push rods, rocker arms, and pushrod guide plates
- Thread starter Jayz63
- Start date
Ford actually offered a cast aluminum valve covers thru Ford Motorsport in the 80's for the cleveland series engines that had provision for spraying oil under there but I think it was more for valve spring cooling.Valve spring technology wasn't at the level it is today,and those covers were an example of the things the Nascar boys resorted to to keep running right at the edge.
GM, Ford, and Chrysler always paid attention to what the NASCAR boys were doing, thus the 427. Its no coincidence why Chevrolet and Ford had a 427 and Chrysler had a 426, NASCAR set the cubic inch limit at 427 in the early 60's. NASCAR racing was big time responsible for a lot of stuff found on high performance cars and engines of the 60's and 70's.
Yeah I think it was early 63 when the limit was set,the manufacturers suspected it was coming .and designed their engines accordingly,I know Ford had their 427 ready in late 62 and had a 482 inch monster waiting in the wings in case the limit didn't become reality. I think GM and Mopar also had ultra large engine programs going too.I think Norm Thatchers 482 RB Mopar salt flats engine was 1 of the results,Ford used 1 of theirs on the salt flats too in a 62 starlifter roofed Sunliner with Fred Lorenzen driving.
