quote:
That's not entirely true. The block that is in my '71 Pantera (I built it in 2000) has NO Xs or Ys cast into the lifter valley at all. It did NOT come from a Pantera.Years ago I had a close friend who's Father drag raced a Cleveland powered Mustang. He was best friends with his engine builder and he told me that when he bores a Cleveland block with the X's and Y's you can actually hear the difference in tone from when he bores one without the X's and Y's. He attributed it to the higher nickel content in the casting.
Ron
Interesting.
I think the difference is in the series of the casting numbers?
I think it is the D2AE-CA blocks that have the X's and y's and the D0AE does not?
I don't know if that block was unique or special at all Ron. I just know that shop won't do any more work for me.
He said that I knew it was special and that I intentionally screwed him on the price? He was the one that quoted me. I didn't twist his arm. He built a lot of Chevy race engines (this is Chevy territory, Ford guys here are rogues). The GM blocks are definitely softer cast iron.
At the time I was just a kid and knew nothing of what he was talking about.
I DO remember one thing. The block came from Carter Gette who at the time was THE guy to buy a 427 SC Cobra from. ($8500).
My parts guy told me about the block and also mentioned that he had a listing for the special racing block in his parts book.
I want to say it was $850 for the racing block and something like $350 for a new CJ 4 bolt block.
I got the entire short block out of the Pantera for $250 AND Carter delivered it to me. Can't beat that? The only thing is Carter wouldn't include or even show me the balancer so I can't say what was on it? I think I asked and he said in a stern voice, no way?
As a result, that's where I bought my first new, Ford Service Parts "Boss" balancer. Actually an HO with the D2ZZ casting number in the ring. It was expensive then. List for $125. Cost $75. I think they figure the price on it by the weight and sell it to you by the pound. It's heavy.
Personally I was under the impression that all of the D2AE-CA blocks were higher nickle blocks, and they have the yyyyxxxx and the D0AE block does not The late 427 side oiler service block I believe is a high nickle block too? The cast iron in them definitely looks to be a different color than the 390 blocks?
Might have been a Pantera that Bob Grossman wrecked and Carter bought the "remains" of. It was not going into a Pantera, so I didn't ask for the ZF or do anything with any intelligent insight. Except for the Cobras, at the time, there was no indication that ANY car would ever be desirable as a "collector" car back then?
I actually had just bought a pair of Boss 351 service heads and wanted the 4 bolt Boss bloxk too, but the original part was superseded by the D2AE-CA block.
As it turns out, the original Boss 4 bolt block was just a modified production 2v block, with 4 bolts caps added and was only installed into the original Boss351's on the assembly line. It's my impression it was NEVER serviced separately, but as with all Ford service parts, depends on when and where?
As an aside, my engine builder, well actually my machiner and advisor, Joe LaPine at Danbury Competition, ADVISED that there are two Clevelands to build. The dividing line in his opinion is 7,000 rpm. Under it you don't need the lifter bushings, race block, but once you go over, you need them plus "a whole bunch of other stuff" that he never embellished on.
Still have a set of titanium valves for it sitting in the "valve drawer" along with titanium retainers. Never got the opportunity to use them.
Next time I have a D0AE and D2AE-CA together I'll do the ping test. I'm curious too if I could hear the differences?
I think you just started something though? Everyone is going to run out and ping on a bare block if they have one?
Thanks for pointing that out?
