Comparison-60's 427so vs New 427so ?

[427 S/O]

Other than lighter components, hotter ignitions, roller rockers, roller cams and possibly newer cam profiles, I don't see any noticeable differences. IMO, the biggest difference is fuel, in the 60's you could buy 103 octane everywhere and run 12-13+ to 1.

[FUNFER2]

You have to add the better density of the blocks of todays blocks, iron and aluminum.

I would be very curious, with a comparison of sonic testing.
Thicker and stronger bores.
The high tech machining tools used today for instance, the line boring for the crank, cam and cylinders.
Better materials for even the bearings.

Yeah, the good old days of higher octane !
I built a Pro-Street Camaro many years ago, and bought aviation fuel for, if I can remember, like $1.75 per gallon.

We need to get Keith on this thread ! Keith (the man) Craft.....where are you bud ?

[Ron61]

It would be interesting. I believe that with todays technology the engines would be better and more reliable.I know my 1964 - 427 would not make nearly the power or stand up to the long periods of hard driving that todays engines do. And also back then, the aluminum parts and stuff were more relegated to the racing where they could take the engine apart after each race.As I recall, some of that stuff didn't last well for street driving.

Ron

[Keithc8]

There has been several design improvements made on all of the new parts. You take the week points of the old stuff and improve the part from there.
Take the blocks for example, the cylinders were thin in most cases with the caps and blocks only being able to handle about 750 HP before cracking the mains or caps. The cylinders are much thicker on the new blocks which keeps the bores straighter under high loads for better ring seal. You can run more compression without cracking the cylinders. The decks are much thicker as well to help hold the head gaskets better. The main caps are stronger with more material in the main area for more strength. You can bore the blocks bigger without fear of a weak cylinder. The water jackets have been redesigned for better cooling and water circalation through the block. The thicker cylinders also do not heat the water up as much as the thinner cylinders. The oiling system is pretty much the same with the passages being drilled out bigger and some better alignment in the main saddles.
The heads have thicker decks on them as well with improved port designs using what has been learned over the last 40 years. All of the other parts have been improved as well for better life and durability.
I quite building FE engines for a while in the 90s except for the all out race stuff because I was tired of using the old worn out parts that would not hold up. It was more trouble than it was worth and the parts were not very good for the most part. With what we learned from the race stuff we worked with vendors to improve blocks, heads, cranks and rocker arm systems. We now have some good parts to build FE engines with so that we do not have to use the old worn out stuff. I never thought we would be able to build a FE engine with all new parts top to bottom.
This is why we build about 80 to 100 FE engines a year and sell a lot of crank kits, heads and other parts that we would not have done 10 years ago.

Thanks, Keith Craft

[vector1]

Originally Posted by Keithc8

There has been several design improvements made on all of the new parts. You take the week points of the old stuff and improve the part from there.
Take the blocks for example, the cylinders were thin in most cases with the caps and blocks only being able to handle about 750 HP before cracking the mains or caps. The cylinders are much thicker on the new blocks which keeps the bores straighter under high loads for better ring seal. You can run more compression without cracking the cylinders. The decks are much thicker as well to help hold the head gaskets better. The main caps are stronger with more material in the main area for more strength. You can bore the blocks bigger without fear of a weak cylinder. The water jackets have been redesigned for better cooling and water circalation through the block. The thicker cylinders also do not heat the water up as much as the thinner cylinders. The oiling system is pretty much the same with the passages being drilled out bigger and some better alignment in the main saddles.
The heads have thicker decks on them as well with improved port designs using what has been learned over the last 40 years. All of the other parts have been improved as well for better life and durability.
I quite building FE engines for a while in the 90s except for the all out race stuff because I was tired of using the old worn out parts that would not hold up. It was more trouble than it was worth and the parts were not very good for the most part. With what we learned from the race stuff we worked with vendors to improve blocks, heads, cranks and rocker arm systems. We now have some good parts to build FE engines with so that we do not have to use the old worn out stuff. I never thought we would be able to build a FE engine with all new parts top to bottom.
This is why we build about 80 to 100 FE engines a year and sell a lot of crank kits, heads and other parts that we would not have done 10 years ago.

Thanks, Keith Craft

there's your article right there. nice input keith.

[FUNFER2]

lol, I agree, there's the artical right there Keith.

It's great having a engine builder that specializes in FE's, for us cobra people but also one that pays attention to our needs and answered questions, no matter how trivial a question may be, to high tech one's as well.

Thank you Keith.

[FUNFER2]

Keith, since we all know that the old engine had it's problems with cooling, would you explain the old system and what has been changed with the new engines. Percentage wise, how much better is the new one ?