I found a little more info on Ford big blocks. Ford has produces some awesome engines but they usually don't produce large numbers of stuff which is a shame. Most people (myself included) was unaware of of most of their stuff. Their multi-valve Indy engines are what I've been researching lately. 475hp out of the little 3.0L was pretty nice for 1970.
also noticed that Lotus used a Ford 302 small block with 480hp
http://www.utahlotusmuseum.com/id307.htm <website.
The 427:
Ford's best high performance engine was the 427. This engine
was THE best when it came to Ford power. With the high-
performance and racing applications of the 427, there were
many changes to the heads during production. It came in 5
different levels of engine tune. This Engine was produced from
1963 until 1968 in passenger vehicles. Not all 427's were put in
passenger vehicles. Some 427's such as the Tunnel Port and
SOHC were only offered as crate or accessory packages and
were never put in a production vehicle.
Three of these levels of tune are referred to a riser. Which In
general terms, a riser is simply the vertical distance from one
level to the next. The Medium-Riser has a 2-3-inch higher rise at
the carburetor mounting pad than the Low-Riser. The High-
Riser has an even steeper rise, 2-3-inch more than the Medium-
Riser. So the riser simply refers to the angle of the intake port in
relation to the head.
The first is the Low-Riser or L-R. The L-R was offered in late
1963 and 1964 In 1968 the L-R was again offered.
The 427 L-R
was given cast combustion chambers P.I. style rods, a high
nodular cast iron crankshaft, and with the exception of 1968, a
solid cam and adjustable rocker arms. The intake port
dimensions were 2.34-inch by 1.28-inch with 2.08-inch intake
and 1.60-inch exhaust valves. The L-R head is very similar to
the 428 Cobra Jet head with only small variations. Such as
exhaust bolt hole patterns.
The next was the High Riser or H-R. The H-R was only offered
for 1963 1/2 and 1964. The [H-R] was the head with the tallest
intake port opening, 2.78 inches tall compared to 2.06 on the
Medium-Riser and 2.34 on the Low-Riser and CJ. All cars that
received this engine had to have a special tear-drop hood scoop
to clear the carburetors. The tear drop hood scoop also aided in
engine compartment ventilation instead of feeding air for the
engine. This engine received machined combustion chambers,
that would help prevent detonation due to smoother chamber
walls, its special heads and light weight racing valves, along
with a cast iron crankshaft, stronger connecting rods, and high
compression pistons along with a choice between one or two 4V
or 4 barrel carburetors.
The next engine was the Medium Riser [M-R]. This engine was
offered from 1965-1967. It featured the side-oiler block. The M-
R was the most used 427 and also the least commended engine
despite its high reliability and power. The medium Riser 427 is
the most common and most rated against. As example the new
Edelbrock Performer RPM FE Heads are rated against none
other than the Medium Riser head.
The next two 427's were both options that could not be bought
in regular production vehicles. The first is the
Tunnel Port [T-P].
The Tunnel-Port 427 heads and manifold became available as a
option in 1968. These heads have huge round straight shot
intake ports. The T-P moved the intake ports to a position that
required the pushrods to be run through small tubes in the
middle of the intake port. Although the ports have a pushrod
right in the middle of them this design offered enough of a
benefit at high RPM to make for a more efficient design.
The T-P had elliptical intake ports that measured 2.34-inch by
2.17-inch. The Round ports tend to wire draw the mixture also
reduced the bends that tend to separate the fuel from the air. The
T-P's have 2.25-inch intake valves in a fully machined
combustion chamber. With 14:1 compression this engine in
NASCAR trim had upwards of 620 horsepower.
THE 427 SOHC
Finally the most powerful and exotic engine was the 427 SOHC
Aluminum heads with hemispherical combustion chambers and
opposed valves actuated by roller rockers riding on a single
camshaft located in the center of each head. The SOHC was
never put into a regular vehicle and was only offered as a over-
the-counter option for $2500. The well design of the SOHC
made it so powerful that competitors protested to racing
associations and within two years had the engine factored out of
competition. The SOHC used a special side-oiler block. With
12:1 compression this motor with one 4 barrel Holley made 616
horsepower @7000 rpm and 515 lb-ft of torque @3800 rpm.
With two 4 barrels it produced 657 hp.
Two different 427 Blocks were made the side-oiler and the
center-oiler. The center-oiler is similar to the regular 390 H.P.
oiling system. However the side-oiler was Fords block of choice
for high performance engines. The side oiler was developed for
the SOHC 427. The side-oiler worked by copying the oil pattern
to the first main bearing on all main bearings by means of a oil
passage down the left side of the block. The diagonal passages
drilled through the left side of the block connect this side gallery
with the rest of the oiling system This system ensures that the
main and cam bearings receive oil pressure directly from the oil
pump. The center oiler fed the front main bearings first and
allowed the other mains to take what was left over. Thereby
providing only one bearing with direct oiling unlike the side
oiler which provided all bearing a source directly off of the oil
pump.
well....i've dug myself silly today on engines....will have to find something different to look up tomorrow....maybe some duesenburg or auburn engines from the old days !
)