THE BEST FORD 427 SOHC

[Ace-Garageguy]

NOTE: THIS IS A WORK-IN-PROGRESS. IT'S ONLY A QUICK MOCKUP AT THIS POINT, AND I STILL NEED TO GET SOME 1:1 DIMENSIONS AND CONSULT A LOT OF RESEARCH PHOTOS TO BRING IT HOME. ANYTHING YOU MAY SPOT THAT IS WRONG, I'VE PROBABLY ALREADY SEEN IT, BUT FEEL FREE TO OFFER CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM OR IDEAS TO HELP MAKE A BETTER END PRODUCT.  

A lot has been written as to what's the best Ford 427 SOHC engine in kit form, and the consensus is that the engine from the George Montgomery '33 Willys kit by AMT is the all-around winner.

No dispute there, but it was also brought up that the cam covers from the Monogram T'rantula were really beautiful. The question was asked if anyone had ever tried mix-matching parts to see if an ultimate Cammer engine could be arrived at by the mashup process.

I said I'd give it a shot if I ever got back to the bench, so here goes. What we'll end up with will be in the 1/24-1/25 ballpark, and should pass in either scale. It won't be any worse scale-wise than most of what's considered acceptable from the major manufacturers.

Below is the engine from the Willys kit. Not bad, but the cam covers aren't right.

These are the T'rantula engine bits. Cam covers are exquisite, but the timing cover is a little lame. The oil pan is molded with the split block too.

Both engine lowers leave something to be desired as neither really correctly represents the Ford FE bottom end the Cammer is based on, and they both kinda miss the depth of the FE block skirt.

That's where the ancient Revell parts-pack 427 Ford comes in. Nicely done block...though it DOES take some "fiddly" work to make it go together square and righteous. Separate oil pan, and a good looking bellhousing to boot. It's been my experience over the years that the Revell tooling designers of this era got the closest to correct dimensions and details of anybody doing engines at the time.

To make a longish story short, the Revell block, with the AMT timing cover, and the T'rantula heads and valve covers WILL all come together to make the best representation of a Ford 427 Cammer to date. I've got some fine fitting, fiddling, and fabrication to go to get everything in correct register with everything else, but the end is definitely in sight. 

 

The blower manifolds from both the T'rantula and the Willys will work too, and will fit better as this progresses. If there's enough interest, I MAY make resin copies available after everything is dead-on.

 

Edited November 19, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[chris chabre]

I may be interested as Ive always hated how most of the Cammers have looked though the years!!!

[bobthehobbyguy]

Great info. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[68shortfleet]

Looks great. I like the resin copies idea. Im certainly not going to try and source all three kits to make one engine.

[Exotics_Builder]

Great research job and report out!  THANKS

[afx]

Appreciate the research and effort Bill. I have found stripping the chrome often reveals a lot of hidden detail. If it's not to late this would be a good candidate. 

[oldnslow]

Looks great , Bill , I'm sure the end result will be up to your usual standard of excellence .

 

[vintageford]

Looks close. The biggest problem with any kit parts that I've seen is the timing cover, there close but not right. I like the T-bolt block as a starting point.

Edited November 19, 2018 by vintageford

[Jantrix]

I know a lot of guys are gonna appreciate your efforts here Bill. Especially if it leads to resin parts availability.

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, vintageford said:

...The biggest problem with any kit parts that I've seen is the timing cover, there close but not right. I like the T-bolt block as a starting point.

Yes, none of the timing covers I have get it right. At the moment, it's a tossup between going forward with the Willys kit version, or the T'rantula kit version. Both of them will require significant modification, and I'd like to be able to provide blind holes in the final part that can be opened as necessary to allow for different cooling arrangements and accessories for different classes and installations.

I'll have a look at the T-bolt block too. Though the Revell parts-pack is quite nice, it may have some issues as well.

4 hours ago, afx said:

...I have found stripping the chrome often reveals a lot of hidden detail. If it's not to late this would be a good candidate. 

Agreed, which is why I stripped the engine sprue prior to working with it. It's essential to be able to see past the shiny while building those things. The cam covers will be stripped as we progress as well.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Member djflyer forwarded me this link to Ford SOHC engines available from Shapeways currently. They look great, but bear in mind the images are renderings and not photos of actual parts. Without having samples in hand, and seeing the surface finish, etc., it's impossible to make a worthwhile assessment. I may buy one just to see, and if they're really nice, terminate this project.

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/3d-model-specialties?section=427+Ford+SOHC&s=0

Edited November 19, 2018 by Ace-Garageguy

[geemoney]

AWESOME

is the Yo Han one any good, I have one, never looked at it.

[Ace-Garageguy]

38 minutes ago, geemoney said:

...is the Yo Han one any good, I have one, never looked at it.

That's one I don't have. Anybody gots some photos, post 'em up.

[geemoney]

its in a pro stock maverick at home, when I get home I will get photos.

[vintageford]

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/52024-what-kit-has-a-good-ford-427-sohc/

[Ace-Garageguy]

35 minutes ago, vintageford said:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/52024-what-kit-has-a-good-ford-427-sohc/

Yup...that was the thread that got me going on this mashup idea. There's no out-of-car shot of the Johan engine, so meaningful assessment is impossible.

First thing I did was to buy a T'rantula to get the cam covers and have a look myself. Though I haven't measured them (yet), the first visual impression they make is much closer to the real engine than any others I've yet seen...but I haven't seen them all. And...I'm not necessarily going after an exact dimensionally-correct-to-the-scale-eighth-inch rendition either; rather, I'm going for an engine that doesn't have the glaring (to me) errors most of the others do, and that makes an excellent first impression to someone who is familiar with the real ones, but who isn't carrying a micrometer.

The T'rantula covers get the waffle shape at the lower edge pretty damm right, so I elected to use the simplified T'rantula heads because they match in this critical area.

Everything else is still up for grabs.

BUT...part of the idea here was to validate the possibility of coming up with something that looks better than most everything out there, using only readily available kit parts and a little fitting and scratching. I think I've already accomplished that.

 

[vintageford]

 

Just for those who think all SOHC's had the spark plugs on top..... When you thinks about it, the AMT 66 Galaxie SOHC has the correct valve covers for this early engine style.

[Ace-Garageguy]

^^^   That's an interesting point. I see more research in my future.  

[MeatMan]

5 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Member djflyer forwarded me this link to Ford SOHC engines available from Shapeways currently. They look great, but bear in mind the images are renderings and not photos of actual parts. Without having samples in hand, and seeing the surface finish, etc., it's impossible to make a worthwhile assessment. I may buy one just to see, and if they're really nice, terminate this project.

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/3d-model-specialties?section=427+Ford+SOHC&s=0

I bought the 3D engine for my pending AFX Mustang build.

I think its a nice engine, excellent fit and detail for the most part except the Ford logo on the valve covers. However I haven't painted them yet and they may show better with primer on them.

The surface is slightly rough, kind of like cast iron in scale. 

Here I glued on the front cover and heads.

[dodgefever]

The JoHan valve covers are better proportioned than the AMT ones, but the spark plug locations are way off.  I don't have one handy to check, but I think the block is closer to being correct for a 385 series - the Maverick/Comet has heads and valve covers to build either a 427 SOHC or a Boss 429 off the same block and heads (I know).

The T'rantula valve covers are the best I know of.

[mustang1989]

Whadda cool thread!! I've been wanting to build one of these 427's for a build so I'm tuned in. Thank you for starting this thread Bill.

Edited November 21, 2018 by mustang1989

[bisc63]

Very interesting points here, much to learn yet. The photo posted above by "vintageford" is especially intriguing.

I recall an article from several years back (90s maybe?) in that other big model car magazine that compared 3 or 4 readily availble kit engines, and I believe the consensus was the Johan had the best proportions and captured the look best, but wasn't without fault, and that the best solution was what you are attempting here; mixing many parts from different sources. For me, it all boils down to the topside and front proportions, as most of the block will typically be hidden.

Very good work you're doing here, and plus one for resin copies! (Would prefer it sans intake, to keep options open)

[garagepunk66]

On 11/19/2018 at 4:39 PM, dodgefever said:

The JoHan valve covers are better proportioned than the AMT ones, but the spark plug locations are way off.  I don't have one handy to check, but I think the block is closer to being correct for a 385 series - the Maverick/Comet has heads and valve covers to build either a 427 SOHC or a Boss 429 off the same block and heads (I know).

The T'rantula valve covers are the best I know of.

The Jo-Han block and heads are a 385 series, and the Boss 429 specific parts are quite nice. The SOHC attaching parrts were a compromise as I am sure the small, cash-strapped company could not afford a separate set of engine inserts for the Maverick/Comet tooling

 

[alan barton]

Hi guys,

Today, as part of my commission build to do two replicas for the current owner of the 1969 Mickey Thompson MAch 1 funnycar, I got an "access all areas " pass to photograph the daylights out of a complete assembled SOHC.  The most noticeable inaccuracy to the Ohio George motor is the shape of the bumps under the rocker cover.  On the OG they look like half an egg cup but on the real motor they are very subtle and I will be filing them down appropriately.  Yo will see that I also got some close ups of the front cover and of the location of the header flange on the heads - a lot lower than most motors.

Bill, I hope these help you in your quest and if you need any more photos or dimensions just yell and I will be sure to get them for you.

Cheers

Alan

Edited January 6, 2019 by alan barton

[alan barton]

And for those of you who would rather be injected than blown, here's some photos I took last year  at the brilliant, totally amazing, unbelievable Speedway Motors American Museum of Speed in Lincoln Nebraska. 

If you are on this forum , you NEED to visit this museum.  I have been fortunate to visit about 35 or so car museums in North America and this one is in a category all of its own - words cannot describe either the depth or quality of the items on display.  Trust me, just go.  If the wife insists on going, drop her off at the International Patchwork Quilting Museum at the university but tell her you WILL be gone for several days.  Fortunately, my wife, a very skilled and passionate quilter, actually preferred the car museum and took over 1500 photos for me on our first visit in 2010!