C6ME-A 428PI block with a cast 66-427 in the bellhousing face ?

[Kyle]

Hi all,

There were Original 67 Shelby GT500's with an engine block C6ME-A 428 block with a cast 66-427 in the bellhousing face and an A scratch next to the cast 66-427 please?

Any help please?

Thanks Kyle.

[shelbydoug]

Mine does not have it but you need to understand that the FE blocks are an evolution and that there may be at least two slightly different sides to the mold for the block.

Many have the 66-427 cast into them as well as the 352 id.

In identifying the block I would look for the C6ME-A, the date code and the A scratch.

A GT500 with a 428 probably should not have a casting date before some time in November of '66 and after June of '67. They become C7ME's with a C scratch after that.

It is thought that there are some original C scratch blocks in the last 67 GT500's?

[Kyle]

Thanks for this information.
I think there were some September or October of 1966 casting date codes for early 67 Shelby GT500's.

[Royce Peterson]

To be clear, the casting ID # and the 66-427 are meaningless - many 352 blocks, 390 blocks, 410 blocks have those same characteristics. The A scratch on the rear bulkhead USUALLY and normally is the tell on the 428 block. USUALLY.

Usually there is also a 428 cast in the floor of the water jacket. USUALLY.

The date code is also important, it should be before the car was built as mentioned above.

[shelbydoug]

To be clear, the casting ID # and the 66-427 are meaningless - many 352 blocks, 390 blocks, 410 blocks have those same characteristics. The A scratch on the rear bulkhead USUALLY and normally is the tell on the 428 block. USUALLY.

Usually there is also a 428 cast in the floor of the water jacket. USUALLY.

The date code is also important, it should be before the car was built as mentioned above.

No 428 cast into my cylinders. These things are a real spaghetti pie. It entirely depends on what was lying around in the kitchen before they cooked it.

There is also a change over around '64 or '65 where the engine mount bosses are changed to three bolts instead of two.

That generally coincides with identifying a 352 block since those largely are earlier blocks BUT there ARE truck blocks that don't want to conform and associate themselves with passenger vehicles. 


The quirks also aren't just limited to the FE blocks. The timing chain covers and the oil filter adapter can have the earlier casting engineering number with a later date and vise versa.

It keeps the "Concourse Judges" arguing all of the time.


The assembly line workers just wanted their pay checks at the end of the week and let the "management" deal with stuff like that.

[daltondavid]

true