top compression ring. Also said if I need any more advice Re building my 4.35 engine to give him a call.

Can't ask for more than that from one of the masters of the art of building competition V8 engines.

Kevin.

Ian is a top man and £600 for wildcat to top-hat a block seems very fair.

Thats who did my top hat liners for £450 a few years ago. He does know his stuff and his prices are very good. The only thing is that he is never in a hurry to get your job sorted... It took me around 4 months to get my crank offset ballanced to give me 4.8ltr and when he built my bottom end it took 5 months to get it back.. A very nice bloke but has no sence of time. (not ment in any nasty way) A lot of people who have delt with him have said they have either gone and got there parts back or sat and pulled there hair out .

Mate, did you have a top-hat block O-ringed as well then to match your heads?? Thought there might not be enough room??

V8D quoted me about 800 squids for top-hats which seems about the average price. They did, however, offer a very good package for a complete engine rebuild (using my bits) - does Wildcat do stuff like that at all??

cheers

chodjinn wrote:Mate, did you have a top-hat block O-ringed as well then to match your heads?? Thought there might not be enough room??

V8D quoted me about 800 squids for top-hats which seems about the average price. They did, however, offer a very good package for a complete engine rebuild (using my bits) - does Wildcat do stuff like that at all??

cheers

No I was asking about pistons. I can only comment that I found Ian Richardson very helpful, the comments above suggest that it might take a while to get your engine back, if your not in a hurry perhaps give him a ring and see what he says.


Kevin.

Sorry Kevin that bit was for v8 jago lol! Asking as he has his heads O-ringed, so assuming the block has been as well as the top-hats.

Will give Ian a buzz next week maybe, gotta ring V8D first tho

cheers

chodjinn wrote:Mate, did you have a top-hat block O-ringed as well then to match your heads?? Thought there might not be enough room??

V8D quoted me about 800 squids for top-hats which seems about the average price. They did, however, offer a very good package for a complete engine rebuild (using my bits) - does Wildcat do stuff like that at all??

che ers

I would deffo get v8d to do them for 800 rather than wildcat you will end up pulling your hair out believe me its not worth the stress trust me i have been there more than once ,did v8d say how long it would take to do .

Nope they didn't say how long it would take, but the impression I got was not very long. They sub the machine work out apparently to a reputable company as thye can't/don't do it themselves

When I asked how long it'd take to assemble my short/long block assembly, they were like "About three hours mate" . . . !!!! Nice!!!

Makes a bit of a change compared to my previous engine-builder experiences.