ACTUAL proof that "special alloy" 427 Iron blocks WERE made in '68.......

[gt350hr]

    Last night I was looking at my log book of sequential "SK" numbers used by Ford EEE engineers to create special race oriented parts. Lo and behold I find about 7 that reference 427 blocks and specific materials to be used to make them. The first three specify ACB iron to be used , and the next four list the elements and specific percentages to be used. Unfortunately I left the book at home so I can't immediately post the SK numbers AND dates "today" and the info will have to wait until I return on Monday Jan 3.
    Several have referred to "mythical" high nickle  blocks and it does appear that they WERE made. "I" know funny car racer Tommy Grove had them in '68 and they were the reason he continued to run the Cammer into '72 , even in the Barry Setzer VEGA funny car!!!!!

[Falcon67]

If I had a nickel for every time I heard about a "high nickel" block - LOLOL!  Great info!

[machoneman]

I'm quite sure Ford's engineers did vary the cast iron mix, for a variety of reasons, mentioned here and in the distant past.

Question is: did it make any, if even minor, difference in overall block strength?

 I think not, especially due to Ed Pink's long ago statement on cracked blocks, mains up through the lifter galley area, in that era (o.k. they were blown nitro engines ala' Lou Baney's dragsters and a host of other big name Ford racers running Pink's engines). IIRC, the longevity of FE Cammer blocks in Top Fuel and Funny cars was in ten runs or less, in part leading to the eventual 100% switch to 426 Hemis.

See paragraph 3: https://www.enginelabs.com/features/interviews/the-old-master-ed-pink-reflects-on-sohc-irl-and-midget-engines/

Note too his comment on the block being good for 750 hp.

[gt350hr]

   According to the SK log book notations some were cast using "ACB material" and there is one call out for ".410 carbon equivalent , max .25 chromium 187-241 Brinell ( hardness) .100 min bore wall thickness" . Plus there were two with aluminum as the block material ( for Can Am use.  This is why I said ''special alloy"  , NOT high nickle as there is no mention anywhere in my book of nickle. This is in line with others who have always said Ford did not make  "high nickle" blocks.

[e philpott]

I think it was Rod C that said the foundry tried a different recipe one time that was so hard it broke all the tooling trying to machine it , plud didn't Ford have some special blocks made for the Cammer in FC for nitro ?

[Falcon67]

That would be the limiting thing I think - a cylinder wall that wears less due to increased hardness would cause much increased wear on the tooling.  Maybe OK for one off proto and limited $$$$ OTC runs but not real good for production.  The engineers want long life, minimal wear, might compromise a bit on machinability while keeping assembly costs in check -  while accounting just wants the things to make it past the end of the warranty. 

[pbf777]

     I was told that back in the '80's Ford Motorsport had contracted for Ford Manufacturing to produce the M-6010-A4 blocks and in the 'deal' Manufacturing informed Motorsport that the blocks, which were processed on the standard machining lines and tooling (exception of the 4-bolt main provision) would be machined after the standard 5.0 production run at what was considered the end of the existing tooling life otherwise the costs would be to high.   

     Hence the statement of "semi-finished" as the only claim by Motorsport.   

     Scott.

[Gaugster]

The Nickel talk was fairly interesting to read about when I first got into FE's. That was only a few years ago. The Ford 9" carrier has a big "N" in the casting. So I guess I'd expect any mass-produced blocks to have a similar "N" casting mark or scratch. Not that OEMs are always consistent, but Ford seemed to document better than the others back in the day.

I will say that this is the first forum where a rational discussion of the topic has happened...

[frnkeore]

There is this little tidbit, published by Ford, in Nov of '72.

[frnkeore]

I believe this must be the SK info Randy is talking about.

[gt350hr]

   Thanks Frank! Yes THAT is the actual "blueprint" . My book is a log book of the sequential SK numbers used and usually the reason for the change. It is interesting that Joe B called out the carbon content correct on the blueprint but put the decimal point in the wrong place on the book notation. That is something Dennis K caught when I posted the information.
    The point of my post was simply to show what "I" found while looking through my book. Nowhere in the book for any engine type was there a call out for ''nickle" as an element used. The words "high nickle" have forever been associated with Ford blocks and it certainly appears to be mythical. There were a couple of listings for the Magnesium 494 blocks and the associated sleeves used.
   Randy