took them to the racetrack. Ironically, the performance aftermarket never embraced the 383/410/430/462 MEL big-blocks, which called for a lot of private enterprise innovation in race shops around the country.
Ford took the MEL to 462 ci in 1966 with a 4.380-inch bore and 3.830-inch stroke to power big, heavy Lincolns. This was the MEL’s last hurrah for the 1967 model year. The MEL was considered dated and in 1968, the lighter skirtless-block 385 Series 429/460-ci engine family replaced it.
The Super Duty
The new Ford V-8 engines had a banner year in 1958. This included the FE, FT, MEL, and Super Duty, or “SD,” which displaced 401, 477, and 534 ci. The Super Duty 401/477/534 engine was a heavy-duty, truck-only super-size V-8 with a production run from 1958 to 1982. It has nothing in common with the FE, FT, or MEL. Forget about this engine for your Mustang, Galaxie, or F-Series pickup.
The Super Duty is easily one of the largest and heaviest gasoline engines ever made. Some aspects of the Super Duty can be considered iconic, such as its early log-style induction system. It struggled with fuel distribution problems and cold-start issues. If you grew up around this engine you will remember lean off-idle intake backfire as the throttle was opened. They coughed and sputtered until they were warmed up.
What the Super Duty did share with the MEL was that same 90-degree V-8 with a 60-degree flat deck where the top of the wedge cylinder became the combustion chamber. Pistons had a large dome that took up space and provided compression. The Super Duty was quite the workhorse and did it well for a long time.
427 SOHC Cammer
Ford can be considered notorious for going way out on a limb with engineering innovations that excite the senses. The Single Overhead-Cam (SOHC) 427-ci FE big-block is one such example and easily the most memorable. However, it can be considered a significant corporate flop for Ford Motor Company.
Ford developed the 427 SOHC as a response to the beating it was taking in stock car racing. Chrysler’s 426 Hemi was beating everyone. Ford was determined to get back into the winner’s circle. When Ford presented the 427 SOHC Cammer to NASCAR head honcho Bill France early in 1964 it was promptly rejected as too exotic for stock car racing. Ford continued to lobby for the 427 SOHC against NASCAR’s pushback. Ford’s own racing chief, Jacque Passino, stressed the importance of leveling the playing field. France continued to say no.
About Ford Part Numbers
Ford part and casting numbers can be confusing, especially if you have not dealt with them before. There are actually two different part-numbering systems. The more common system, 1950–1998, applies to engines addressed in this book. Things changed in 1999 with a new numbering system. Here’s how the 1950–1998 system works:
Typical Ford Part/Casting Number
| C5ZZ | - | 9510 | - | K |
| Prefix | - | Basic Part Number | - | Suffix |
The prefix tells you when the part was originally released for production, what car line it was released for, and what engineering group it came from. The prefix breaks down like this:
First Position (Decade)
| B | = | 1950–1959 |
| C | = | 1960–1969 |
| D | = | 1970–1979 |
| E | = | 1980–1989 |
| F | = | 1990–1999 |
Second Position (Year of Decade)
Indicates the year the part was released by Engineering for production.
Third Position (Car Line)
| A | = | Ford |
| D | = | Falcon |
| G | = | Comet, Montego, Cyclone |
| J | = | Marine and Industrial |
| K | = | Edsel |
| M | = | Mercury |
| O | = | Fairlane, Torino |
| S | = | Thunderbird |
| T | = | Ford Truck |
| V | = | Lincoln |
| W | = | Cougar |
| Z | = | Mustang |
Fourth Position (Engineering Group)
| A | = | Chassis |
| B | = | Body |
| E | = | Engine |
However, regarding a service replacement part, the fourth position means division, as follows:
| Z | = | Ford Division |
| Y | = | Lincoln-Mercury |
| X | = | Original Ford Muscle Parts Program |
| M | = | Ford Motorsport SVO or Ford Racing Performance Parts |
Basic Part Number
The Basic Part or Casting Number is the same whether it is an engineering number or a service number. For example, “9510” is the basic number for all carburetors. A finished engine block would be “6015” as another example. Each engine part gets another basic part number.
Suffix
The Suffix identifies the change level. “A” means original status of released part. “B” indicates at least one engineering change. The entire alphabet is used except for the letters “I” and “L,” which could be mistaken for the number “1.” When Ford goes through the entire alphabet, it starts over again at “AA,” “AB,” “AC,” and so on.
It is important to understand that part, casting, engineering, and service numbers rarely match. The casting number is derived from the actual casting or part, and typically does not match the part, engineering, or service numbers. Unless the casting has been revised, the basic casting number does not change. It means the number you see in the casting will not match the part number in the Ford Master Parts Catalog. And if the catalog you are using is dated, as most are, expect even more changes in your Ford dealer’s microfiche or computer when it comes to suffixes. When demand for a part falls below a predetermined level, Ford will discontinue or “N/R” (“Not Replaced”) the part.
Date Code
Ford makes it easy to identify engine castings because it has three foolproof systems in place. First is the casting number, which identifies engineering level and when the engineering level originated. Second is the casting date code that is an alphanumeric code identifying the exact date that the item was cast at the foundry. When you compare the Ford part/casting number with the date code, it helps you determine the year of the date code. For example, a C5OE-12345-A casting number is likely going to coincide with the date code below of “5A26” meaning “1965 - January - 26.” If this part has a D5AE-12345-A casting number the date code below would mean “1975 - January - 26.” To determine a casting or assembly date, you have to first decipher the casting number.
A foundry logo is also cast into the piece that indicates where it was cast.
Finally, unless any machine work has been performed, a manufacturing date code is normally stamped into a machined surface that confirms when the component was manufactured. Casting and manufacture date codes look like this:
5A26
5 = 1965
A = January
26 = Day
If this code is cast into the piece, it indicates the date the piece was cast at the foundry. If the date code is stamped or inked, it indicates date of manufacture. When a cylinder block or deck is milled, the stamped manufacture date code is normally lost in the machining process.
Also expect to see foundry codes such as DIF (Dearborn Iron Foundry), CF (Cleveland Foundry), or WIF (Windsor Iron Foundry). There was also Michigan Casting. Some iron and aluminum castings were produced outside Ford. ■
Despite NASCAR’s continuing rejection, Ford continued with SOHC development hoping that attitudes would change in North Carolina. They didn’t. Ford’s development included