Who wants a 64 lb, 427 Block?

[frnkeore]

No cross bolts though.

https://www.howacarworks.com/engine-block

[FElony]

Well, damn, that was impressive.

[machoneman]

Saw that many years old vid before. The project apparently never went anywhere as they never made any more. I say apparently unless somone else has an update.

[wcbrowning]

Over the course of two or three years I tried contacting Kirkham about buying one of those blocks, and I never received a response to my inquiries.

Saw that many years old vid before. The project apparently never went anywhere as they never made any more. I say apparently unless somone else has an update.

No cross bolts though.

https://www.howacarworks.com/engine-block

[Dumpling]

64 pounds WITHOUT iron sleeves.

Looks easy, for them. Wonder if it didn't hold up in testing?

[FElony]

Saw that many years old vid before. The project apparently never went anywhere as they never made any more. I say apparently unless someone else has an update.

Right. Just as I said, not impressive whatsoever.

[machoneman]

Saw that many years old vid before. The project apparently never went anywhere as they never made any more. I say apparently unless someone else has an update.

Right. Just as I said, not impressive whatsoever.

Yeah, like I said...life's a bitch, eh?

Better, a song Mick sang long ago....you can't always get what you want..............

[TomP]

A noble idea but perhaps it was going to cost $15,000 per block even to do them in volume and couldn't be justified?

[WConley]

Also, it's one thing to create a bunch of toolpaths to cut something shaped like an engine block.  It's an entire other thing to engineer a block that will stay together, oil and cool properly, and maintain a head gasket seal.  (The last one is a lot harder than many people think!)

[Chrisss31]

I wonder how stable it would be.  If the thing gets all twisted up when it's hot that's no good...

[frnkeore]

I wonder how stable it would be.  If the thing gets all twisted up when it's hot that's no good...

You might have a point there.

In aircraft work, the Mil Spec for machining sections of more than a 3" section , is that you have to rough it out and then have it re-heat treated, before the finish machine work is done.

That wasn't addressed in the video so, maybe they did or maybe not.

Also, I don't remember if they said what the aluminum alloy was. if it was 7075, it would be superior in strength to cast iron.

[GerryP]

Technology-wise, we are well past aluminum blocks.  If someone had the time and financing, we'd have a CGI block.  Of course, this isn't as simple as pouring CGI into existing molds.  That would be silly -unless you were doing a Top Fuel engine.  The whole block would have to be re-engineered to take advantage of the material.

[Autoholic]

What that video didn't cover, is the girdle that was designed to cap the mains. No need for cross bolting. It's worth it to follow the Kirkham FB page, as David Kirkham will often dive into the engineering they do and responds to questions too. I'm pretty sure the block would have been fine from an engineering standpoint. The cost is probably why not many of these have been made, but I wouldn't be surprised if they've made a few for customers. Once in a blue moon, they'll get a customer that wants a truly custom vehicle. The cost of the billet Cobra would have been insane for example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbHRInu7Z5U

[turbohunter]

How do you machine a water jacket into that block?

[cjshaker]

How do you machine a water jacket into that block?

As I recall, it was a multi-piece block. I can't remember which piece bolted/attached to what, but that was how they got the water jackets in. There were 3 or 4 videos they made of that block, but never one of it finished.