Weighing in at a hefty 680 pounds, the new engine served notice that the competition had something to fear when dynamometer numbers revealed that the single four-barrel version produced 616 hp at 7,000 rpm and 515 lb-ft of torque at 3,800 rpm. And as if it couldn't get any better, the addition of the dual four-barrel carburetors stepped the horsepower up to 657 at 7,500, and torque numbers jumped to a stump-pulling 575 lb-ft at 4,200 rpm. All that was left was to homologate this beast with NASCAR and unleash it upon the unsuspecting Hemi Chrysler drivers. But the politics of the sanctioning body (yes, it even happened back in the '60s) became involved and for the first time in history, NASCAR banned an engine from competition. The circle track boys' loss turned into a windfall for drag racers as the company made the new powerplant available for quarter-mile competition in 1965 and it quickly took Ford products to the top in that arena. Don't feel too bad for the Ford NASCAR teams, however, as they ended the 1964 season with 30 wins (not counting those by Mercury teams) to 14 by Dodge and 12 for Plymouth.
Even with a very limited number of the new engines available early in 1965, Ford's factory drag racing teams started rolling up the victories and for the first time in years, Ford-powered Top Fuel Dragsters found their way back into the winner's circle with Connie Kalitta's SOHC 427 Bounty Hunter. For the remainder of the decade, SOHC 427-powered vehicles, from dragsters to funny cars and later Pro/Stock, continued to set records and win races on dragstrips from coast to coast, even after factory support of racing was discontinued. The final major NHRA National Event win for an SOHC 427-powered Ford product came with Don Nicholson's win in the Pro/Stock class at the 1971 Summer Nationals.
Fast forwarding to 2011, the mighty SOHC 427 is more than four decades old, yet it remains as popular as ever with Ford fans. And the recent resurgence in interest in this impressive engine, as power for everything from kit Cobra's to street rods, has led to a select group of individuals becoming involved in manufacturing new pieces for the old engine. Riding the crest of this wave of Cammer popularity is Randy Ritchey, son of legendary Ford factory drag team member Les Ritchey. Randy has continued the business founded by his late father in 1958, known as Performance Associates, in San Dimas, California. Here in his state-of-the-art facility, Ritchey has embarked on a program to develop a series of entirely new and improved SOHC 427 engines. This will give new life to the legendary powerplant in various configurations that will provide massive amounts of horsepower and modern day reliability for the discerning customer's needs.
The SOHC 427 engine uses distinct...
The SOHC 427 engine uses distinct dome-shaped pistons due to the cylinder head's hemispherical combustion chambers.
This SOHC 427 engine shows...
This SOHC 427 engine shows other variations sometimes found. A unique intake manifold mounts four Weber two-barrel carburetors, and the distributor is run off the left side camshaft idler gear. The late Les Ritchey, drag racing pioneer and member of the Ford Drag Team, experimented with Weber carburetors on his A/FX Mustang in 1965.
This early cast-iron SOHC...
This early cast-iron SOHC cylinder head mounts rocker arm assemblies that don't feature external adjusters. When using this setup, valve lash was set by using lash caps of varying thicknesses between the rocker arm and tip of the valve.
Was the SOHC 427 ever made available in a production car?
The immediate answer to this question would be no. However, it's well documented that at least a few Ford Galaxies stuffed with Cammers were observed in and around the Detroit area during 1964 and 1965. These were most likely manufacturers' test vehicles and should not be counted as actually being available to the public. That doesn't account for the fact that Ford shop manuals for 1965 and 1966 listed an engine code designation for the SOHC 427 apart from the standard 427 Wedge. This could also be discounted as Ford's attempt to create the illusion that the Cammer was a production engine for the purpose of homologation.
That brings us to a photo and accompanying article that appeared in a 1966 issue of the racing publication, Drag News. The photo depicts astronaut Gordon Cooper with Ford Special Vehicles manager Jacque Passino examining an SOHC 427 engine under the hood of a '66 Galaxie with the explanation that Cooper was "The first person to purchase one of the new SOHC 427 engines that Ford is now offering as an option in it's Galaxie line." The Drag News text that follows contains a quote from the Ford Vice President indicating that the engine option was being made available to the general public in order to qualify it for competition on the stock car circuits. So, until other proofs are forthcoming, it appears that the answer to the question will have to remain no.
The "Cammer" engine in Len...
The "Cammer" engine in Len Richter's '65 A/FX Mustang sported the standard cast-aluminum intake manifold with two Holley four-barrel carburetors. In this configuration, Ford rated the engine's horsepower at a modest 657. Huge hoses fed outside air to the engine.
The cam cover, the sight of...
The cam cover, the sight of which could strike fear into the heart's of competitors using lesser engines, was the trademark of one of the most successful Ford racing engines ever developed. For shear awesome factor, few engines can compare with the SOHC 427.
A number of racers, the late...
A number of racers, the late Jack Chrisman among them, ran the SOHC 427 with superchargers and exotic fuels. While some experienced longevity problems with this combination, both Chrisman and later Tommy Grove proved that when properly set up, the Cammer would make tremendous power and stand up under the increased strain.
What might have happened had...
What might have happened had NASCAR not outlawed the use of the SOHC Ford engine. The single-four-barrel-carburetor-equipped "Cammer" in John Vermeersch's Starliner has a cowl induction air cleaner of the type used by conventional 427 Wedge engines in stock cars of the '60s. This setup has both great visual appeal and functionality.
The engine in this photo gets...
The engine in this photo gets it's ignition spark via a Vertex magneto, while an aftermarket fuel pump runs off the left bank camshaft idler gear.
By 1966, Hilborn fuel injection...
By 1966, Hilborn fuel injection had become the induction setup of choice amongst match racers running the SOHC 427, as the engine in Hayden Proffitt's altered-wheel-base '65 Comet Cyclone shows.
The last SOHC 427-powered...
The last SOHC 427-powered vehicle to win an NHRA National event was Don Nicholson’s Maverick.
The SOHC 427 wasn't the first...
The SOHC 427 wasn't the first Ford engine to wear Hemi heads. Way back in 1963, former world land speed record holder and speed parts manufacturer, Mickey Thompson, cast a limited number of cylinder heads with hemispherical combustion chambers for the FE engine series. While Thompson did have some success with these heads on his dragster, the trend never caught on and few sets remain today.
Ford followed the SOHC 427...
Ford followed the SOHC 427 with the Boss 429 engine in 1969. While visually impressive, the Boss never had the opportunity to gain the racing fame attained by the "Cammer" as Ford pulled out of racing in 1971.
Oh for a time machine! A trip...
Oh for a time machine! A trip to your friendly local Ford dealer in 1968 and a "Cammer" could be yours for less than $3,400.
Performance Associates, a...
Performance Associates, a logo associated with race-winning Ford’s since 1958, was founded by the late Les Ritchey. Although this legendary racer has left us, his son, Randy, carries on the family legacy in San Dimas, California. As this P.A. brochure reveals, Randy has undertaken the development of SOHC 427 engines utilizing all new parts and technology.