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FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: Nightmist66 on August 08, 2015, 12:10:39 AM

Title: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: Nightmist66 on August 08, 2015, 12:10:39 AM
An absolute must see! ;D ;D
Is this the lightest FE block out there?
Interesing girdle/bedplate design.
Videos in order- part 1, 2, 3

https://youtu.be/8KLNJ8d8Vqc
https://youtu.be/BbHRInu7Z5U
https://youtu.be/c28JCPGGRIE
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: Autoholic on August 08, 2015, 12:45:36 AM
They did that engine a long time ago. I wonder what the price is?
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: Nightmist66 on August 08, 2015, 12:51:25 AM
I'm afraid to think of that detail. ::)
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: fekbmax on August 08, 2015, 10:41:28 AM
I had been watching that one for a while. Awesome piece.  If only.... LoL.  $$$$$$$
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: Autoholic on August 08, 2015, 10:50:41 AM
I wonder how this block would compare to an iron block for power? That girdle design is right out of F1. I could see it really adding to the strength of the block to offset the drawback of aluminum's weakness. In any case, it's the king of the FE blocks.
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: ScotiaFE on August 08, 2015, 11:58:50 AM
I said it before on here and I say it again.
That thing is a piece of junk.
A total waste of aluminum and electricity.
Any cast FE block will have most likely in the 100's if not 1000's of times more strength.
He cut that out of a stick of 6061 extrude.
Prove me wrong Kirkham!
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: turbohunter on August 08, 2015, 12:03:41 PM
I've seen those vids before but Ive never seen a block on the job.
Where do they use them?
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: philminotti on August 08, 2015, 06:39:23 PM
Only the one was made.  It has run quite successfully in a Kirkham Cobra owned by Kirkham's head CNC programmer/designer.  IIRC, there was some issue about it infringing on a Darton patent.  And the assertion that it's a piece of junk is ignorant rubbish, plain and simple.  Prove me wrong.   ;)
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: jayb on August 09, 2015, 09:59:22 AM
Its nice to hear that the block is running successfully.  But looking at it when the videos first came out, and again now, I can't imagine that block could hold too much horsepower.  Its one thing to build a block that can handle 500 HP, and quite another to build one that can handle 800-1000+, like all the aftermarket cast blocks that are out there.  It seems like the major draw of that block would be weight reduction.

Darton makes sleeves; I wonder how they ran afoul of a Darton patent?  If it was a sleeve issue, you'd think that they could just get the sleeves from Darton and avoid the problem that way.
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: BigBlockFE on August 09, 2015, 01:38:27 PM
Never gonna happen... Kirkham is to busy to build blocks they build cars...ask me how I know
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: ScotiaFE on August 09, 2015, 02:21:51 PM
Only the one was made.  It has run quite successfully in a Kirkham Cobra owned by Kirkham's head CNC programmer/designer.  IIRC, there was some issue about it infringing on a Darton patent.  And the assertion that it's a piece of junk is ignorant rubbish, plain and simple.  Prove me wrong.   ;)
Funny, those videos has been on the tube for years and many guys have asked to see a video of it actually running.
Just silence from Kirkham. hmmm
"The engine dyno's at something like 630 horsepower.  It has run on many track days all out.  It works well.  Perhaps one day we will make a cammer :)"
a quote from Kirkham.
Must have forgot to bring the camera to the dyno test?
And the track?
If it ain't on digital today it didn't happen. Pretty hard to go anywhere today without a cam on you.
Either carrying or someone pointing one at you.
Surely someone has a picture of it actually running.
He does make a nice copy of the Cobra though. I'll give him that.
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: BigBlockFE on August 09, 2015, 09:30:36 PM
I have driven the car with the billet block, it has 600 plus hp, drives fine, they cant produce the block as the sleeves it has in it are patent by another company...the frame is billet also as is the suspension the whole car weights like 1500pds...
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: BigBlockFE on August 09, 2015, 09:33:32 PM
They will make you the all billet car, cost, 1 million dollars, they have made 3 of them...only one has a billet block...
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: Autoholic on August 09, 2015, 10:33:50 PM
Where are the pictures then of this finished engine?
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: BigBlockFE on August 10, 2015, 10:10:46 AM
In the owners billet car... David Kirkham...
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: Autoholic on August 10, 2015, 06:01:47 PM
Now we're getting conflicting info. Does the car belong to David Kirkham or the head CNC programmer?
Title: Re: Kirkham Motorsports CNC Machining Billet 427 FE Block
Post by: BigBlockFE on August 10, 2015, 06:57:09 PM
Sandwich makes the blocks, David designs it, it was in his car may be in sandwhiches car now, I could not take pic at the time because it was their prototype and they said no pics, they did the video, anyway it is as nice as their cars, I begged for a block but its not in their time frame, so end of story...