Hey Ford Guys..SOHC 427ci..Need Help..

[DeputyDawg]

I have a friend that just bought an all original SOHC 427 that has been sitting for thirty one years full of what appears to be Marvel Mustery oil. We tore it down being careful to document everything and it appears to be in good shape with an almost non existant wear ridge at the top of the cylinders. He is wanting to rebuild it and put it in his new Cobra kit car. What we need is someone who knows these motors to help us out a little since we have not been able find any information on this thing at all and we don't want to screw it up. We are GM guys with quite a few ford builds under our belts to but this thing is a different animal. TALK ABOUT A TIMING CHAIN....DAYUMMM!

[rrrr]

Ship it to me and I'll get it running for ya. No charge. :D :D :coffeycup

[mrgoslow]

buy that in frost, tx?

[DeputyDawg]

He did buy it here in Texas but I don't remember where. I will ask.

[Liberator TJ1984]

Scott, please don't let me find out you knew where one of those are at and are holdin' out on me :devil:

[76BARRON]

Be patiant, the ford guy's will come out of the wood work on this one! :D
That timing chain is the whole key to that deal!! I do know that someone
came out with a gear drive set up for those. But it aint cheap . Heard it works well though.
Good Luck with it !
76

[DeputyDawg]

He also got a belt drive set up with this deal that has never been put on the engine but is supposed to be a very rare(high dollar) deal. The motor also has a 2x4 intake with two vac sec. Holleys that are hooked together via vacuum system that is different from anything I have ever seen.

[1BIGJIM]

How about posting some pics? :idea:

[058]

Now thats a trip back in time....and quite a find. Its been many years since I've had any contact with cammers but I'll try to remember some of the typical fine points. Cammer heads are rumored to be in reproduction to go with the new blocks that are available. Your biggest problem is finding gaskets for it, they are in reproduction but I can't recall who is doing them. the numerous front cover gaskets are relatively easy as these can be cut from gasket material. The head gaskets are different as cammer gaskets have a oil drain provision and are different from wedge gaskets. I have heard of guys using the wedge gaskets and modifying 'em to accomodate the drains. Also what cam followers do you have? Are they adjustable or does the lash have to be set with lash caps? Lash cap followers are best as the adjustables are known to break. Cam timing is a bit odd as the cams from one bank to the other are not timed straight up, and I can't recall exactly how they are phased but off the top of my head the right bank [cyls 1 thru 4] is 4 deg. advanced and the left bank is 4 deg. retard if the origional timing chain assembly is used. This is done to accomodate the long chain and the slack it has. Pay close attention to the chain tension, too much and it'll stretch the chain and too little and the chain will whip. I think the tensioner sprocket is torqued to 25 ft/lbs. Milodon used to make a gear drive for the cammer but I have no idea if its still available but if you have the belt drive then that would be best if you are not too concerned about origionality of the engine. IMO I would not butcher the cam covers and the front cover to install the belt drive. That engine is far too valuable to cut up just for the sake of ease of maintainence. If its going into a Cobra then I think origionality would be most important and just deal with the chain. Don't forget the steel plugs in the #3-4 and 5 cam bores. Set the short block up as you would for a Hi-riser except for the dome pistons, there were 2 offered by Ford, a 11.5 to 1 and a 12.5 to 1. Run a hi volume oil pump and keep the pressure above 70lbs running. One last thing and this is important....if it has sodium cooled valves DUMP THEM. After all these years the sodium has corroded the inside of the valves and are weaker than when they were new. You are asking for disaster if you do not remove those valves, it would be a shame to drop a valve and destroy that beautiful piece of engineering. I know I'm forgetting a few things and maybe there is someone else here that can fill in the blanks or correct any lapse in memory I might have.

[canuck1]

He also got a belt drive set up with this deal that has never been put on the engine but is supposed to be a very rare(high dollar) deal. The motor also has a 2x4 intake with two vac sec. Holleys that are hooked together via vacuum system that is different from anything I have ever seen.
According to my dad the belt drive is better than the chain but find the gear drive. The carb set-up should have progressive linkage that opens the primary on the rear carb first and when it is open aprox half way the front primary will start to open, what other info do you want?

[058]

Almost forgot....oil pressure is controlled by the rear relief valve [there are 2] in the back of the block. The one in the pump is for cold starts only and is set to bypass @ 125 lbs. The rear bypass is there to assure the whole engine gets 70+ lbs of pressure. The 427 pump is not available anymore but a Melling pump can be modified to work. Since I don't race or run hard any of the 427s I have I just use a Melling pump and set both valves for 70-75lbs but for the cammer I would stick close to what the factory wanted for that engine. Do the normal oiling mods that are usually done to the 427 wedge engines and it should live a long and happy life. If you have any questions you can P/M me.

[fourspeednup]

Wow, that's one hell of a find :) Shoot some pics if you could for us young hot rodders that could only read about these things :frown:

[steelcomp]

Damn, 058..I take back everything bad I ever said about you! :D That was pretty damn right on. I'll add this...if it has lash caps for valve adjustment, make sure you keep everything in exactly the same order when it goes back together. He's also right about the sodium valves...they were never that strong to start with, and should be replaced. If I remember, the stock valve springs on those weren't the best, either...didn't last long and, if you forget the plugs in the cam bearing holes you won't have any oil pressure. We made front cover gaskets using the ol' ball peen hammer method.
I have notes on cam timing somewhere...that's a tedious job...there's 6' of timing chain! I'll see what I can dig up.

[roostwear]

Don't know about the sohc heads being reproduced, but the shotgun heads are almost ready. Standard 385 oil drain holes (probably CJ port cofig), and virtually a bolt on. Don't know about the exhaust ports yet. I hope they're not Boss......

[GofastRacer]

Damn when I think about those it just makes me cry, at one time I could have had as many of those as I wanted in the crate directly from Ford for $300 a piece, wouldn't you know it I was a just a punk kid without a fkn pot to piss in!.. :mad: And it's even worse when I look at this!.. :cry:
Anyhow, that belt drive goes back to the 80's, a couple of guys we knew back when we ran OCIR had a digger with one of those, very nice setup!.. The only difference in the head gaskets between the Cammer and the Wedge is the drain hole, and the difference in the block also!..
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/505/12SOHC.jpg

[DeputyDawg]

WOW! Thanks 058, and others. As I said, we have always been GM guys(mainly chevy and Pontiacs) but my buddy has always wanted a Cobra and has always loved the SOHC 427s. Since he couldn't afford an original Cobra he instead bought a very nice kit Cobra that is probably an even better car as far as handling goes than the original. He had been trying to put a deal together on this motor for two years and he paid a ton for it, but it's what he wanted so here we go! He doesn't want to butcher it up in order to run the belt drive so he is planning on selling it and has been told it will bring a lot by itself. I would like to find a service manual for it as well as a source for gaskets if they are available.
I will see if I can get him to get on here and post some pics since he is a computer guru. The guy he bought it from used to run one in a Blown gas front engine digger back in the day and also has an old Don Long front engine fueler chassis in his shop with cob webs all over it!

[steelcomp]

DD...I owned a Cobra shop for a while, and built a few from scratch. It's not hard to have one that handles beter than the original, but that's a lot of motor!!
Gaskets are going to be hard to find, but things like oil pan, rear main, and head gaskets are all still the same (head gaskets need oil hole)
He might call some of the old Ford shops around, and there might be someone who can dig up an old set of valve cover gaskets, but I know there aren't any front cover gaskets around. Hell, there aren't many front covers that haven't been sawed in half by the chain by now! That motor is a museum piece, and for the right buyer, I've heard they can get 6 digits, if it's in NOS condition.

[dmontzsta]

Some people will actually give a nut or their first born for one of these. :D

[mike37]

dang I want to see this thing pics man pics

[DeputyDawg]

Thanks steelcomp, I will be in touch. As far as the car goes, it was built by SPF. I have tried to talk him in to rebuilding it back to new condition and selling it but he is dead ass set on putting it in the Cobra. I promise I will try to get some pics up here guys.

[76BARRON]

check with FORDPOWERPARTS.COM
Ron Miller is his name and he might be able to help
phone # 714-523-7900
fax # 714 -523-9040
ps. dont send money unless he has parts in hand :rolleyes:

[steelcomp]

Concourse Restorations in Nevada is another good source for old Ford stuff. I'll see if I can find a phone number, or you can look it up.

[DeputyDawg]

Thanks guys!

[mrswetdream2]

Does it look anything like this.. :D
http://www2.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/352ford.bmp

[rrrr]

I'm really disappointed you didn't accept my offer... :D :D

[DeputyDawg]

It isn't quite that polished right now.

[roostwear]

check with FORDPOWERPARTS.COM
Ron Miller is his name and he might be able to help
phone # 714-523-7900
fax # 714 -523-9040
ps. dont send money unless he has parts in hand :rolleyes:
Don't give him money till the parts are in YOUR hands.

[DeputyDawg]

Thanks for the heads up guys.

[RiverRacer]

DD.
Gaskets are going to be hard to find, but things like oil pan, rear main, and head gaskets are all still the same (head gaskets need oil hole)
He might call some of the old Ford shops around, and there might be someone who can dig up an old set of valve cover gaskets, but I know there aren't any front cover gaskets around.
Full gasket kits, as well some induvidual sets(Intake, Exhaust, Head, V Cover, Front Cover, Etc) arte listed on the site at www.dscmotorsport.com. Also available are Rocker Arm kits and parts, Valve Covers, Front Covers, Water Pumps etc. ALMOST enough available to build one from scratch, if you have the $$$$$$$$. Dennis, RR