[RockBit]

The 427 side oiler in my ERA has exactly one original Ford part in it - the timing cover. The rest is all after market. If you compare the prices for any FE part with, say, the same part for a SBC, the FE part is roughly double the cost. I think this is because in the hot rod world the FE is a very small market as compared to SBC, BBC, or even SBF. the FE parts are made in small production runs and the tooling and setup costs have to be amortized over fewer parts.

As Brent said, the 427 side oiler is iconic, and represents the state of the art in engines in the late 1950's. The engine was designed to compete in endurance racing and NASCAR and was very successful in its day.

I wanted my replica to drive and feel like the original cars. Since it is a once in a lifetime build for me, the extra cost of the side oiler didn't matter to me as much as having the original look and feel of a 1966 Cobra.