any early funny car owners here? Or know of a person or company?

[Harris Speedster]

Royce,
With all due respect, it can also be attributed to drag racing, correct?
I am following along, and I am amazed whats coming out about the builders, racing parts suppliers and more.
The only 427 boat motors I have ever witnessed, had brass plugs.
I have had 3 Chris craft mahogany boats in my life, double and triple cockpits, barrel backs, real cool, real class.
All early 1950's models, so no FE, CC motors,
I will look up the CC boat site, and pass the link here to SAAC,
There are always exceptions.
Respectfully,
John

[Royce Peterson]

These 427 Ford engines were never factory installed by anyone in boats and used typically a 427 side oiler with steel freeze plugs. The collection of parts in your photos is not typical of any drag racing class but is quite typical of the sort of ski boat / fun boat style used on lakes in the 1970's - 1980's and beyond. H-M and others made a lot of money building things like this to customer specs, so you never see any of them exactly like another.

I mentioned P's Chris Craft forum because they are discussed there, not because this collection of engine parts has any connection to Chris Craft. As far as I can see it's more oriented like a typical single engine speed boat which is not something Chris Craft was known for. I am trying to help you.

There is quite an interest in speed boats of that era and you seem to have all the right parts other than say a pair of cast aluminum Nickson water cooled exhaust stacks.

Royce,
With all due respect, it can also be attributed to drag racing, correct?
I am following along, and I am amazed whats coming out about the builders, racing parts suppliers and more.
The only 427 boat motors I have ever witnessed, had brass plugs.
I have had 3 Chris craft mahogany boats in my life, double and triple cockpits, barrel backs, real cool, real class.
I will look up the CC boat site, and pass the link here to SAAC,
There are always exceptions.
Respectfully,
John

[gt350hr]

   I've been saying this all along!  The 427MR head was NOT "commonly" used in blown drag engines. While they were fine in a naturally aspirated application they became a restriction in a supercharged application. They were easily 3-500 HP less than a blown 392 ( or so) Chrysler hemi that was the go to engine for funny cars and fuel cars until the 426 Hemi and the cammer took over.
    Brass freeze plug blocks were made for customers like Chris Craft where "long term" engines ( in the boat) were built. Flat bottom and ski racers had no reason to use a brass plug block as they were not in the water year round.
   One of the items in John's pictures is a cam driven water pump as used in a marine application , not drag racing. I still do not believe all of these pieces were one assembled engine and they are a gathering of parts from different sources. Not trying to down play what you have , as there are some nice parts , but it is not what you "hope" it is in a former funny car engine.

[Royce Peterson]

Got this from our very own Vinman. It's from the SAAC Archives.

[Royce Peterson]

Another one from the SAAC archive - thanks Vinny!

This one no doubt used some sort of flex coupling between the two motors to keep from breaking parts.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Got this from our very own Vinman. It's from the SAAC Archives.

Spectre was mainly a ski boat builder. https://boats-from-usa.com/spectre/spectre-251868
Somebody probably blew up their boat and wanted an engine with better bragging rights - without buying new exhaust, mounts, etc.
Probably Shelby selling off left over parts. It's after they left the airport and were running Shelby Racing and the parts biz out of a Torrance warehouse.
Was the "427 lightweight" the R Code 427 from the lightweight Galaxie?

[gt350hr]

   That boat "was" originally powered by a V12 Allison ( and is again with it's current owner) Then owner /builder Rudy Ramos was told by the APBA that aircraft engines would not be allowed in that class any longer , so he went to SAI for a couple of 427's. It was faster as the 427's could run 7,000 as opposed to the 4,000 limit on the Allison.
    Oh well , back to topic.

[Harris Speedster]

   I've been saying this all along!  The 427MR head was NOT "commonly" used in blown drag engines. While they were fine in a naturally aspirated application they became a restriction in a supercharged application. They were easily 3-500 HP less than a blown 392 ( or so) Chrysler hemi that was the go to engine for funny cars and fuel cars until the 426 Hemi and the cammer took over.
    Brass freeze plug blocks were made for customers like Chris Craft where "long term" engines ( in the boat) were built. Flat bottom and ski racers had no reason to use a brass plug block as they were not in the water year round.
   One of the items in John's pictures is a cam driven water pump as used in a marine application , not drag racing. I still do not believe all of these pieces were one assembled engine and they are a gathering of parts from different sources. Not trying to down play what you have , as there are some nice parts , but it is not what you "hope" it is in a former funny car engine.

Randy,
facts seem to display that it was not a funny car, sure they did start life with 427's though, as you say, before cammers.
You are a wealth of info on the topic,
Will find out if there is an actual water pump. or lines /adapters that bolt onto the block for water circulation, excellent point.

Guess they poured the pistons,for the std block and stopped.

Cooper could not remember if it was ever ran. when he bought it, e

I ran a Hillborne on a 289 for awhile, it had a electric water pump that drove the water to the radiator.

Fuel was driven by the cam   


            John

[Side-Oilers]

A Cobra buddy of mine has one of Mickey Thompson's own race boats, circa mid-late 60s, with a 427.

Need a full resto, but it is cool to look at.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

A Cobra buddy of mine has one of Mickey Thompson's own race boats, circa mid-late 60s, with a 427.

Mickey had a lot of great leftover parts in his warehouse. We bought 2 Cammers and a bunch of other stuff when we were building the Mega Buck Pantera. We found it best to go with cash on payday when he was scrambling to make the payroll.

[TA Coupe]

Which warehouse? His private one or the 1 in Long Beach?

      Roy

[Harris Speedster]

Royce and Randy,
Love the pics you posted Royce, cool!
I totally appreciate the help guys..
Been selling stuff for Cooper for 5 years now, business partner in three ways.
I wish that I had more history from the beginnings of the engine build, but not so lucky.
I guess it might be whatever someone wants it to be now days.

It is neat without doubt.
If anybody wants it, for sale in the parts section.
Thanks guys.
John

[Royce Peterson]

More from the SAAC archives - the Vinman wanted to make sure everyone knew the lightweight engines were not from lightweight Galaxies. More likely leftover from the 427 LeMans program which Shelby was very involved in. Or the Goodyear tire program perhaps. Either way these made dandy 427 MR power plants wherever they ended up and even more if you added a blower or injection or both.

[gt350hr]

   Royce note that the invoice is from the 190th st address which would become "Shelby Racing Co." and field the '68-69 T/A efforts. This was a former paint manufacturing building and CS leased it for a song until "shut down" at the end of the '69 season. ALL of the race parts inventory from the "airport" facility was taken there.
   Randy

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Which warehouse? His private one or the 1 in Long Beach?

We were only able to get him to turn loose of stuff from Long Beach.