original GT 40 intake

[Dwight]

I have a friend with an intake cast at the Ford plant in Sheffield, Ala. We think it's magnesium. It weights 15.8 lbs. Ford logo and Sheffield logo cast on the runner. XE-63427 which we think is 1963 427. Cast on the bottom near the distributor is the number XE-63428. Someone painted it yellow.

Sheffield, Ala was one of Ford aluminum casing plant. We know that Paul worked there and brought this piece home.
The bottom has been welded in. Maybe at the plant or someone did it after Paul got it. We don't know. But I don't think Paul did anything to it but put it on the shelf in his garage.
Paul passed away a couple of years ago so we can't ask him. He was a big collector of Ford and Shelby stuff. Also Corvette stuff. Very private. Only special people were invited to see his collection.


Can anyone help us identify this intake?

I have a lot of picture that I could email you if you need to get a better look.

Dwight algunruner@aol.com

[Ron61]

I am not sure but from what little I can find the X could mean Ford Muscle Part Program or The XE could mean Experimental. From the pictures it looks like a low rise 427 intake that I had on a 64 Ford except mine was aluminum. Wish I had some better records but I am sure some of the people here can helpa a lot more.

Ron

[1985 CCX]

Scrape an edge as Magnesium will be very shiny. Then take the scraping and drop in Vinegar and it should outgas. Quick check....


•Try the vinegar test. Drop a little bit of 5% acidity white vinegar on the back of the part. If the vinegar bubbles, the part is magnesium.


•Scrape some of the finish with a razor blade. If the vinegar test seems insubstantial (it isn't, but some people like to be triple sure), scrape some of the finish off the back of the rim. Magnesium will appear silver in color. The cuttings or chips will be dusty or flaky. By comparison, aluminum will show a whiter color when scraped and the chips will be gummy or soft

[Bernica]

I believe that Ron61 may be correct. As I recall, a lot of the Muscle Parts in the 60's had an "X" designation. I remember scouring wrecking yards for them.

[1985 CCX]

If it is Magnesium it probably is not usable with anything other than race fuel. Moisture and ETOH will eat it up.
Hope its alloy....

[Jac Mac]

Its weight @ 15.8 lbs would suggest its a bit light for alloy as most single 4bbl intakes for FE have shipping weights ~26lb. However most common alloy intakes today tend to be quite thickwall by nature to allow room to port match etc.

This piece looks like it has been cast in factory cast iron type molds, but its missing the exhaust passage by the looks of pics. Does mag have the same shrinkage factors as alloy, eg could it be cast in iron size patterns?

[Dwight]

I wonder if they did a lot of grinding on the inside and then welded the bottom in place?
Looks like aluminum but it's light weight.


Dwight

[Bernica]

The extent of my knowledge on magnesium is going to the desert and throwing old VW blocks and parts on the bonfire. It makes for a nice light show. Sort of like looking at someone arc welding!

[Dwight]

I heard back in the 60's a small local scrap yard threw a VW block into the aluminum furnace. Good thing the furnace was in one of their out building because it burned to the ground.


Dwight

[Bernica]

It wasn't me!!
I can tell you that when it burns, you can't put it out and the heat is like the sun.

[CompClassics]

It may possibly be a 427 competition Cobra intake, maybe NASCAR. According to Richard Messersmith (RIP) the intake on his comp 427 Cobra "CSX3018" was made of magnesium.

[Dan Case]

Paul was a good friend and over the decades we spent many hours talking 1960s Fords. He would stop by frequently as he passed near my home. I went over to his place many times. Paul worked for Ford before Ford stopped production here and had several 1965-70 Mustangs including a 1965 coupe he drove to about 300,000 miles, several Panteras including a 6,000 mile one he bought new and was never in the rain or washed with running water, and a very limited edition Linclon he bought new . Ford parts wise he had collected a large number of nos service parts for all the cars he had if the service parts were just like the production ones. He kept his new in the 1967 boxes (which only one had been opened) 1967 Shelby Mustang ten spoke wheels in a spare bed room. Paul worked for Ford but was into Corvettes (mostly before 1980s models) in a very big way. He had many more Corvette parts than Ford ones. The last time I visited was before his illness robbed his memory. We talked for hours. Sadly he passed on several years ago now.

Paul was a fixture in the local Corvette community always ready to help with repairs, how to information, or just parts. I don’t know about the Corvette circles but us old Ford guys around here miss Paul and his name comes up fairly often.

Now the intake in question. It has been a long time ago but that intake was one of several, let’s say, unusual parts stored in the attic of his home. He had me climb up into the attic one day to retrieve something when I came across a very light weight Ford FE engine intake, the intake shown in the first post. I brought the intake to the door to ask Paul about it. From my memory I believe he said it was for a late 1950s FE engine NASCAR effort but got banned.

Dan

[Dwight]

Thanks for the post Dan

I never met Paul but always heard stories about he and his collection. A friend of mine knew him and was buying parts from the family after Paul passed away. On one of his parts buying trip he bought Paul's '67 Corvette. Very nice unmolested Vett.

Dwight