Hi there guys, asking around to see what the market value is on a NOS Riley 2-port head? Also the guy has a Christy or Kristy OHV head, and I have tried to look up info on it but no luck find anything. So I turn to you guys for any info on one or both the heads. Thanks Josh
Yapp used to make the 2 port. Price was around $4500. As for the Christy it is listed in FAST index of OHV heads as a 2 port made in iron. No other info was given and I could not find anything else. Might want to try this months banger meet.
If that's the NOS Riley 2 port I know, which is also in California. It should be said it is a reproduction. I'd say in the 4k range for a nos reproduction. I think a nos iron original head could possibly go for more. But it is always hard to say. I know I want to offer 3k for the one I know about, mainly because I'm cheap... But I have no business buying one.
If it is a really good ORIGINAL 2 port Riley it should be worth at least 4K. This number is based on a good, complete head that has not been milled to death and the valve seats have not been enlarged to the point of no return. This would include good valves, rockers, rocker covers, manifold, etc. For 4K or more, it should be an original and need nothing. A Yapp head is probably worth around 3K. Even though they sold for 4K or more, there are some issues to be concerned with. His earlier heads had issues that may or may not have been corrected in the later heads. I would rather have an original and pay a bit more IF I could find one.
I was told this one has been on a shelve for 30+ years, when did they start reproducing the Riley heads?
PART ONE: First, hi there speedy Banger guys. I'd like address the naming and explaining about the George Riley, Riley Dual Valve In Head, OHV "F" type (valves in head - exhaust in block) cylinder head made to fit Model A, B, G28-T and GAZ engines. George Riley began his conception of his Riley OHV in the early days of 1928 when the Model A first arrived on the scene. It was first advertised in January 1930 and he was most probably testing in the fall of 1929. His first set of tooling (patterns) were hand made from wood by George himself. These first engines had the spark plugs on the driver's side where Riley had made a slight hangover that added a bit more water and helped place the spark plug where he felt it ought to be, over the piston. When all the racing results were tabulated by 1935, it was this head that out performed most other OHV heads including subsequent versions of the Riley's "two port". Other heads like the Miller, Miller-Schofield and Cragar often were neck and neck with the Riley. The Winfield flatheads were a constant competitor too. Where the Riley Valve In Head really shined was at the circle track. It was its hard to keep up with its "suck you into the seat" torque coming out of the curve. There was a problem that appeared. These first series heads and the next three (longer story) with plugs on the passenger side started cracking right through the middle in between the camel hump valve chambers. When I purchased one of the first version Riley Heads, found in a chicken barn on a California ranch, I was excited by its apparent simplicity of manufacture. I was not aware or focused on the cracking feature. There is a long story behind the making of my (Yapp's) "Riley Two Port" (sm), but the feature I want to explain is that in developing the tooling to cast up few of these neat heads the pattern maker (of course) wanted prints to make them from. Sorry, these were going to have to be reversed engineered. Getting the exterior layed out was a no brainer but when they extrapolated the interior water jacket tool they discovered a lack of cooling pathways. So I popped for a set of X-rays to be able to see exactly what we were dealing with. At the front and at the back the original Riley head it had no water passages from left to right - None. That goes a long way to explain the cracking heads. Without a passageway the water turned to super heated steam especially up at the front end. With differential of cooling time the heads often cracked just sitting on the side of the track. The rocker stands are also often cracked. George made a hacksaw cut at the rocker shaft/mount bolt and filled it with a copper washer. 9 our 10 mechanics/collectors lost the copper "U" washer, tighten the mount bolt, and snap! 7 out of 10 original Riley OHV are cracked between the chambers... More power to you with Four-Titude, Charlie Yapp
PART TWO . . . the George Riley Valve In Head and the Charlie Yapp Riley Two Port: I instructed the pattern maker to find away that would allow water to flow sideways in the front and the rear. The correction was pretty clever. I never cared for the metal overhang, so I had that removed and I had them increase the height of the head, over the sparkplugs, to aid in cooling. The name "Riley Two Port" is what I called my reproduction of the "Riley Valve In Head". My heads are branded with "Riley Two Port" and the originals are branded "RILEY". In Secrets Magazine I announced my interest in manufacturing this head (about 1996) and if anybody was interested we would start with $500 deposit to get a head. A second $500 was asked for as we were running out of money. Balance was unknown but not to exceed another 1K (hopefully). . . . 61 men and two ladies sent in their money within the next 3 months and the long, long creation story began. My 1st series was as close to the original as could be done right down to the the felt pad oiling system. In the end, I believe we settled on $1950 for a complete head kit ready to bolt on and go. We made $5.36 on each head!! When I retired the R2P a few years ago I'd made over 750 units and sold them all over the world. Probably more than George sold. Not one of mine has cracked (that I'm aware of) and they have run races and travel around the world. Over the years I added full oil pressure oiling, roller bearing rollers and ductile iron adjustable rocker arms (I have some rockers in stock now). The last units I sold were $4000, the difference being primarily due to increases in casting, tooling repair, machine operations and bit for my time and effort. I still have the original head and I plan to give it away someday to surprise some young fellow or gal that I feel is worthy. Value is only what the buyer is willing to pay. If you have an unmolested original Riley - I would not run it. It could break in two and ruin its true value, which I would put at $5000, but I am not a qualified appraiser like some in this thread. Cost of manufacture have been high and shops with the skills and understanding are few and far away. The Roof 101 Cyclone Four Port that Jim Roof and I developed was based on the Robert Roof Cyclone first promoted in 1929. I now sell for $5000+ and the Miller that Steve Sere makes is about the same . . plus accessories. To address GZ in this thread about what he would choose and what he would pay. I don't agree. I would like to hear about the "issues" that you so boldly left hanging out there about my Riley Two Port. These types of chat websites have the ability to not only help us when trying to "get her done" but they also screw with your mind and to do harm to people that only try harder than most to make the Banger community a better place. I design'm, I make'm and I build'm by the thousands AND I tell the Banger story every quarter to thousands more . . . So, please tell, tell us all, what you know as fact . . . If you want facts about my products . . . ask me. If you have a story to tell, that Banger effectionautos would enjoy, let me know. You can find my address, email and phone number on my website www.secretsofspeed.com . . Please get in touch. I don't bite. More power to you, with Four-Titude, your servant, Charlie Yapp
The Christy head was also a good head. I believe it was made in San Francisco, Ca. My Fathers friend had one on his car. His nephew now has the car with the head still on it. The Valve Cover had the name and place of manufacture on it. If you still have the valve cover it should say more on it.
Hey Charlie, Thanks for your good input ! Only thing, IMO, that could have / should have been done, is all that effort/resources should have been put into making the Riley 4-port in IRON. A truly major step up in power / torque !!
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