#427 cammer

[cuzikan]

The Anatomy of the 427 SOHC – Ford’s Answer to the HEMI that was banned from NASCAR and went drag racing.

What is the most feared engine ever to come out of Ford? A very subjective question – but the Boss 302, 427 Tunnel Port, Boss 429 come to mind. All these are candidates, but a lot of people would say that distinction belongs to the 427 SOHC. Mostly referred to as a 427 “Cammer” or “Sock”.

1964 was the year that Richard Petty won the Daytona 500 with the new Dodge 426 Hemi. Ford was running the 427 Hi-Riser that year and won the majority of NASCAR races. The writing was on the wall and the boys at Ford had to come up with an answer to the new Hemi. Within 90 days, Ford took what it learned from the 255ci Dual Overhead Cam Indy motor and applied it to the bulletproof 427ci FE motor. The displacements started at 332ci and grew to 428ci. The baddest of the bad of these were the 427’s and the King of the 427’s is the 427 SOHC!

The shortblock for the “cammer” was basically all 427 hi-riser. Ford wanted to keep the cost down by using as many off-the-shelf parts as it could. The crank was the 427 forged steel version that was cross-drilled at both the mains and rods. This crank with the steel hi-riser connecting rods and special “hemi-head” pistons was the ticket needed to live at 7500 rpms. Increased oil pressure and updated water pump helped to keep all fluids flowing no matter what the conditions were.

The main thing that drew your eyes to this motor was the massive valve covers, which were made from magnesium. One look and you knew that this was no ordinary engine. The heads were cast iron and wide. With a machined combustion chamber putting the compression ratio at 12.0:1. The intake ports were a “tunnel port” design that fed 2.25″ intake valves and through 1.90″ exhaust valves, gases exited out D shaped exhaust ports. Hollow stem intake valves were used and the exhaust valve stem were sodium filled to help control the heat that is generated at 7500 rpms.

The first public mention of the Cammer V8 appeared in the Daytona Beach Morning Journalon Feb. 23, 1964. Beaten up at Daytona all month by the new 426 Hemi engines from the Dodge/Plymouth camp, Ford officials asked NASCAR to approve an overhead-cam V8 the company had in the works. But as the Journal reports here, NASCAR boss Bill France turned thumbs down on Ford’s proposed engine. France regarded overhead cams and such to be European exotica, a poor fit with his down-home vision for Grand National stock car racing.

Even though France barred the SOHC V8 from NASCAR competition, Ford proceeded to develop the engine anyway, hoping to change Big Bill’s mind. In May of 1964, a ’64 Galaxie hardtop with a Cammer V8 installed was parked behind Gasoline Alley at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the assembled press corps could get a good look at it.

On October 19, 1964, NASCAR moved to ban all “special racing engines,” in its words, eliminating both the Cammer Ford and the Chrysler 426 Hemi from Grand National competition for 1965. Chrysler responded by temporarily withdrawing from NASCAR, while Ford continued on with its conventional 427 pushrod engine in NASCAR and took the SOHC engine to the drag strips.

Despite heavy lobbying from Ford, in December of 1965 NASCAR again banned the Cammer for 1966, with USAC piling on (Spartanburg Herald-Journal, December 18, 1965 above). However, in April of 1966 NASCAR finally relented. Sort of. Okay, not really. The Cammer was now allowed, technically, but only in the full-size Galaxie model, limited to one small four-barrel carb, and with an absurd, crippling weight handicap: nearly 4400 lbs, 430 lbs more than the Dodge and Plymouth hemis. At that point Ford said no thanks and dedicated the Cammer to drag racing. The engine never turned a lap in NASCAR competition.

Ford made the Cammer widely available in the drag world, providing engine deals to nitro racers Tom Hoover, Pete Robinson, Connie Kallita, and a host of others. Among the most successful Cammer-equipped drag cars were the 1966-67 Comet flip-top funny cars (Don Nicholson, Eddie Schartman, et. al.) and Mickey Thompson’s dominating ’69 Mustang team starring Danny Ongais and Pat Foster.

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Ford 427 Cammer

Arguably the most powerful naturally aspirated production V8 for over 5 decades Ford 427 Cammer - 660hp.A thing of beauty.

[its-a-wicked-twisted-road]

[automotiveamerican]

For Sale: A Rare Ford 427 SOHC Cammer V8 Crate Engine @Silodrome

EXTRAORDINARY ENGINES FOR SALE This is an unused ex-Holman-Moody Cammer V8 in original zero hour condition. The Ford 427 SOHC Cammer V8 is one of the rarest and most desirable big block V8 engines ever made. Unusually for an American V8 it has overhead cams rather than pushrods as it was built specifically for racing. It’s been called the “90 Day Wonder” thanks to its compressed development…

[lxsolocam-blog]

SOHC 427 CAMMER powered Pinto....

[formlab]

Piloted by Don “The Snake” #Prudhomme, this AA/fuel dragster made history with four quarter-mile runs in the six-second range. The engine, was a #Ford 427 Cammer with steel billet rocker arms, aluminum rods and pistons, and copper head gaskets made by Pink.

[iconretrocar]

1965 Ford Galaxie 500: The Forbidden SOHC 427 'Cammer' Engine

[v-eight-lover]

Willys Wednesday; Ohio George Montgomery’s “Malco Gasser”, a sweet ‘33 powered by a 427 Cammer with a C6 - one of mine.

[masterdonald101452]

Dyno Don Nicholson 427 "Cammer" 1970 Maverick Pro Stock | Hear this Wild...

[silodrome]

For Sale: A Rare Ford 427 SOHC Cammer V8 Crate Engine

The Ford 427 SOHC Cammer V8 is one of the rarest and most desirable big block V8 engines ever made. Unusually for an American V8 it has overhead cams rather than pushrods as it was built specifically for racing. It’s been called the “90 Day Wonder” thanks to its compressed development schedule, some have gone so far as to call it “Ford’s Greatest Engine” however there’ll be plenty of people who…

[wimpydave]

The Last 427 "Cammer" SOHC Ford - OUTLAWED By NASCAR, Kurt Neighbor's '6...

[morbidrodz]

More Vintage Cars, Hot Rods, and Kustoms

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Arguably the most powerful naturally aspirated production V8 for over 5 decades Ford 427 Cammer - 660hp.A thing of beauty.

[jeremylawson]

427 Cammer powered Shelby Cobra

[lxsolocam-blog]

FORD SOHC Cammer 427

[automotiveamerican]

Secrets of the FORD 427 SOHC The MIGHTY CAMMER!!! - Unity MotorSports Garage

Secrets of the FORD 427 SOHC The MIGHTY CAMMER!!! – Unity MotorSports Garage

Today on Unity Motorsports Garage. We take a look back at the secrets of the Ford 427 SOHC cammer and how even in its short lifespan it made a lasting impression on the Hot Rodding and Racing world! The Cammer paved the way to the Modern Ford Mod Motors, 6.2 SOHC and Coyote engines! I hope you enjoy this video #427Cammer #ConnieKalitta #HubertPlatt #DynoDon #FordDragTeam