Ian, so whats funny about my suggestion that it could have been one of many things?? You saying you could make a firm diagnosis on the basis of the limited information that we had at that time? Go on then, give it a shot and I will use that info to discredit you, because you couldn't possibly know. To say that it was down to the Mapper is the kind of comment I would expect to hear from an unusually ignorant customer. If it had been one of your engines and you heard someone say that it was down to the mapper, I think you would have had something to say.

Ian, as you know, I have always got on well with you and always have time for a chat, whenever the situation arises, but the head that Tony bought was on my recommendation and for what little I know about head-porting, that really didn't look as though it was worth the money you wanted for it. We could have had a simple porting job done by someone that we had previously dismissed and had it flow-checked for a fraction of what that one was. Tony paid the extra to get something a little bit special, or thats how we understood it. If the untrained eye can identify what looks like poor workmanship to the point that we would advise the customer not to use it, then there must be reason for doubt at least. I don't mind saying that the Vulcan head actually looked alot better (I'm not commenting on Flow characteristics) and was half the price. I'm not doubting that the Flow characteristics were as you say they were, but it looked unfinished, like it had been done in a rush to be honest.

I haven't seen one of Karls heads, but from what I understand, not only does the performance speaks volumes, but the finished product looks like something that you feel reassured by. I can't verify this statement as I haven't seen one in the 'flesh'. The business would go Karls way, of that I am pretty sure, if only he weren't so busy. We can be a little flexible, but we really need the head by the end of March at the latest.

The whole discussion of Cylinder Heads is very complicated. I have a list as long as your arm of people that could do the head. Some of them have already been mentioned and some are people that are reliatively unheard of within PF and RSOC, but who work on Competition stuff. However, there are other factors involved in the choice.

With Karl sadly out of the equation, I think I now know who will end up doing it.