I just picked up another set of main caps last night to have as a spare's...

I noticed the ones on my CJ block (3 crows feet main saddle's) have a dot in the center of the caps...

And on my Service Block (2 crows feet) it also has the single dot on the cap's....

and I know theses main caps came off a 428..cause I took the off a trashed block last night..and they have a piramid /_\ in the middle of the caps? do know what the differance if any would be??

Thanks G,

Russ

 

Russ some of the caps with the triangle were common to 70's service blocks. I think they were also on later 70's blocks. I'm not sure exactly when they came into production either but early 70's from what I've found. As far as material there are two types and easy to spot. Nodular iron caps will have one or two small bumps, warts, or lady bugs on one of several of the caps. Being the 5 caps were all cast at the same time then sliced apart and machined it's common to only see a bump on one cap out of the set sometimes. Also check the sides for a brinnel mark. It will look like a small punch mark and verifies hardness tested. The second type is grey iron and will not have the nodular bump or been brinnel tested. I've seen both grey iron and nodular iron 427 crossbolt caps so there appears to be no pattern to which was used and why. I've often wondered this myself especially on 427 caps. I'm also pretty sure the triangle caps are grey iron and not nodular. Grey iron maincaps also are found with the round dot besides the triangles. My 63 406 has grey iron caps also. You figure a HP block would have had nodular caps but apparently not so. The C2AE-C casting number was used on both types of caps also. Your CJ caps should be nodular as all CJ's were. So I guess I have no real good answers for ya there bud!!!! LOL, G.

 

BTW what was the date code on the trashed block???? That might offer some insight. Also see if it's a DIF, CF, or MCC casting.....thxs, G.

 

Oh G, as faras getting some #s..that block is a the Scrap yard (crusher this monrning at 8am when they opened up..thats why I had to get the caps last night...in the freakin dark with a flashlight!!! and a hog leg on my side!!! LOL..

Russ

 

Oh LOL!!! A bit late to tell then. Nice score on the caps though!!!
G.

 

When My Daughter gets back from tenn. and give's me my Camera back I'll take some shots of the piramid caps I got...

I'll have tolook closer on the caps when it warms up outside to look for the rockwell test on the caps!!

Russ

 

When it warms up??? LOL how cold is it there?? I'm a freakin polar bear and love that cold weather!!! Put ya sweater on and look at the caps!!! LMAO!!!! J/K, G.

 

LMAO...well G, with Ya'll moving to Hotlanta..you better get use to steamy weather..we get pretty good humidity here..but nothing like they get!!!

I'am trying to figure out how to blow that pic up some more for us blind guys!! LOL

Russ

 

Yep G, your right!!! going from Left to right on the #2 cap..is 2 lady bugs one just above the other...then the #2 on the cap..and then the cast in dot....and just below that on the flat side, are to rockwell test marks!! Man your sharp on this IDing *****!!

Thanks Bud!!

Russ

 

Hey glad to help. Yea the move south will bring hotter weather for sure. A lot less snow than here in CT anyway. I won't miss the 3 ft snow drifts and frozen tundra either. Good caps on that CJ block you have there bud! See ya...G.

 

Glad to hear it G, Maybe after Ya'll get settled in and on the job awhile, you guys can come up and spend a week camping out at are lake?? I think you'd like it!!

Looks like I'am also going to have to save up and Buy a CrossBow now...They just legalized Crossbow for deer this year here in VA...

Well I hope with studs and a gurdle the bottom end will stay together with 350hp??

Russ

 

Yea for sure that sounds great!!!! That would be lots of fun! Crossbow huh?? Pretty cool stuff. My brother in law is into that big time. Yea you should be cool with the HP and the girdle. You getting the one from KC? I'm still getting one of Shoe's capsaddles when they are done. Getting close......G.

 

Heard something on the net about a clearance issue with KC's ?? I dont know that it was cleared up or not yet? If not I'll get one from Milidon...I think they still make one? I also saw one from Assie land that was good and thick..5/8" I think...

Russ

 

And dont you think your bottom end would be stronger if you went to a gurdle and studs? Instead of just tying the 3 main caps together... at least with the gurdle your tying the caps together and tying the to the block pan rail too...

Russ

 

Was that internal clearance or external? I know some guys were having problems with the girdle, windage tray and gaskets lowering the pan and hitting the crossmembers...I think LOL. Yea I'm not sure what to do. Shoe's capsaddle intrests me tho. I need to do a little more reasearch on both. Dave had brought up some good points but off the top of my head they elude me now. I'll refresh my memory and let you know what's what. Shoe's capsaddle does come with studs for all the mains tho...G.