Earl's SOHC "Cammer" GT40

Earl Balzen · 11-25-07, 04:18 PM

I guess it about time for me to start my build site. Years ago, I used to drag race the 427 SOHC engine. Four years ago I built an aluminum engine using a Shelby Aluminum block and new Hilborn electronic fuel injection. It only weighed 440 Lbs. full of oil with no flywheel /clutch. I thought "Boy, that would be great in a GT40." All the kit makers assured me that there was no way a CAMMER would fit into a GT40. I decided I would build a GT40 with a 482 C.I SOHC engine and a Ricardo Transaxle. Here are a couple of pictures of my progress

Fran Hall RCR · 11-25-07, 04:43 PM

Earl,

cool project...is that an Active Power chassis??

Just an FYI...Cammer heads are being recast by a guy in Michigan Bill Coons.
He came by with some raw castings recently...very cool.
I think full production starts in the New Year.

(cammer fits in an RCR...just)

Earl Balzen · 11-25-07, 05:01 PM

Fran, it is an Active Power chassis and a Bill Hough MK 2 body. Chris (Flatchatt) in Australia made the FE to Ricardo adaptor for me.

Fran Hall RCR · 11-25-07, 05:04 PM

I remember hearing about your project a while back....any thoughts on your timeframe for the build??..

Keith Hardy · 11-27-07, 05:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl Balzen

I guess it about time for me to start my build site. Years ago, I used to drag race the 427 SOHC engine. Four years ago I built an aluminum engine using a Shelby Aluminum block and new Hilborn electronic fuel injection. It only weighed 440 Lbs. full of oil with no flywheel /clutch. I thought "Boy, that would be great in a GT40." All the kit makers assured me that there was no way a CAMMER would fit into a GT40. I decided I would build a GT40 with a 482 C.I SOHC engine and a Ricardo Transaxle. Here are a couple of pictures of my progress

That is a stunning project. Please please keep us up to date with this.....

Bill Hara · 11-27-07, 07:57 PM

Actually Fran, there was an article here in a recent Unique cars magazine that showed the Cammer heads being cast by a guy here in Australia by the name of Paul Munro. He then sends them to Bill Coons in Michigan to distribute. Complete engines start at $36k and $50k (all USD) for the supercharged version.
Bill Coons convinced Mr Munro to remanufacture these heads and helped him along the way with parts, contacts to original designers etc. Apart from about 12 cammer 427s sold here in Oz directly by Munro, all future sales are being handled by Bill Coons.

(this info came from Unique Cars Magazine Nov 07 issue)

Sorry Earl for the thread drift, congratulations on building a super project!

Bill

Fran Hall RCR · 11-27-07, 08:15 PM

Bill,
thats interesting as Coons did not make mention of that at all...he did however complain of supply issues but he mentioned the casting operation not the across World shipping .....
He had some raw castings with him as we checked for fitment in the chassis....hhhmmm???
332-428 Ford FE Engine Forum
I guess taking things at face value is not worth anything any more??...

..

The plot thickens.....

Lifted from another forum

Yesterday, 07:32 AM

Well besides Dove there are 2 others making new 427 cammer heads and parts. One is from Aussieland and the castings look very nice! I think Bill Coons was the other but not certain of the status there. Progress has been slow. There was a deal in the making where Jim Dove was going to offer a 427 cammer in aluminum for $11k. Block, heads, intake, timing cover, sprockets, chain, tensioners, cam stub and a few other diddys. He needed a certain amount of people to commit and fork over cash in advance. Paul Solomon was working close with Dove to get there castings up to snuff and of better quality. There were problems with the mold release agents and getting the head castings to fill complete and of any voids. I think they were using the molds Ford used for the aluminum cammer heads. And then swtiched to the cast iron molds and had better luck. Think the amount of steps, stages or compartments?? LOL gating might be the term I'm thinking of. Dove bought most of the old FE block, head, cammer part molds and tooling from Ford way back when. Pretty cool they are still in the game after all these years. Sure they have had their share of problems but have to give them credit for all their efforts. They have made some neat stuff over the years and revised head castings off all kinds. There are always growing pains. Shelby, Pond and Genesis all had their share as well.

Another forum also...
Let's not forget the new Cammer heads from Detroit.

November 1 2007 at 11:22 PMDave Shoe Dave Shoe (Login daveshoe)
Admin

Response to Repro cammer heads available now in AustraliaWe are blessed to soon have new Cammer heads coming out of both Australia and Detroit. Not sure which project will be completed first, but it seems both are in the works, both are uniquely focused on both quality and performance, and both are nearing completion. I'm not sure about the California castings, as that third project is not presently on the radar. Did I forget Dove in Ohio? There seems to be four Cammer head projects in the works.

Again, we are blessed to have two new Cammer head projects nearing launch. If any details on any of the projects are available, please post, or email/phone me and I'll post. Many photos preferred but not required.

Bill Hara · 11-27-07, 08:44 PM

Fran, my apologies- I was quoting from memory and that is always BAD! The name in the article is Rick Toombs - Not Bill Coons..... My BAD!!!

Rick Toombs from Knoxville in Tennessee.

Heck, just read the article here..... Unique Cars

Sorry again

Bill

Fran Hall RCR · 11-27-07, 08:46 PM

No sweat...sorry for the thread drift Earl.

FRPGUY · 11-28-07, 08:30 AM

Hey Earl, Make the engine and the whole back half from the fire wall back "Quick disconnect" so you can install it into your Lola T70 MK3B Coupe. Are you going to start a whole new Build Thread for the Lola. You got to be the only one out there building two cars at once!

Earl Balzen · 11-28-07, 10:20 AM

Bill,I will be starting a build site for the Lola T70 III B soon. I am putting a 468 BBC with a 930 in it. That quick change rear with the Cammer sounds interesting !!!!!

Gregg · 11-28-07, 10:21 AM

Earl, I sent you a pm.

Dave Schouweiler · 12-15-07, 12:31 AM

There are four new Cammer head and kit projects currently in the works: The Australian, Michigan, Californian, and Ohioan projects, also known as the Munro, Coon, Gilbert, and Dove projects. These four projects were seeded and developed completely independently, and all have their special merits. Now that all have come into public view there is a small amount of resource sharing between these four which has started in the past month or so. Hopefully more resource sharing will develop as the weeks and months pass. All projects seem roughly similarly developed, and all seem to be fighting to come on line within the next couple months, first in "head" form, then in "kit" form.

Shoe from 332-428 Ford FE Engine Forum