1968 gt350 with a mexican block?

[427hunter]

Hi all, does anyone have a 68 gt350 with a SA mexican block? The claim is SA produced an over the counter 68 hipo 302 that was based on the mexican 302 with the larger main caps.  Can anyone shed light on this ?

[Bob Gaines]

Hi all, does anyone have a 68 gt350 with a SA mexican block? The claim is SA produced an over the counter 68 hipo 302 that was based on the mexican 302 with the larger main caps.  Can anyone shed light on this ?

Evidence or the lack there of does not support the Mexican 302 with bigger main caps being used on regular production 68 GT350's . If there is please someone provide to enlighten us.

[427hunter]

Hi all, does anyone have a 68 gt350 with a SA mexican block? The claim is SA produced an over the counter 68 hipo 302 that was based on the mexican 302 with the larger main caps.  Can anyone shed light on this ?

Evidence or the lack there of does not support the Mexican 302 with bigger main caps being used on regular production 68 GT350's . If there is please someone provide to enlighten us.

Hi Bob, the story goes it was an over the counter SA item, a Shelby made hipo 302 that could be ordered.

[Coralsnake]

Over the counter is after the fact.

Cars were not built with anything other than the production J-code, 302. Same engine in all the GT350s.

[427hunter]

Over the counter is after the fact.

Cars were not built with anything other than the production J-code, 302. Same engine in all the GT350s.

Do you know if SA did produce a hipo 68 302 based on the Mexican block ?

[Coralsnake]

I have not seen any paperwork to indicate they did.

[J_Speegle]

Guess the search should start by finding a list (catalog or list) of the engines Shelby sold over the counter in 68-69

I don't recall anything but that does not mean I didn't miss something scanning through the ones I've seen

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Guess the search should start by finding a list (catalog or list) of the engines Shelby sold over the counter in 68-69

I don't recall anything but that does not mean I didn't miss something scanning through the ones I've seen

In 66 http://www.deanricci.com/ff/01_2019/shelbyCatalog1966.pdf they offered 3 small block race engines.
By 68 SA it was a 100% Ford show except for Shelby's accessory business. After LeMans 67 his "car" stuff was limited to being a race team contractor (Shelby Racing Inc) for TransAm and Ford was sending them engines with specific instructions not to touch them. His contract expired in mid 1970 and that is when CS left.
We were always taught that the Mexican blocks with "HiPo" caps is a mere myth and the heavier caps were used to make up for the substandard materials used in Mexico.

OK I know some question will arise about Fugazi. As near as I can tell it was a limo service in NY. I suspect the snake oil salesman himself got sold a bill of goods to expand Fugazi Limos country wide.  http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/fugazy-redux/

"No dice. The only "fugazy" anyone knew was Fugazy Continental, a local limousine rental firm famous for its cheesy commercials in the 1970s and 80s (and now its cheesy website at www.contlimo.com). My personal hunch is that "fugazy" is a real mob slang term, and that it began as a mocking reference to the Fugazy Continental limousine service and its low-rent "look like a rich guy" ads. A smooth operator who picks up his date in a Fugazy limousine might impress her for an evening, but sooner or later she'll realize it's all an act. As someone who was subjected to Fugazy ads for years, I can certainly testify that I, at least, associated the word with "fake" long before "Donnie Brasco.""

[427hunter]

Back to the question, I have now been contacted by two 66 shelby owners (who no longer want to post on the forum), both were given mexican 302's in lieu of a hipo 289 from Ford when there engines expired in the 70's and the 289 hipo's were out of production. Still looking for someone who may have purchased one from SA for their 68.   

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Back to the question, I have now been contacted by two 66 shelby owners (who no longer want to post on the forum), both were given mexican 302's in lieu of a hipo 289 from Ford when there engines expired in the 70's and the 289 hipo's were out of production. Still looking for someone who may have purchased one from SA for their 68.

Did Ford sell or warranty the engines then. Was Ford still casting 302s in America at the time? Was Ford parts using Mexican blocks for replacement engines at the time? I could see parts sourcing cheaper built engines from Mexico to sell at retail here. I know they were having a lot of their cores rebuilt in Mexico. Did these owners have the work done - or are they relying on stories from when they bought their cars. Do they have the work orders for the engines? That would have the part number of the replacement engine on it. As you mentioned Ford was no longer was using the HiPo so if you walked in to buy a new complete 302 engine you only had a couple choices the standard 302 or the Boss for a lot more money. Ford Mexican blocks have "M" casting numbers such as "C8AM-6015-B" and the casting date code - but that would not be reflected in the part number.
Maybe if they want answers they should post themselves - you know unfiltered or straight from the horses mouth as they say. We started with a 68 in the title and now were working with 2 1966 cars??

[427hunter]

Back to the question, I have now been contacted by two 66 shelby owners (who no longer want to post on the forum), both were given mexican 302's in lieu of a hipo 289 from Ford when there engines expired in the 70's and the 289 hipo's were out of production. Still looking for someone who may have purchased one from SA for their 68.

Did Ford sell or warranty the engines then. Was Ford still casting 302s in America at the time? Was Ford parts using Mexican blocks for replacement engines at the time? I could see parts sourcing cheaper built engines from Mexico to sell at retail here. I know they were having a lot of their cores rebuilt in Mexico. Did these owners have the work done - or are they relying on stories from when they bought their cars. Do they have the work orders for the engines? That would have the part number of the replacement engine on it. As you mentioned Ford was no longer was using the HiPo so if you walked in to buy a new complete 302 engine you only had a couple choices the standard 302 or the Boss for a lot more money. Ford Mexican blocks have "M" casting numbers such as "C8AM-6015-B" and the casting date code - but that would not be reflected in the part number.
Maybe if they want answers they should post themselves - you know unfiltered or straight from the horses mouth as they say. We started with a 68 in the title and now were working with 2 1966 cars??

There is no confusion in what I wrote, it's called an "anecdote", then I was back to the SA question I started with.
You don't need to respond, you can just ignore this thread.

[shelbydoug]

[/quote]
You don't need to respond, you can just ignore this thread.
[/quote]

I feel better now about that license. I almost felt compelled.

[gt350hr]

  There was a "HiPo 302" planned initially for '68. Evidence is C8ZE HiPo heads , Balancers, distributors, and 302 HD rods with 3/8ths bolts. That engine was cancelled in favor of the ''street" Tunnel Port 302 that was also cancelled , leaving the J code 302 as the "performance 302" for '68. The block that was "going" to be used was the C8AM block made in Mexico. As noted above , "service" ( over the counter) 289 HiPo short blocks ( yes you could still buy one as of '74) DID use the C8AM block , Boss 302 rods , a 289 cast crank and pistons. "I" know three people that bought one "in the day". "I" have never heard of a "complete" HiPo 302 ever being offered for sale by anyone
     Randy

[427hunter]

  There was a "HiPo 302" planned initially for '68. Evidence is C8ZE HiPo heads , Balancers, distributors, and 302 HD rods with 3/8ths bolts. That engine was cancelled in favor of the ''street" Tunnel Port 302 that was also cancelled , leaving the J code 302 as the "performance 302" for '68. The block that was "going" to be used was the C8AM block made in Mexico. As noted above , "service" ( over the counter) 289 HiPo short blocks ( yes you could still buy one as of '74) DID use the C8AM block , Boss 302 rods , a 289 cast crank and pistons. "I" know three people that bought one "in the day". "I" have never heard of a "complete" HiPo 302 ever being offered for sale by anyone
     Randy

Thank you Randy! Now the story on the C8AM bottom end makes sense.

[427hunter]

Randy, is there any way to tell a service block from a regular Mexican truck block ?