converting a 427
 

How practical and expensive is it to convert a 427so block that was machined as a top oiler to a side oiler unit(probably a industrial block) thanks,chuck

ttt

Im not sure that can be done. Bill Parham from Southern Automotive told me hes raced both and saw no real advantage to the so. Bill would know if it could be done.

It has been done.

I want to say I was quoated $300 - $400 per block. I almost bought 2 marine 427 center oilers, but were SO castings, for this purpose. I didn't because the guy raised the price from $2500 for the pair, to $3500 at the last minute.

I spoke with Earl at Dove Engineering, 1-440-236-5139, and he knew of the machine shop, but told me the more blocks you do, the cheaper it is because of macine set-up time.

I don't think the SO system adds much reliability over the center oiler, especially with today's oils, but it could then be truly a side oiler.

From what I remember on my research, several years ago, the machining of the block is only part of the difference between the final products.

The biggest difference is that the SO blocks were cast with a different, stronger, alloy.

The next thing is that the cranks were cross drilled on the main bearing journals, the standard FE crank has only one drilling, and the rods journals are drilled, the standard FE rod journals are not drilled. Then there was something about the radius on the bearing journals, something to do with relieving stresses.

The last item was that the main bearing caps, the ones in the center of the block, were cross bolted. That involves a different web casting in the block as well as different caps.

The changes were made to give the big block much more duarbility in the high stresses of racing and the changed made a very significant difference in the performance of the engines.

If I miss remember, please correct my thoughts.

I believe, that without the cast-in "hump" of a true side oiler block, it would require an external oil line along with some serious drilling with special long drilling equipment to add the needed passages.

Unless the intended use is NASCAR ( know they don't run in NASCAR anymore) or other serious high speed track time, I think it is a waste of time and money. That old center oiler is a pretty tough piece just as it is.

Instead, I'd spend my money on blue printing, balancing, oil restriction to the top end and some good ARP rod bolts. Oh and get rid of the sodium filled valves if it still has them.

Other than that, I wouldn't fool with it unless the user intends to sit in the driveway and freewind the engine to 8 grand in which case it would blow anyway.

Frankly, although I went whole hog and had the requisite S/O, I did it more for braggin' rights than actual need. The center oiler would have been just fine for my use which was mostly street with a little playday type track time.

I'm pretty sure that most guys fall into that category. Further, most owners don't have the capability of driving a Cobra hard enough to hurt the engine....including me. I guess if desired, it could be done by just over revving the snot out of it in first gear, but how many people are that dumb?

Retraction.....there are people that dumb, I just don't know of any that have Cobra cars.

Al