Which 427?

[Steve L]

After looking at a number of fuzzy pictures, I have to ask...

Which 427 variant found it's way into most of the GT40's? The hi-rise, medium rise, or the tunnel port?

The pictures I could find with some detail, all revealed an exhaust header that looks to fit any of the heads....but looking at the intakes, would make me think that they were hi-risers. I could only find one dual quad picture and couldn't tell with all the heat shields etc in the way.

Reason I ask, is that I ended up with an NOS dual quad tunnel port intake, still in the Dearborn Steel Tubing box, and don't know exactly where it would have been "correct". Sold all my tunnel port stuff many years back....and then this orphaned piece comes along. Prev owner had a TP in a 63 or 64 powder blue Galaxie convert....what a beaut of a monster!!!

The old racer that had it always claimed that he could run circles around the tunnel port with a hi-riser due to the pushrod tubes in the middle of the intake ports! ...would seem to make a little sense!

Cheers!
Steve

 

[Mike Drew]

I'm fairly certain the tunnel-port was a drag-race-only setup.

I know the Cobras ran the 427 medium-riser iron heads; the GT40s used an aluminum version of the NASCAR heads, which I think (but am not sure) means high-rise heads. There are several very detailed period magazine articles which go to great lengths to describe the engine and show photos of the various components therein, but fail to use the terms we are accustomed to using today.

 

[Seymour Snerd]

I'm fairly certain the tunnel-port was a drag-race-only setup. .

P1031 had tunnel port heads when it was in Mk IIB form. See Ford GT40 Restoration - Chassis 1031/1047.

Also, according to this article Ford FE engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia HM used them in Can Am. That article however has a photo showing a cross ram FI tunnelport in a GT40. Trouble is that GT40 is a CAV or comparable replica and was built just a few years ago.

And I don't believe a hi-riser was ever used in a GT40. I don't think it would fit, since it places the carburetor 6" higher.

 

[Jac Mac]

Part # for tunnel port heads ;C8AX-6049-A, Dual Quad manifolds to match : C7OE-9424-A ( single plane/open plenum ) or C7OE-9424-B ( Dual plane / 4bbl-4hole carb pads ).

With those p/n's they [heads] were not made until after the MKII's & MKIV's had finished racing under Ford Factory program in Oct 1967, manifolds might have existed, but not much good without cyl heads

 

[Jay Cushman]

Mk11A's had 427 MR 4v wetdeck engines with C6FE aluminum heads and comp/sc cobras had C5AE aluminum MR heads. Mk11B's had the same engines as MK1V's which were 427 TP SK heads 2-4v drydeck engines so they could use the same parts and spares as they were back ups to the new MK1V's after all. All 427s were drysump. GT40s used many parts before they were available to the public

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Jay, does the "side oiler" designation apply to these GT40 engines? I thought that was to ensure priority oiling to the main bearing, if I have this right. A side-oiler engine can be either dry or wet sump, right?

 

[Jac Mac]

Having a bit of a laugh at myself at the moment, was looking thru my photo collection of the continuation MKIV's & yes, there was the pic of the actual patterns of the Head's & Tunnel Port intake manifold, I guess I will just put it down to lack of sleep

 

[Jack Houpe]

Having a bit of a laugh at myself at the moment, was looking thru my photo collection of the continuation MKIV's & yes, there was the pic of the actual patterns of the Head's & Tunnel Port intake manifold, I guess I will just put it down to lack of sleep

I wouldn't worry about one slip, your right all the time. :thumbsup:

 

[Jac Mac]

I wouldn't worry about one slip, your right all the time. :thumbsup:

I wish, just went down to pick up mail in the ute, couldnt be bothered clearing the whole w/screen, after all its my driveway, right! Therefore did not see the big lump of dirt & rock that fell down off the bank after heavy rain last night... Rock 1, Ute/Jac 0......:embarassed:, I suppose I will have to chalk that one up to a ' land-slip '..

Got a photo of a 427 being fitted to an 'original GT40', with a wet sump. I suppose that must have been 106 or 107, very early in the program, must be because its got non-vented brake rotors on rear.

 

[Richard]

Just a little more info. I got these pictures today from a old friend. They came on a Cobra he's had since 1969. It's not an S/C but has a roll bar, and side pipes. I went with him to pick up the car. The college student he bought the car from said the magnesium intake manifold (with an offset Le Mans bowl 780) had disintegrated a few months earlier. At the time we'd seen many 427's my friend even had a few but neither of us had ever seen a set of aluminum FE head's. Not sure where I heard it but I think these are low riser head's but were bolted to a side oilier block. Enjoy the pictures it was nice of him to share. So is the casting mark "H0609" or "6090H"? I also love the big "X" casting mark. Gee it couldn't be Experimental, lets make sure no one knows?

 

[Jay Cushman]

Every Ford cylinder head has 6090 cast in it. 6090 stands for cylinder head in Ford language

Those are Cobra 427 MR heads

 

[Richard]

Yes after talking with my friend again he did say they were medium riser heads. Also I was wondering why that number seemed so familiar, My friend and I worked the parts counter at what was Russ Davis Ford of Gas Ronda fame.

I remember going up to Performance & Associates and watching Les Richie work on Ronda's cammer A/FX car. I even went to the action at Performance & Associates after Les died in that horrible crash. When I waved at my friend when he showed up I had placed a bid on every piston in the place for 10¢ each. At the time I didn't have that much money to my name. I learned not to move when the bidding is going on. Someone out bid me so I lucked out. That was good at the time.

Sorry about the thread drift. I get nostalgic at times. Did I ever tell you the one......lol

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Yes after talking with my friend again he did say they were medium riser heads. Also I was wondering why that number seemed so familiar, My friend and I worked the parts counter at what was Russ Davis Ford of Gas Ronda fame.

I remember going up to Performance & Associates and watching Les Richie work on Ronda's cammer A/FX car. I even went to the action at Performance & Associates after Les died in that horrible crash. When I waved at my friend when he showed up I had placed a bid on every piston in the place for 10¢ each. At the time I didn't have that much money to my name. I learned not to move when the bidding is going on. Someone out bid me so I lucked out. That was good at the time.

Sorry about the thread drift. I get nostalgic at times. Did I ever tell you the one......lol

Nostalgic, yeah.

Like when Ford closed out the Pantera service parts program in the mid 80s. Our dealership bought a crapload of stuff. You, know, junk like ZF-2s in crates for $400 each. I know a guy who still has two in the crates, I think we charged him $650.00 a pop....