Mike, I think your onto something big! Side oiler under the hood, indeed, it don't get any better than that!
Those engines back then are no different now in how they are prepped for racing. Run 500 miles and a total rebuild is typical. And of course they were taken apart and re-assembled before racing, just like any race motor is today, just to make SURE the specs are right.
I've never seen anything to suggest the winning LeMans engines were much different than a typical side oiler from the factory! BUT I would like to know for sure! What parts WERE different, if any? How did the build differ from "stock" (if at all)?
Grenades? I don't know, I hear that a lot. But more than one GT-40 went the distance and in more than one race! Like any motor if you run it hard it WILL break! But I think it has far more to do with being run hard or being assembled incorrectly. The basic 427 design is pretty rugged! To turn 7000 rpm with a big block back in 1965 was a pretty awesome motor, heck STILL is!
If you run ANY engine today at sustained 6000 rpm and an occasional 7000 rpm you can EXPECT it to "break" at some point! Does that make such an engine a "grenade"? Bum rap on the 427 I say!
Run a 1965 Chev big block to 7000 (with over the counter 1965 parts) and see what happens! Now THATS a grenade!
Ron,
Break this off to another thread if Mike doesn't want to discuss the side oilers here! I would like to continue the dialog and get to the bottom of it. No offense taken at all G.R., you bring up some valid points.