I need a pond block

shelby racer · #1 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 09:43 PM

Well, after thinking I had blown a head gasket on my 66 HM 427 MR, it turns out that the person I bought it from did me wrong. A buddy who is a cobra expert tore the motor down for me today and he found out that my motor has a hole in the # 7 cylinder. If he can find a Pond iron block, he is putting all his other jobs on the back burner so that he can build me a motor and try and get me to the WSCB. I live out in California so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
John (;-)

decooney · #2 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 10:09 PM

Have you spoke with Robert, directly?

I've been considering one, was going to wait until Summer, but if we found a third person, maybe I could see if Robert would offer a WSCB package deal price on three blocks. If you don't have any luck, and all else fails, I can try to contact him and see. No promises, but as a last option, let me know and I'll try to help if I can.

If it helps to know... You are not the only one racing to pull something like this off before WSCB this year. There are a few others, just like last year... Thanks for making a serious effort to be there. I saw your post and just wanted to say Thanks. Good luck.

RedCSX1 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 11:53 PM

Contact my good friend Doug Garifo tomorrow and tell him that I said to call.

He has a direct line to Pond.

He also has a bad ass 428 in his car that he will sell cheap to you by comparision. And then you would be at the bash for sure.

Precision Oil Pumps
2324 Decatur Avenue
Clovis, CA 93611

Phone: (559) 325-3553
E-mail: pumpbldr@comcast.net

Jerry Clayton · #4 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 07:36 AM

Sleeve the block you have

Bobcat · #5 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 08:34 AM

To the best of my knowledge , Robert only makes aluminum blocks ... not iron .
He can be reached at 1-909-376-2530 , which is his cell . I have one of his complete engines ... 427 block taken out to 482 c.i. Another avenue you might explore is Keith Craft . A while back he was having a sale on Ponds aluminum blocks already machined and cam bearings etc installed . I believe the price was in the $4600 range ... and that is a deal ... and Keith is super to deal with .

shelby racer · #6 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 09:58 AM

Thanks Duanne,
I don't know Robert personally, but have only heard good things about him and his projects. I thought that it was enough of a thrash to just replace the head gaskets last week. Luckily I have a friend who used to build motors for Mac Archer's 427 for the Historics. I have given him Robert's cell phone in case he did not have it (he knows Robert and Keith and everyone else it seems). Maybe we can get a deal on some blocks. I was going to go aluminum but my builder prefers iron, it is less expensive, I just had the car corner weighted for my 66 iron block and it is already tail heavy. Now if I could get a Kirkham billet block, that might be a different story. This is definitely not going to be a cheap adventure, but that goes along with everything else that has happened with my car.
John

Quote:

Originally Posted by decooney

Have you spoke with Robert, directly?

I've been considering one, was going to wait until Summer, but if we found a third person, maybe I could see if Robert would offer a WSCB package deal price on three blocks. If you don't have any luck, and all else fails, I can try to contact him and see. No promises, but as a last option, let me know and I'll try to help if I can.

If it helps to know... You are not the only one racing to pull something like this off before WSCB this year. There are a few others, just like last year... Thanks for making a serious effort to be there. I saw your post and just wanted to say Thanks. Good luck.

shelby racer · #7 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 10:05 AM

Thanks Morgan - I'll give Doug a call if I can not get a hold of Robert Pond directly and might have to settle for a beastly 428 (considering that that is how most of the "427"s came.....

As far as sleeving it - yeah, the reast ofthe block seems okay although there is a repair in the top part that probably needs to be redone. I have just lost faith in the block, although I will be looking to recoup anything I can out of the motor, so if any one is looking for a 66 0.30 over 427 block....

Thank you very much for Robert's cell phone number. My engine builder knows him so I gave it to him in case he did not have the current one. I have to work today but I know the engine builder is still working on the project. He thinks that there are Pond iron blocks, but I would not know. I do know that there are iron genesis blocks and am trying to talk to someone named pops on ebay. Has anyone ever heard of him / have any opinion?

I'll keep everyone up dated. My engine builder has already pushed all the other jobs over to help me. It is cool to have friends!

Thanks again and if any one has other leads suggestions, please feel free!

John(;-)

RedCSX1 · #8 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 11:26 AM

pops = It may be Precision Oil Pumps! Which is the info I gave you.

My427stang · #9 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 08:26 PM

Doug is the guy to talk to. He is sort of the quiet guy selling and building strokers (for YEARS) while other people are talking about it. He has direct lines to Pond, Genesis and Diamond (pistons) and always seems to pull a rabbit out of his hat when you need him to

I buy all my FE and oil control parts from him

shelby racer · #10 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 08:31 PM

Yeah, Doug at precision oil pumps has always come through for me. In fact I think he sold me Morgan's old push rods

shelby racer · #11 (**permalink**) 05-04-2008, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedCSX1

pops = It may be Precision Oil Pumps! Which is the info I gave you.

The pops on ebay right now is in elizabeth town kentucky

Keithc8 · #12 (**permalink**) 05-07-2008, 09:48 PM

Robert has made very few iron blocks and I had a few but sold them already. I have new Pond aluminum, new Shelby aluminum, new Genesis aluminum and a NOS Ford original side oiler block as well. I have them completely machined and how they come from the manufacturer. I like to machine them before we sell them so we can catch and problems they might have had at the factory that they did not catch. We pressure test all of pour blocks even though they say they do but we trust no one when we start on a block. We fully machine them in our RMC CNC block machining center. They all neeed certain things done to them to bring them up to a ready to go block. We can ship tomorrow if needed. Thanks, Keith Craft

shelby racer · #13 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008, 08:24 AM

Thanks Keith,
we hopefully have a genesis block on the way, but we shall see.
John(;-)

shelby racer · #14 (**permalink**) 05-08-2008, 08:59 PM

After losing a lot of sleep and pulling in a lot of favors, my engine builder and I are giving up on trying to get a new motor built and in my cobra in time to make it to the bash. It is just too expensive and complicated a project to accomplish in the time set forth. Yes, I could have put something in my car and made it, but it involved compromises (one of which was peace of mind) that I ultimately was not prepared to make. I honestly want to do it right once and never have to worry about it. I owe a lot to my engine builder for pushing other projects aside to make me a priority, but we could just not get the right parts in the right place at the right time. God willing I will make it next year. Thanks for all the support.
John

P.S. It also turns out that I will be taking my girl friend to the wine country on thurs 5/15 (her birthday) as a surprise instead of doing a car thing which makes her MUCH happier. Looking for that silver lining



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