The trifecta of engines...

[blykins]

I have a local customer here in KY who is finishing up an FFR Mk4, an FFR Type 65, and will most likely be ordering an ERA Cobra very soon.

The Type 65 got this engine:

Lykins Motorsports 347SBF Build...

The Mk4 gets this one, that will be dyno'd on the 30th:

Lykins Motorsports 427FE Build...

I am starting to trickle parts in for the ERA car. Here's a hint of what it will be...



The plan is for a Pond cast iron block, Pond SOHC heads, with a 4.375" x 4.375" combination: 526 cubes.

[Mongoose930]

That is a lot of breather holes on those valve covers

[patrickt]

Very nice indeed. Can you elaborate a little more on your statement in the other thread "The more engines I build, the more fond I am of "old-school" setups."

[blykins]

I don't love flat tappet cams, if that's what you're getting at.

I wasn't raised in the 60's when all of this stuff was original, so I like playing with factory combinations. I have 2-3 good head porters at my disposal and it's just nice to see what I can get out of factory parts: a 510 hp 427 with LR heads and intake, 425 hp 428 CJ with factory cast iron intake, etc.

I also suppose that since I do a lot of brand new aftermarket combos, it's nice to get something a little different in the mix.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by blykins

I don't love flat tappet cams, if that's what you're getting at.

I wasn't raised in the 60's when all of this stuff was original, so I like playing with factory combinations. I have 2-3 good head porters at my disposal and it's just nice to see what I can get out of factory parts: a 510 hp 427 with LR heads and intake, 425 hp 428 CJ with factory cast iron intake, etc.

I also suppose that since I do a lot of brand new aftermarket combos, it's nice to get something a little different in the mix.

No, I wasn't getting at that. But what I have always found interesting, from a historical perspective, was that for the first few years of all the 427 flavors and matches, Ford never went over .525 gross lift, which was just barely over .500 when you take in to account the lash. The duration, and LSA, changed between the different levels of performance, but not the lift.

[blykins]

Well sure, you're not going to use a cam with .650" lift on a set of heads that back up at .500-.550".

I have never used a factory cam...

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by blykins

Well sure, you're not going to use a cam with .650" lift on a set of heads that back up at .500-.550".

I have never used a factory cam...

But they knew how to make stuff flow. They just chose not to, at least for the first five years or so. Their >.600 lift cam came out around 1968 or so (or thereabouts).

[blykins]

.600" is not a lot either.

Remember that they also had 1960's valve springs too.

[patrickt]

Yes, Ford always put a little Roger Maris asterisk next to that cam for that issue. "Where we are now" is interesting, but how we got here, from the historical perspective, can be even more interesting. Kind of like the supreme court taking on the gay marriage issue. How many of our founding fathers really had that on their mind when they penned out the verbiage of the Constitution? But it's the travelling itself, not the end destination. Dred Scott, Korematsu, Plessy... it's all in the journey.

[blykins]

I will also welcome comments that are not related to '60's camshaft lobe lift, and proceedings of the Supreme Court.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by blykins

I will also welcome comments that are not related to '60's camshaft lobe lift, and proceedings of the Supreme Court.

My mind wandered only because you are one of the brighter participants of this forum and are capable of appreciating the nuances between the two.

[RodKnock]

Alright then. Seriously, you better be posting even pics of the intake manifold bolts and bearings on this one. Finally a real engine to talk about.

[blykins]

Be happy to, Rod.

[Tommy]

From the first time I saw a picture of a Cammer, I've been amazed at the size and length of the chain drive on the front. It would seem to me that there is so much rotating mass associated with that system that it would act almost like a second flywheel. .... In your experience, are there any special considerations to be made in the tuning or operation of the engine given the size of the chair drive?

[blykins]

Mainly adjustments in cam timing from cam to cam. One runs retarded and has to be adjusted while degreeing and one runs advanced and has to be adjusted during degreeing.

EDIT....I've learned that this is a function of spring pressures, so may not always be necessary...

[redmt]

Brent,
I think you would have enjoyed it way back when we used to BUILD horsepower instead of being able to go to the nearest parts store and order whatever your fantasy desires. When we used to build 450-500 horse out of a 'garage built' FE, we earned it. I can well remember digging and scratching to find an additional 10 horse.

[blykins]

I wish it were as easy as just ordering fantasy parts and just bolting them together. I've never built one that way.

[redmt]

You missed the point ,,,, again. Kids,,,,,,,,,,,,they just don't listen!

[blykins]

Seems to be a trend. You may have to dumb it down a little so this old hillbilly can understand... ;-)

[750hp]

Brent, I know this isn't one of your engines, but this was a concerning result of something that happened within an hour's running time of a cammer being installed into a local Cobra. I couldnt assume what caused this, but it seems like a belt drive would be much more forgiving...

Originally Posted by damage

So I pulled the not so happy Cammer out of the Kirkham on Friday.

It definitely broke a chain.





The chunk of casting is one of the guide section off the front case.



Unfortunately just about every exhaust valve too was bent.



Not a good first outing but oh well at least I can say I built the motor too when it's back together.