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Original Message
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| Yup. I had three 1969 428PI engines. |
| By Dave Shoe - 02/06/2003 11:12:54 PM; IP 68.32.205.194 |
I had three 1969 428PI engines long, long ago. It sure seemed like they had some fancy flowing heads at the time, but didn't know enough about FEs or engines to understand port sizes.
It turns out 428PI engines basically had 390GT heads with the Galaxie exhaust drill pattern for the plain log manifolds with large H-pipe diameters, manifolds which are apparently common on pickup trucks. I believe all 428PIs from 1968-70 got the Thermactor bosses drilled out, and only California PIs (mayby NY PIs, too) got Thermactor in 1966-67.
The 390GT/428PI head was just an ordinary FE head used in all FE applications, but with heavy duty valve springs, non-rotating machined retainers (stronger than the stamped type), and associated valve locks and valve stem grooving for the machined retainers.
In 1966-67 this could have been the new small port "velocity" head (for emissions efficiency), such as C6AE-U, C7AE-A, or several others, as well as the "transition" style large port head, the well known C6AE-R. In 1968-70 the head would have been the ultracommon C8AE-H. It performed great in the PI package.
The 428PI got an aluminum intake until the 428CJ intake became available, at which time the PI inherited the cost saving iron intake off the CJ. The PI got a 600CFM Autolite carb, and this carb/head combo pretty much assured the engine would eagerly start with approximately a half turn of the engine - very eager starting.
The 428PI used ordinary 428 pistons, not 428CJ pistons, as the dish volume was correct for the chamber volume. Early CJ pistons were the same as ordinary 428 pistons (but with an alternate dish size) until November 1969, at which time the SCJ was born which demanded an extra-duty piston casting. The CJ and SCJ would both inherit this reinforced piston (they shared the same dish size), and the PI would retain the ordinary 428 pistons and original crank balance.
The various 428 cranks functionally differ only in balance, as all FE cranks are cast of the same pearlitic nodular iron. The blocks, too, are identical.
It's likely you'll find a partial VIN number stamped on most PI blocks (and most CJ blocks, too), at the rear of the block behind the #8 cylinder on the casting pad right near the cylinder deck.
Shoe. |
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