P code 390 Block

[Royce]

Friend has a 65 P code car  There is an argument on whether or not it should have a solid lifter un-drilled block or if they used the standard production hydraulic lifter block.

[428kidd]

I don't think it would use a special block. If any thing it might have the cross over blocked up top like the 428 PI , but not a specific non drilled 65 hipo block in 65.

[fryedaddy]

i had a solid lift 390 that came out of a 64,i thought that was the last year

[thatdarncat]

i had a solid lift 390 that came out of a 64,i thought that was the last year

Nope, top of the line 390 Police Interceptor for 1965 was solid lifter. Here’s a screenshot from the 1965 Ford Police car brochure

[Gregwill16]

I am with Lance, most likely a hydraulic blocked plugged at the rear valley. I had one that way that was plugged with longer plugs, but can’t recall the specific date.

[428kidd]

We all know that sometimes Fords literature can be hit or miss. Also doesn't say that its a non drilled block. Im going to stick with it blocked off in cross over.   

[Royce]

Thanks guys..  Another Ford know it all, non owner, put in his place.

[SSdynosaur]

During the early sixties the Ford Parts Catalogue listed a "kit" for converting a hydraulic block to solid lifters; it included two slip-fit metal dowels to, drop-in plug, the diagonally-fed hydraulic lifter galleys, off the main front-to-rear oil feed, centered in the tappet valley.

[e philpott]

Wreckless Warren on the old site had a bunch of nice write ups with pictures while restoring his dads P code 65 Galaxy , pretty sure it was a non drilled block among other things that made it unique

[pbf777]

. . . . .  . pretty sure it was a non drilled block among other things that made it unique.

       I'll start with: "I don't know"!  That is, if in fact the blocks were uniquely un-drilled or not.    

      But if you consider the efforts generally put forth to reduce costing in production, and that particularly considering the issues of limited product runs, if only in the attempt to justify such, then consider the fact that by eliminating the drillings, this just skipping a process (which was an already known execution, and since seemingly required more than one additional set-up in the machining process so perhaps better said a "couple of processes), would have been a beneficial cost savings!  Whereas, the effort involved of producing a new product ("plug kit") for such would prove as an added expense (consider, even after engineering, how many departments would have had to "sign-off" on this!    ), which would have made better business sense?   

       Scott.

[428kidd]

https://www.fordfe.com/so-could-you-actually-get-a-390-330-p-code-t108937.html

Stroked 390 is WW. Seems his car didnt have a non drilled  solid lift engine either.

Including my Dad's which absolutely positively has the original block. It had all the other P-Code engine goodies, 427 crank, rods with bigger bolts, entire solid lifter valve train, P-Code carb with open element filter and vacuum advance distributor.

I thought this was a rare occurrence, but during the 10 years I've been doing this restoration I have been contacted by many 65 P-Code owners about the restoration and found some of their cars didn't have solid lifter blocks either. Even though it was the original block. ww

[jayb]

Another thing to consider is that just because the block is drilled for hydraulic lifter oiling doesn't mean it can't be fitted with solid lifters.  Solid lifters in a hydraulic lifter block work just fine.