The Last 427 "Cammer" SOHC Ford - OUTLAWED By NASCAR, Kurt Neighbor's '65 Comet Is Still Racing! 

Crazy. So calm as he talks about redesigning and casting his own blocks and heads. Blows my mind.

This guy is keeping ole school fords alive! And still proves 60s tech still hangs with the new modern boys.

I ran that engine in a race boat. Due to the NASCAR ruling I had to run it in the unlimited class against the supercharged boats. With Hillborn Fuel injection and methanol. In the 70's at the Western Divisional at Greek Lake, I started in 2nd place behind Paul Gretchard and finished in 2nd place both heats with 3 0ther super charged boats behind me. Two of the Uncer Brothers were there and were glad to see their old motor working again.

I grew up down the street from Kurt in sagamore hills Ohio and knew his step son well. Kurt was always extremely nice and cool every time I got to talk with him.

THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE FORD 427 CU.IN."CAMMER" ALIVE.

Another legend sharing knowledge, keeping this old school tech alive is priceless

My all time favorite engine. Would love to see the full interview without cuts. He was just getting into engine details and history of nascar ban and then it was cut. Would love to hear everything he knows.

Now that's a serious dude Casts his own blocks redesigns the original heads And races his work Mister My hats off to ya man That's livin the blue oval life

Hey my buddy Jim Green used to have at least 50 427 sohc bought every one he could find ...he was the SoHc Man! R.I.P. Jim us hot rodders miss you ...what a great guy ...monroe Washington Jim Green Performance! That's right say his name! Yaaay

Awesome! Beautiful Comet. This gentleman should write a book and share his stories and engine experiences.

This guy is making his own blocks! Incredible. Take that all you LS swap guys! :)

I would absolutely love to hang out with this guy. Im an old hot Rodder 2, and 4 wheels. I’m a 30 yr machinist turned designer. I’ve worked as a mold maker, etc. I would love to have any knowledge this guy is willing to pass on.

Kurt Neighbor knows more about how to make a Ford big block make big power than the engineers who designed them.

Love this gentleman, met him several times at the all ford shows here in the ATL area! Now NMCA events!! Easy to talk to , very friendly, class act!!‼️🥇🥇🥇🥇

This Kurt is the mad scientists of Cammers. What a character! ...and a nice guy.

Great interview. I remember talking to Kurt back NSCA days after he had hurt that engine. I asked if he hurt the block and his reply was he had cast extras. One of my favorite cars ever.

My 65 Cyclone is the only car I will never sell. I love that these guys are keeping them alive on the strip.

This guy is what drag racing was all about back in the day. Everybody was manufacturing their own parts. I remember cruising the pits and seeing some of the strangest self made parts. Some worked, some didn't. There were no crate engines, so to speak.

Incredible! Love these types of racer/car spotlights! So unique, so cool! Amazing stuff Evan!

Wish I was his neighbor . Pun intended . I love his choice of equipment . I never had a cammer and always wanted one . Great modifications he's made to it . Great stuff Evan 👍👍

Awesome! Thanks for this Evan. Always appreciate you getting into it with these guys. Love it!

A lot of History there !

Love those Cammer engine's!! Always fun to see!!

Great admiration for your dedication to racing the Comet with this iconic engine. Wish you continued good luck and much fun!

Love these early 60s ford/ mercs

I bought some big block ford parts feom a guy who happened to have a cammer sitting on an engine stand in his shop. He then showed me a custom intake he had made that was made to install a roots style supercharger. I guessed he would be in the 1100hp range. He said that was the target. I then asked, what are you putting that in. He said the 66 mustang fastback with a tilt front end and tube chasis. I asked what class did he intend to run in. He said oh no, not going to race it. It is his street car!

Man I miss mine!! A. 64 Falcon 427 Tunnel Port 1150 Holley and my 65 Comet Cyclone 427 was out of 64 Shelby wrecked..

Saw the cammer in Kenz&Leslie High Country Cougar at Mile High Nationals at Thunderoad Raceway 1971. So much power at 1/3 track blew the tranny into a huge fireball. They didn't win but gave us a real show. Ford always!

I am 50 years old and when I grow up I want to be like him💪🏽💪🏽❤️💯

I have nothing but admiration for folks like this. I can’t even find the spark plugs in my Ford F-250.

I would love to see an actual 427 cammer in competition. When I was in high school my auto teacher brought one into the shop from the Wisconsin state fair. (World Of Wheels) Back in '91 we didn't have cell phones but that would've been the best Facebook post ever. So cool😎

Great video. Mercury lives!! SOHC still at the top of the food chain.

That is one beautiful ride with my favorite engine of all time! Thanks for the content Evan!

God Bless u Kurt we need more ford guys like you in this country, keep it going sir, your Awesome💯💯💯

Very interesting how those cars represented their D.S.O. I see Atlanta, Cincinnata, and LA! When I was a kid, my parents would sometimes take their LTD to Don Wagner Ford, in Vandalia Ohio, for service, and I would wander the entire dealership. On one visit, I saw their '70-'71 Torino stock car. Later on as an adult, I learned through old pictures, that the Torino competed in NASCAR, and was even driven by such greats as A.J. Foyt!! That's cool how the engine setback allows the shock towers to remain in place.

Great as always! Thats a smart man, so much knowledge! Beautiful Comet.

that engine was way ahead of its time jon kasse still makes parts for these engines awesome engine

Wow!! You continue to amaze me with these Fast Ford's. If I had me a Mercery I'd drive it on down the road!!! Keep up the great work!!

Larry Knapp has run his cammer for decades and still does. You have to add one to the list.

Had a 1966 Mercury Cyclone GT Holman Moody edition, 427 four speed, aluminum bumpers and fiberglass Fenders, hood and decklid. What a beast that car was.

Wow this guy is awesome, I could listen to him talk tech all day, very interesting stuff, I’ve always wanted an old camper to put in my 55 Chevy, good stuff, got you a new sub

Got to love when manufacturers experiment in exotic designs or ideas. I have a painfully stock unrestored 1977 F-150 Ranger XLT 4x4 farm truck. Factory 351 Cleveland stroker engine. Ford bolted 351 Cleveland heads to the 400 block. It's not a high rom engine. It's a torque monster tree stump puller and a farm tractor style engine. Coupled with the factory 4-speed four-wheel drive granny gears. Its Great for rock crawling around in the Arizona desert bone stock. The truck was sitting for 6 years in the backyard. All I did was a tune-up kit and new plug wires. Fresh fuel and fired right up. The 351 m400 engine is very underrated.

A good friend of mine in the 80's and early 90's had a real B/FX '65 Comet in Hawaii. It had a 3 point roll bar, straight front axle with no brakes, a ladder bar/leaf spring rear with sliders, and everything but the quarters and roof were 'glass. He drove it on the street with a 6-71 blown SBC, it was his daily driver. He sold the rolling chassis to a guy in the service around '92 for $4k, and it went back to the mainland. It was blue, and had a full cage when he sold it, but it was yellow in the 80's. This video brings back memories, thanks.

Great video! Years back my friend and I went to a local engine builder to pick up my BB chev that I had some work done on. When my buddy spots a cammer sitting over in the corner and says; "What are you going to do with that" pointing to the 427. The owner replies ; "Oh that, thats a little street engine I've been working on". We all just grinned thinking about the prospect of his statement.

I remember watching Kurt race at the US NATIONALS many years ago. I can't remember the years or which car he was racing, I do know it was a Ford! ❤😎👍

When properly built the cammer is a great engine.

Adding almost 750 thou to the block deck and right angling the exhaust ports....some work for sure. It's a custom DOVE with ❤️

Incredible. I remember when these engines first came out. Monsters!!

AWESOME MAN & AWESOME CAR!!!!! Years ago attended a car show in Tamaqua, PA where there was a 427sohc & a Boss 429 powered Fairmont, often wondered what became of those cars? Incredible engines BOTH!!!

That just pegged the cool meter! Awesome channel 👍

Now that was cool 😎 Thanks for sharing !

Loved every second of this.

Cool. My dad and his buddy custom made heads and did wild block work and it's wild stuff this is sweet beautifull .

Years ago me and a friend had a flat bottom v drive with a small block chev in it . We were in our early 20s . We got in a race with a pickle fork v drive that had a 427 Ford cammer motor . We were out gunned in many areas . I think we could manage about 80 turning the small block around 7800 but the Ford was fast not even a race lol . This was on PK lake i think around 77 78

Great video Ryan! I just found your channel and will be subscribing. I used to read all your stuff in Muscle Mustang Magazine..

I think l would have enjoyed growing up around this man. Learning and experimenting with automotive technology. 😁👍

Kurt is a great guy go get those CHEVY BULLY'S Kurt!!!!!

I'm late on this one, but Thanks, Evan, Abe, & crew, thanks, Kurt! Excellent car & engine! Evan, have you ever interviewed the guy with the Skairlane drag car that runs a 427 Cammer engine? I bet he has an interesting story too.

This gentleman has been at it for a while, and still smiling.

A Real Engine builder! Casting his own block and heads. Who does that? Absolutely Amazing!

What a beautiful Comet. That original big block Cammer is fantastic. This gentleman knows how to design and build classic racecars. The only SOHC big block Fords I've seen available are built by John Kaase. Thanks for sharing this very special and fast Mercury Comet.

Wow! I loved it. I wish he lived nearby.

fantastic engineering. Plus I love the over and under headlight body.

Back in 1981 I had the chance to buy a 427 cammer still in the crate from Ford from a long time Ford racer for $4500. I have regretted not buying that engine ever since.

And this is how Legends are made

Awesome interview

Very Cool Car Guy and Story... Thanks for Sharing

That is a bad ass ford. God bless this man.

Here's a tasty tid bit for you..dodge/jeep took a page from the cammers play book..check out the 4.7 v8 same design..overhead cam hemi..look where the spark plug wires are top of the heads..can't put the plugs in the center because that's where the cam is and oh my lord does it have a bottom end on it you can see a short video of it on my channel when I rebuilt my 04 H.O. engine which is a rare option on the limited grand cherokee and is standard on the overland edition between 02 and 04 such goodies as a forged steel crank,hottor cams,short run intake,larger injectors,special valves,bee hive springs,cathedral intake ports,adaptive ecu,hypereutectic pistons,cracked powder forged rods for 270 hp 330 lb tq..but that bottom end is like a 2 piece block the crank girdle is so massive..later in 08 they managed to get 305 hp 330 lb tq out of 4.7 l (285 ci) not to shabby

Not a ford guy but this is sweet and his work on the block is absolutely awesome

Awesome and I’m not a Ford Fan good on you your a Champion take care 👍🏻😉😎

Saw one of these engines once at a place called Ford power parts in LA Mirada CA , that store had all kinds of early Ford high performance parts , infact I bought a pumpkin ball there with a traction lock in it for my 8 " rear-end for my 63 comet wagon !

Raced with him a few years ago. Saw him at the Baby Gators. Nice guy.

Holy!!!! Crap!! I’m speechless, at this man! So awesome!!

Sweet, absolutely sweet. Thanks

Sounds so freaking good!!!!💪

Remember Kurt at the PFCA meets at Nat Trails in the 80s with the comet.

That guy looks familiar. I wonder if he raced Fun Ford Weekend events?......not in that car, but one of his others looked familiar.

what a car! and that motor! props to the owner

Hold on guys i love this, not everyone is ford guys, however this car and engine is awesome,, I just wish ford would of spent more time on this engine, especially through the 80s and 90s.

God Bless these old Gearheads Amazing Man

That's pretty neat I hope the frame can stand the strain of that engine. It could be like mine did and tear the frame all the pieces and you have to start over.

THIS IS AWESOME LOVE THE CAMMER AND A 65 COMETS A GOOD LOOKING CAR

Wow awesome car I had a 65 comet yrs ago original 289 but I did put a 351 in it and it was a great street car I eventually ended up sadly parting it out!

My next door neighbor bought a Thunderbolt and raced it in Colorado and Nebraska (where we were going to college). The car was had a 427 SOHC, and it was originally raced in California and the west coast with the name of Blue Rhonda.

You are the MAN 👍

In addition to Larry Knapp’s A/FX Stampede Mustang he has also built a Les Ritchey A/FX tribute car that also powered by the Ford 427 SOHC engine.

What a wonderful piece of History of the 1960s Super Stock glory days, to see such a Rare bib block 427. Did Don Nicholson in his many successful Drag Cars run an engine like this.?

That’s incredible that he cast his own parts

That car & spec numbers is exactly on par with my skillset level. Love to make a couple passes. Old School Rules🤘Old Cars & Old Guys👍🤘

That is one BADASS dude!!!!! Man is he smart.

Truly an inspirational man!

I had one of the closest one of these motors in a 69 Chelby Gt 500 Mustang with a 429 with 427 heads track car. Ninety in first gear and 190 in fourth those were the days!

Cool to see this. Kurt is certainly a good Ford man and FE diehard. I met him at Ford Expo86 at Columbus when he had the funny car he mentioned.

I used to watch driver Billy Lawton and his Tasca Ford "Mystery 8" Mustang at the old Connecticut Dragway blow away everyone who challenged him.....EVERYONE! I'm pretty darn sure that mystery 8 was a cammer, though carbureted, not F.I. He offered $1,000 to anyone who could beat him, even some that were in a higher class, with appropriate handicapping. Billy went back to Tasca at the end of the day with a smile on his face and the $1,000 still in his pocket! They had a great bumper sticker back then that simply read "All Fords are Created Equal....Tasca Makes the Difference." Long live Tasca Ford!

Seems like a super cool guy. Nice car

As a Bow tie guy you have to love the CAMMER!!

good interview

Thanks Evan!

My first car was a 1965 Comet 2 door hardtop. I had it jacked up all the way around a little sweet 289 with a three speed on the tree. It looked mean. It had 8.25 tires on the front and big wide ovals on the rear. It looked mean. It was not a runner, but it worked.