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SAAC Forum => SAAC Forum Discussion Area => Topic started by: Bossbill on December 19, 2021, 06:48:31 PM

Title: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: Bossbill on December 19, 2021, 06:48:31 PM
A friend of mine sent me this pic (why not more?) on this C5AE block with screw-in soft plugs and possible head studs. Was this done in the 60s?

The HiPo head has had a rocker arm shaft added. Can't say I've seen this done as it looks very FE style.

Any racers want to chime in?
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: 98SVT - was 06GT on December 19, 2021, 06:55:47 PM
RANDY.........

I think the 302 tunnel port heads had rocker shafts. Any pix of the ports? Screw in plugs were probably done as part of someone's race prep on the block. The whole casting number might indicate something odd.

Found a pic of TP heads
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: Royce Peterson on December 19, 2021, 08:37:38 PM
Looks like aftermarket rocker shaft stands to me. Not like the '68 Tunnel Port 302 used.
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: gt350hr on December 20, 2021, 12:08:19 PM
  +1 The tunnel port used two bolt stands like a 312 . Those are single bolt like an FE. The screw in core plugs are NOT ford issue either. They had a square hole , not hex.
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: shelbydoug on December 20, 2021, 05:28:36 PM
Huh. I had to go and research that but it's true on the small blocks using square drive core plugs but the 427's use hex drive? Why is that?
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: gt350hr on December 20, 2021, 05:48:27 PM
   Probably the size. 1-1/2 is far more common and available at most any hardware store.
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: CSX2259 on December 21, 2021, 01:00:05 AM
Hard to tell but the main caps don't look like anything special.
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: Bossbill on December 21, 2021, 10:01:29 AM
Rear cap is a C2 and no HiPo caps elsewhere.
The crank counterweights appear polished and crank has a lot of drilled holes on no.1.

I didn't recognize the rocker shaft as coming from a common vendor.
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: gt350hr on December 21, 2021, 10:39:49 AM
   I would need some "detail shots" to be of more help to the mystery.
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: rhjanes on December 21, 2021, 04:05:07 PM
Just a total spitball here, but any chance this is a marine prepped engine?  Or some industrial application, where it's going to used at idle to pump water from a well for 24 hours a day for years, or it locks up. 
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: Royce Peterson on December 21, 2021, 05:22:08 PM
A speed shop in New York used to sell a setup that was very similar. That shop was Vindicator Racing, I don't know if they made them or just carried them. It's old school stuff and not something that anyone would do today but it was sorta normal back in the 1960's. Likely an old racer's build, no telling what kind of racing.


Quote from: Bossbill on December 21, 2021, 10:01:29 AM
Rear cap is a C2 and no HiPo caps elsewhere.
The crank counterweights appear polished and crank has a lot of drilled holes on no.1.

I didn't recognize the rocker shaft as coming from a common vendor.
Title: Re: C5AE block with screw-in softplugs; Interesting HiPo head
Post by: gt350hr on December 21, 2021, 06:06:03 PM
 Besides Drake ( Vindicator Racing) there was a company out here in CA that offered a set up like that. It used an external oil line through the valve cover to supply oil to the shaft. Few sets were sold and the company folded. NOT a Ford manufactured assembly.