67 GT 500 replacement block

[Bat-turn]

Hi All,
I have a 67 that came off the production line June 7th of 67.  In search for an appropriate date code block it came to mind that it would be much easier to just put a 428 CJ block with a C scratch then find a March, April or May block with C6 ME A  I have found a C6ME A dated august of 66 with small rod bolts of 3/8 but again that's a little early of production date.

How much added value or reduced value do you think would be the net result of that?  Or would a 427 be seen as a good thing?

I would go with the correct block if I come up with one but thought I'd ask this question.

Thanks in advance

[Coralsnake]

In all honesty if you dont have the original its probably 10-15% at most if someone wants to take that into account.

Ford FE blocks are difficult to identify because the block castings were used for different applications. Simply going by the casting date only gives you a good guess as to if its original.

[Bat-turn]

Thank you on your responses

[shelbydoug]

The blocks in the '67 GT500 are not numbered, i.e., id'd to the chassis. Even if you have the original block you still can't prove that it is original to that car. Just period correct for the build period of the car.

I think that you should look for an E casting date. They aren't common but are out there and in T-birds as well. It will have the reinforcing ribs like the C scratch does.

The assembly date stamped into one of the ears will help you place the date of the block.

[Bat-turn]

Thank you regarding the E casting month.  Would that date of 428 have the A scratch? even in a T-bird It seems like the A is not always there and I dont know if that means non webbed support or not.

Thx

[roddster]

  You can buy a better crank and H beam rods from Scat.  You can specify it keep it as a 428.

[shelbydoug]

Thank you regarding the E casting month.  Would that date of 428 have the A scratch? even in a T-bird It seems like the A is not always there and I dont know if that means non webbed support or not.

Thx

Non A scratch (blank) blocks are usually  390 blocks. You need an A scratch block. A blocks evolve into C scratch blocks somewhere in the August 67 range.

FE blocks evolve improvements. 390 blocks cast after a certain date will be reinforced also.

Some truck 390 blocks are thick enough to bore out to 4.13. Most are not.


The original cranks are ok to use but the connecting rods are throwaways. Why build a grenade waiting to explode for the sake of originality? No one is going to look at your connecting rods. Use a new set of Eagle rods.

Steel or forged steel cranks are used mainly in race engines because the hardness of them provides for less rebuilding and resurfacing due to less bearing intrusion into the polished surfaces then iron.


I may be off on my numbers but as I remember, iron cranks have a strength of around 92,000 psi. Steel around 95,000 and forged steel around 100,000 psi.

Some engines run better with the softer iron crank due to inherent design issues, i.e., you can't eliminate certain vibrations.  Steel makes them vibrate more. The FE's are one of those engines.


427 blocks have the advantage of cross bolted mains. You can add those to virtually any FE series block if you want to spend the time.

That really is their only advantage. The side oiler was introduced to help make the bottom end of the 'cammers more reliable. It just provides more direct oiling to the mains for better (but not necessarily good) upper rpm (over 7,000rpm) operation.

That's a very interesting concept simply for the fact that valve spring technology of the era was virtually a 7,000 rpm limit. The metallurgy simply wasn't there yet in the spring alloys.

The 427's advantage was a shorter stroke and larger bore. Consider what is being offered now aftermarket as far as "stroker's" go. I'll bet you credits to Navy beans that they aren't built on Ford blocks. 

[68krrrr]

Did you see this one for sale here on the forum a few weeks ago ,with a Feb 67 date code a little early but not to far off.
https://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=20676.0