Mabey you Ford Guys can give me some information. I would like to build a Cammer, but dont have the 30K to buy one. I want to know what block was used, and can you use the same block as a basis for a Cammer engine. I know the heads, timing covers, intake are available in repop form. Any direction would be helpful.
i am curious as to who you found that is making the heads and timing cover ? i would think even if someone is making these parts they would cost a small fortune
Check over on fordfe.com. There is a new kit that includes everything but the block. Pretty pricey, around $15-20K. Use a Genesis iron block, or Shelby aluminum block. Like kultulz said, hope you have very deep pockets. Minimum 25K to build this dude....
The original SOHC block was different from the regular 427. There are extra bosses on the back drilled for oil drainback. You can put SOHC heads on a wedge block by adding external oil returns from the back of the head.
Every Cammer was sold as a crate engine and not installed at the factory. Each engine came with a " Ford 427 Single Overhead Cam " engine service manual that is about 50 pages. It includes engineering features, lots of pictures of ***emblies, minor & major maitenence adjustments, blueprinting & tune-up tips and a chart of all specifications and part numbers. It is a seriously rare and valuable reference for anyone looking into building or buying one of these motors. I have photo copies of this manual for $50.00 if interested.
And if you really think about it, the first blocks may have not been side oilers as it was introduced for the 64 Grand National season. This photo copy of the origional manual...is it quality and easy to read or could you possibly scan it for more detail?
The manual is pretty good on detail. It is a B&W copy though of an original. The modification from a std 427 to SOHC block is very easy in respect of the oil return line.
i think dove enginering ( if they are still around) had repo parts for the cammer, and if memorie is right, the front is diff. on cammers-- need flanges for chain cover.
Again go to the FE forum and read up on the aftermarket parts available. Some are not worth buying as much repair and machine work was required after purchase. There are however more people getting involved making the parts that are way better. LOTS of info over there. Do Youre R&D (research and duplicate) over there in the meantime save MONEY!!!! FEDER
Jim Green's Performance Center in Lynwood WA. (425)774-3507 can get you fixed up, and answer all your Cammer questions. He's pretty much the Man on those Monsters. He's got a boat load of em and knows what they are worth. SO, BRING HUGE MONEY! With stuff like this, he knows what he's talking about. B
Oh HELL NO! I gave away my manual to a mate that has a Cammer. Once I sold mine I had no need for the manual. ****s to be me. I seem to remember reading that the first of the Cammers came out with the center oiler blocks, or is that just BS? Doc.
yea what he said very deep pockets i built a car for a customer 4 years ago cammer powered he had 45,000.00 in the drivetrain all fresh and about 850 horses without breaking a sweat what a f-ing monster in a 32 roadster man what a ride.
I have a set of factory blueprints for the cammer that were given to me by a retired Ford engineer. It has all the engine blueprinting measurements etc. If you have specific questions....
Actually, the motor was developed in 1964, and first shown in public in the 1965 A/FX Mustangs. You are right about the motor being developed for use in NASCAR, but they didn't want a clearly non-production engine in compe***ion. A little ironic, considering none of the motors in use today have a current production application, and the Ford is the only one with any production ancestry at all.
I wish i had the scratch for a cammer those things are awesome and i love the sound of them.My ultimate dream engine.There was about 4 or 5 of them sold at an auction about ten miles away from my house.One was an original Keith Black built cammer and one was in a 63 galaxie.
If you think you're going to get away with a lot less than 30K . . . you're probably being pretty optimistic. Even if you're just buying a top-end package, you'll sink 10 - 15K in the rest. I love the darn things, but I have no illusions as to what it takes to build one. Just think about building a new Ardun - about the same financial deal.
I had one in 1976 in my gas dragster. The block could be any fe series if it will bore to whatever bore size pistons you want. The oil galley is what it is. If all you want is a street engine and don't intend to do high rpm use, it will be ok after doing all the normal mods that fe owners perform. The oil drainback situation will have to be addressed as already stated. But, what are you trying to accomplish? Do you want a street engine for your hot rod or do you want something that could be an investment. If you want an investment, you need all the right stuff. Cut no corners. A few years ago, I sold what little stuff I had left. One of those items was the original owners manual. It brought $495 on ebay. There was someone selling color reprints on ebay that went pretty reasonable and looked original. Good luck with the decision.
Without a doubt, Cammers and Arduns are expensive. I think the Ardun would come in cheaper right now. Nice reproduction heads available. I want to build a Cammer right. Streetable of course. However I think you can only build a Cammer one way. I wanted to see if the bottom end of the engine was something that was off the shelf at Ford at the time, so I could at least go ahead and start the process of building the rotating ***embly. I know the high buck end of the engine is the other side of the block. Repo heads run 7500 which is more than I have in my LT1 that I converted to a LT4, from a 4000 mile engine with 6 Speed. Its still a 4000 mile engine cause the car I was going to use it in will remain stock. (31 Landau Phaeton) I will check with some of the sources listed, and plug along. Remember, we arent a bunch of cheapskates, but I think we all understand value for the dollar. The old adage, you cant do it, really is a credo against established wisdom. Not building and engine for a concourse correct car, want an engine that is "right" and useable. Reminds me of the car cruise I was at oh 28 years ago, local speed shop had a 73 Pontiac Lemans with a v8 and two barrel, only to hear an expert say to his girlfriend "look a holly dubble pumper fuel injected" She just said wow. Wow indeed.
In 1968 I was at the Ford dealership up on 45th St in Seattle. They had a factory printed carboard sign on the parts counter. Crate SOHCs for $2500 - new off of the shelf. Coulda/Shoulda/Woulda, y'all. dj
Local Speed shop guy bought two of them out of National Dragster 25-30 years ago and everyone thought he was crazy to spend the $7000
Bill **** is making heads for the cammer now. They have been improved over the factory heads. They are pressure tested to 140lbs and have no porosity problems. The head deck surface and the combustion chambers are thicker. The exhaust port is turned over into the modern D port design. They come with a money back guaranty to be free from defects. They go for 5000$ plus the shipping costs. Eleven sets were sold in the first run and 42 sets were sold in the second run. There are rocker spacer clips, spark plug tubes, timing cover back plates and the heads available now. He is working on the timing cover, timing gear sets, stub shaft. the first intake will be a 2X4 dual plane just like the original. More parts are to come. The goal is to find or make hi quality parts so that one of these engines can be put to together at a reasonable price that people can afford. These heads can be used on standard Fe blocks if the proper oiling modifications are done and use a sohc piston. Bill said that in the beginning when he and the other guys first started running these engines that the cammer block was scarce so they used regular blocks.
If you mean who actually produced and commercially marketed a tunnel ram for the Cammer.....nobody. In the late '60's-early '70's the handful of guys running Cammers in Pro/Stock fabricated their own tunnel ram style intakes - either by adding risers and plenum extensions to the factory 2-4bbl intake, or by using a Hilborn injector manifold as a base and replacing the stacks with fabricated runners and a plenum to mount a pair of carbs. There was never enough guys running Cammers for anyone to actually tool up and produce a manifold commercially. mart ===============================================
In this months Hot Rod or Car Craft (I forget which and I don't have them handy) there is a complete buildup of a SOHC motor. They used an aluminiun Pond block with the special oil drainback holes and undrilled lifter bores. You can now ***emble one without any Ford parts at all per the article. Sounds like the most important ingredient is a thick wallet.
As far as I have known about SOHC 427 Ford Motors, Bill **** knows how to build them right. His heads are better than those Old Boat Anchors that Ford Made Back in the early 60's.~~~~~~~~AFX DAVE~~~~~~~~
The Jalopy Journal
