427 crossbolt spacers

[FirstEliminator]

   A week ago, I bought a 427 block with a crank. The block is missing the crossbolt spacers. I would guess they cam be made on a lathe. Are these spacers supposed to have an interference fit? What material are they made from? Will I need to have the mains align honed with new spacers? Any info/guidance on making new spacers would be great.
    Buying this block was kind of a spontaneous purchase. It does not have the oil gallies for the lifter bores so it will need a solid cam. It was bored over an run for a very short period. The bores look very nice with no ridge at all. I haven't measured it yet, but it looks like I can do a light hone a drop in a rotating assembly.  With the 427 going in the Colony Park, I probably should have waited for a hydraulic block. If a solid cam is too typewriter sounding for the wagon I could probably move this engine to the 64 Marauder or 69 Cougar. Any thoughts if the noise from a mild solid is excessive?

  thanks,
      Mark

[CaptCobrajet]

Cold drawn 4140 round stock is workable and harder than the original spacers.  Shoot for .001 interference.  Do it with the mains torqued vertically.  If you can get within .002 when you part them off, you can tune them in on a surface plate with 220-ish grit, and smooth with 600 when you get a tenth or two from size. You definitely need to align hone after fitting the spacers. 

[Heo]

My thoughts on the noise from a solid cam is.
If everything is up to spec the sound is more
or less imagination .Same with the need of
constant adjustment. If you hear it inside the
car you have to much mufflers

[BruceS]

In addition to what the Capt. said above, the spacers in my sideoiler have been ground or sanded on each end to get a precise length for the interference fit.  They also have engraved markings for position; for example 2L, 3R, etc. 

[Leny Mason]

Solid cam to me a high performance engine makes a good sound if they are set right, I check mine once every five years now they hardly every change  I think you will like the way they rev up no valve flout . Leny Mason 

[KMcCullah]

I've always wanted to find a cross bolted block with the cap spacers missing. Then I'd have an excuse to mill in a set of Pro-Gram main caps. And then I'd have an excuse to build a 1500hp blower motor. And then I'd have an excuse to build a pavement rig........ 

[cammerfe]

Spacers should be inserted with firm thumb pressure. One of the things that impressed me when I watched the process of re-working a PI 390 block to take cross-bolts---At one of Roush's facilities---was that the tech insisted that all the parts could be assembled with no more than finger-and-thumb effort. From the factory, the assembler had three different 'lengths' to choose from. I don't remember what the difference was---if I ever knew. If you can get them in without the use of a hammer and they don't fall out when you let loose, you'll probably do just fine. I have two of the ones we made because, although we had a complete set, you'll want to remember that this was a 390 block and although it had the 'knobs' cast in place, we had to do the cutting. FWIW, the two extras I have here are---well I had them in my hand the other day---here they are---.3732 & .3735.

The original 427s, with factory mufflers,had a slight 'whirr' to their idle sound. And please remember that no 'Y' block had anything other than solid lifters. If you were looking for it, you could hear the slight sound. Otherwise, not.

KS

[GJCAT427]

I`ve made spacers for 2 of my 427s. both sets were .002 fit. No problem with the block on reassy. Also both 427s that are running right now don`t exhibit a lot of valve"tick" while running. One sports a stock "AA" cam and is barely noticeable, The other runs a "B" cam and again no noticeable loud valve "tick". I`ve had guys swear the cams are hydros and that "all" solids tick loudly,  Realy? must be a Cheby thing as far as I`m concerd. As far as adjustment, maybe every couple of yrs.

[FirstEliminator]

  Hey guys,  thanks for the replies!

 The solid cam noise sounds like a non-issue. The guy I bought the block from said the Chevys sound like a typewriter where the Fords were barely noticeable.

   In the spring I bought a Norton cylindrical grinder. It's been moved into the shop, but hasn't been hooked up yet. Sounds like I need to get this grinder hooked up as this would be a good first project for it.

    The current crossbolts are some allen heads. Does ARP or someone make the correct bolts?

    Here is a pic of the Norton and my wagon:

[WConley]

I'd say you're all set!  Nice tool for the job.  Just remember that each spacer has to be custom finished and marked for its spot - usually varying several 10th's or more depending on the history of the block.

Sounds like fun!

[BattlestarGalactic]

Guess I didn't work hard enough at my spacers.  They fit fine, guess they aren't all "that" exact as everyone else mentioned.  Little sanding to fit and after 15 yrs it hasn't been an issue.  If that .001 difference really make much difference then I'm screwed.  I'm thinking the block walls moves around that much without trying.  As long as the main bores are done after install I don't think it is that big of an issue.  Just my .03.

I did mark them so they can't get moved around, though they only fit one side as my block is custom machined(by myself) and one side is longer then the other.

[GJCAT427]

Like larry said, I forgot to mention I had to do some sanding  and then marked each one in its location. Hey Larry I wound up putting a new winch on the trailer, the old one crapped out in the magnets after 10 yrs.  Beaver Springs cost me a bad spending year! Of course the fire truck I tried to pull on the trailer this summer didn`t help!