Forum Reply - JCO Consulting Services


Home	Free Stuff	Graphics	Programming Services	Contact Us	Ford Stuff

Original Message

RE: You guys want to guess Ford's 1966 cost per SOHC? [n/m]

By Dave Shoe - 12/30/2001 9:11:32 AM; IP 216.243.158.56

I'll guess $12K-15K on unit cost (properly amortized) for the 1964 Cammers only.

I've heard it was $3K to $1.5K on the selling end for street Cammers, depending on year purchased. I've never heard any 1966-batch costs, but it's reasonable to suspect cost would be closer to $5K each in 1966, when TRW was making the pistons instead of Mickey Thompson [correction posted 20Mar02***I mistakenly confused Thompson Enterprises (M/T) with Thompson Industries (later renamed Thompson Ramo Wooldridge, Inc and later TRW, Inc.) - apparently, only TRW made Cammer pistons directly for Ford***end of correction].

The 1000 number is curious, though I suspect that was just somebody's guess. I wonder if ***TRW*** managed to get a later batch going. Date codes and serial numbers will tell, but I sorta doubt it exceeded the 550 or so that are somewhat recognized to have been made

As for the low-plug versions, there were only one or two of those first-ever prototypes made, as they didn't work much better than a 427HR. They also lacked the oil drainback provisions, and needed setscrews drilled into the aluminum heads to force down the deck sufficiently to compress the head gaskets between the cylinders. I believe the budget for this early program was about $750,000 with a three month development schedule, and the 500 street Cammers would have been budgeted over and above this.

The 2nd generation of SOHC prototype in 1964 apparently used the sideoiler block with the SOHC drainbacks, LeMans rods, and the forged steel crank which borrowed from 391FT development engineering to keep costs on track. These engines still used shim adjusters to set the valves - the 500 street Cammers which came in 1965-66 would get adjustable rockers, and the more familiar "427SOHC logo" valve covers which could fit the adjusters. These street Cammers would be used by Ford to keep political pressure on Chrysler's Hemi. It worked, as NASCAR kept the screws tight on both the Cammer and Hemi.

I believe the 1964 era NASCAR Cammers were mainly 12.0:1, and the later street Cammers were mostly 10.5:1 with a few 12.5:1 tossed in for good measure. The facts (as presented to me) are geting foggy, so I should really review the info before spouting off.

I'm trying to determine whether some of the 1966 batch was actually made in 1967, because I've seen some signs that late Cammers may have come with unusual C7AE rodcaps which look sorta like something you'd expect to see on a 429 engine. I'm still checking it out.

JMO,
Shoe.

This thread, so far...

Skip Navigation Links.