C4AE-A Block

[410bruce]

My machinest has one sitting in his shop he'd sell me for $200.00. Has the extra rib in the main webs and unmachined cross-bolt bosses. It's at 4.08 now but the bores look good at a quick glance.

Would this block be worth it, strength wise, to build or just stick with the stock C7ME 410 block??

I think it would be pretty neat to find some 427 main caps and spacers and machine this thing up.

It would be nice if it would take a 4.13 bore but with the limited search I did, it appears this is just a 390 block with the added webbing and cross-bolt bosses.

What do you guys think?

[chilly460]

I can’t get rid of standard bore blocks for $150

[thatdarncat]

The FE blocks with the main webs that will take the 427 cross bolted caps are common in the ‘64 & early ‘65 model years, but with that said, good 55 year old FE blocks are getting harder to find every year. Because it’s easier to add the cross bolted mains to those blocks they can get a little premium on the price for people who would like to do that modification. The downside is a ‘64 model year block will only have the early two bolt motor mount pattern. The C4AE-A blocks were used for both 352 & 390 engines. Like any FE block, it should be sonic tested these days before building, it’s not expensive. There’s nothing special about a C4AE-A block that would make a solid 4.13” bore likely. Best practice now days is to keep the cylinder walls as thick as possible for best ring seal anyway.

[Heo]

I have one of those blocks, bored .060 by some previus owner
Sonics just over 0,100 in one spot so
would not go any further

[67428GT500]

As many here will tell you the mirror 105 later blocks seem to be quite thick. Many will go out to 4.190.  I currently have one that is at 4.155 and has the thinnest point on one hole is .110 at and on a non-thrust area. If you don't want to buy a 428 block, that's what I'd start looking for.
The casting itself looks so much better than the C6ME-A I also have.   
                                                                                                        -Keith

[mbrunson427]

Here's the sonic sheet on ours at 4.13". I deemed it too thin to do anything demanding with, still usable street block though!

[410bruce]

Thanks for the replies, guys.
I think I may pick up this block anyway, even if I don't use it for this build. Be kinda cool just to have.

[410bruce]

Here's the sonic sheet on ours at 4.13". I deemed it too thin to do anything demanding with, still usable street block though!

Awesome! Thanks for posting that up, mbrunson427!

What is considered too thin to be of any use?

[mbrunson427]

No problem. I always take a ton of pictures when working on stuff, sometimes they come in handy.

I think the general answer to your question, somewhere around .100" and .120" is the "go-no-go" mark on 390/428 blocks. Requires some judgement on what all is going on around the cylinder and other cylinders. One of the builders may chime in with a better and more accurate response.

[67428GT500]

Here's the sonic sheet on ours at 4.13". I deemed it too thin to do anything demanding with, still usable street block though!

Is this block already at 4.130?  That's pretty thick. You could go .025 out for one more bore with one sleeve. Barry says as along as you have .100 finished it's fine.   
                                                                                   -Keith

[mbrunson427]

Is this block already at 4.130?  That's pretty thick. You could go .025 out for one more bore with one sleeve. Barry says as along as you have .100 finished it's fine.   
                                                                                   -Keith

Keith, yes it's rough bored to 4.130 and need to be finish honed. I wouldn't use this block to cross bolt and build a stout street/strip engine. Will more than likely end up cross bolting it, put a 4.25" crank in it and put it in my Dad's '63 Galaxie street car.

Here's a picture of the block the sonic test sheet came from. Told you I take a ton of pictures.

[67428GT500]

That's good to go. Barry Rabotnic builds them when they are at .100 or more.  Cross bolt caps and align bore will be another 600.00 +. I saw a set of 427 caps on Evilbay a few weeks ago.  However, .100 is plenty thick, even for a performance build. I think many blocks are thin for reasons besides just plain core shift issues. Corrosion in the water jackets is a huge factor as well.
That happened with my other 428. It was bored to the thin side instead of the thick side because the machinist misread the sonic. I am building another block to go in.
                                                                                       -Keith

[Joe-JDC]

Make sure you understand that the .100" is not a major thrust minimum, but a non thrust wall thickness.  Thrust sides should have a minimum of .125" after final honing for performance builds.   Yes, someone will always claim their killer engine has less and lives, but as a rule, it is living on borrowed time.   Joe-JDC

[fekbmax]

I can’t get rid of standard bore blocks for $150

You got some good 390 blocks for $150.oo ?

[chris_r]

I have sonic mapped hundreds of fe blocks. I like the c4ae blocks. Most of the time c4ae block have thicker cylinder walls but always sonic map so you know. Buy the block if you need one