66 427/390 tach

[Mike Begora]

Guys I am a midyear owner as of tonight... I have spent the last hour searching the post and not to open this can of worms but is there a ruling on a 66' 427/390 with the tach having yellow 5700-6000 redline 6000-6200, as my new car has this tach? This car is A.O. Smith body if that might be a factor.

Thanks,

Mike

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: 66 427/390 tach

Mike,

------I am not aware of any instance during the production of 66s where a 390hp 427 would have had anything other than the 5000 to 5300 yellow,and 5300 to 5500 redline.Since 67 390s had the mid-range tach,its concievable that very late 66 390s might have had the higher redline,but I dont think so.Maybe some of the guys would chip in with their thoughts.Also dont think AOSmith would have had anything to do with it.Sounds like someone changed out the tach or the whole cluster.We have a 390 66 and I have to admit that I like the look of the higher redline(sort of denotes higher performance),but I dont think its original.Hope this helps............Bill S

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: 66 427/390 tach

Mike,

------I am not aware of any instance during the production of 66s where a 390hp 427 would have had anything other than the 5000 to 5300 yellow,and 5300 to 5500 redline.Since 67 390s had the mid-range tach,its concievable that very late 66 390s might have had the higher redline,but I dont think so.Maybe some of the guys would chip in with their thoughts.Also dont think AOSmith would have had anything to do with it.Sounds like someone changed out the tach or the whole cluster.We have a 390 66 and I have to admit that I like the look of the higher redline(sort of denotes higher performance),but I dont think its original.Hope this helps............Bill S

[Craig S.]

Re: 66 427/390 tach

Maybe someone else can clarify for 66, but as far as I know (at least in 67) A.O Smith cars didn't get any big blocks just small blocks. I have an A.O. Smith 67 327/350, and have taken some of Al Grenning's classes in Bloomington, and to my knowledge from his classes big blocks were St Louis only....so maybe your 427/390 is not the originl engine. The redline sounds consistent with a small block also....Craig

[Craig S.]

Re: 66 427/390 tach

Maybe someone else can clarify for 66, but as far as I know (at least in 67) A.O Smith cars didn't get any big blocks just small blocks. I have an A.O. Smith 67 327/350, and have taken some of Al Grenning's classes in Bloomington, and to my knowledge from his classes big blocks were St Louis only....so maybe your 427/390 is not the originl engine. The redline sounds consistent with a small block also....Craig

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: 66 427/390 tach

Craig,

-----In 66 300hp cars and 390hp cars had the same low redline.350hp cars had the mid-range redline,and 425hp cars had high redlines.Im aware of the lack of 67 big-block AOSmith cars,but I dont think that particular oddity was true in 66 as well.In 67 the factory changed the redlines just a bit,and made 390hp and 400hp tachs the same as the 350hp tachs.Engines were the same,but all of a sudden they had a higher red-line.I think it was marketing,plain and simple.The higher the redline(within reason)the better the marketing guys felt the sales of the optional engines would be.sounds good,anyway!!!!!!!!!........Bill S

[Bill Stephenson]

Re: 66 427/390 tach

Craig,

-----In 66 300hp cars and 390hp cars had the same low redline.350hp cars had the mid-range redline,and 425hp cars had high redlines.Im aware of the lack of 67 big-block AOSmith cars,but I dont think that particular oddity was true in 66 as well.In 67 the factory changed the redlines just a bit,and made 390hp and 400hp tachs the same as the 350hp tachs.Engines were the same,but all of a sudden they had a higher red-line.I think it was marketing,plain and simple.The higher the redline(within reason)the better the marketing guys felt the sales of the optional engines would be.sounds good,anyway!!!!!!!!!........Bill S

[Dave Stafford]

A.O. Smith and BB's

There were a few big block bodies produced at Smith, but it was halted by problems with the hood striping; EARLY vin's only.

Dave Stafford

[Dave Stafford]

A.O. Smith and BB's

There were a few big block bodies produced at Smith, but it was halted by problems with the hood striping; EARLY vin's only.

Dave Stafford