I just tore down my motor, well completed the tear down, tonight. When I removed the cam, I noticed it was stamped with an S (068). My block is stamped with a YT. According to the info I've been able to find, the 068 was in the YW not YT block, and there's some confusion about the HO motors?
My 68 also has a column shift AT. I assume the column shift is an early year holdover from 67?
This was previously owned by only one other person, and doesn't appear to have had any work done besides some really poor body work.
Anyway, does anyone here have any better info on the 068 cam in the 400 YT block, like how common it is and which ones were really HO's, and how many column shift AT's were made in 68?

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

Block casting # is 9790071
Date code is J117 wich should mean Oct. 11, 1967

The floors have not been replaced and the tranny tunnel is intact and original. The interior was completely original and unrestored.
This is a column shift auto 400. I have the PHS reports for this car, and they really don't help with the column shift and cam issues.

As near as I can tell, this motor has had no major work done either. I believe, due to the wear, that the cam was original.

If the PHS says YT then it's a 400 car with column shift automatic. I'm sure you could get a 400 car with column shift. The cam is incidental. You would have to have the HO code on the PHS for it to be an HO(YW).

Jim

I assume then that the column shift in a 68 400 is extremely rare.
Also, the 068 cam in the 68 400, not listed as HO, is also extremely rare.
I was only curious because I had found the 068 cam when I was expecting to find the 067. And, everyone keeps saying they didn't make column shift AT 400's in 68.
Would their be an advantage to using a cam with the same specs as the 068? Or, would you rec going with something closer to the 067?

I have the PHS reports I ordered directly from PHS. They say I have a Hydra-Matic transmission but does not specify anywhere whether column or console shift. In fact my paperwork doesn't even show an option for column shift AT, only for column shift MT. The fact remains that I have an AT column shift, and it's original for this car. According to all their paperwork, column shift AT, was not available in 68. I think that they are mistaken. I believe this car, being produced in Oct. of 67, may have recieved some parts for a 67 during a transition period. I would be interested in finding out how many others, if any, have found the same thing.
BTW, block vin stamp is a match for the cars vin.

According to the original owner, no work was done to the motor, beyond the usual maintenance. He has since passed away and confirmation is not possible. He did leave a lot of paperwork in the glove box, but none included any major work except the upgrade of the AC system.
It is possible the dealer swapped the cam, the factory placed the wrong one, or the original owner lied about it. One of the first two is more likely, as the orig owner would have had no reason to lie.

I just noticed on the Car Billing History form from PHS, they report a C in column 37. On the Master options and accessories sheet that follows, it skips from column 36 to 38, with no explanation for column 37. I wonder what the forms for a 1967 would show for that column?

So the sales manual shows a column shift available for both HO and standard 400 motors. So it was available, just not common. Also, they don't do a good job of showing that in the PHS paperwork.

Thanks for your help in finding that info.

Carb # is 7028264

Wasn't the HO carb #7028268?

Oh, OK.

I really don't think this was supposed to be an HO car. It really is strange that that cam was pulled out of the motor though. This car had been sitting out in the desert for quite a few years. It was not a well maintained vehicle, at least for the last half of it's existence.

So would you go with the same cam in the rebuild or switch to something closer to the 067?
I plan on changing the rear end gears to 3.23's from the stock 2.56's.
I'm going to port/polish the heads, #16, and it looks like the block will need to be bored probably 30 over.

And then you can afford to fill the tank.

Let me know if my thinking is wrong - unless the center console was ordered, the car would be a column shift regardless of the engine? Is the center console option checked on your report from PHS?

Even 3 and 4 speed manual trans cars did not come with center consoles unless ordered.

Tom

I plan on doing a mild port/polish myself, before taking the heads and block to a machine shop for cleaning, checking for cracks,and boring etc.
I don't plan on having anyone build my motor, I have a nice home shop and most of the tools I'll need aside from the machine work.
I'll probably need to drop compression a little as anything over 91 octane gas is very hard to get out here, and if you find it you'd better be rolling in cash. I think there's 3 or 4 gas stations out here that provide 99 to 104 octane, but I would have to drive for an hour or more through traffic to get some.
I'm planning a slight change in the rear end gears to the max this carrier will take...3.23's. This car will be driven around 5,000 to 6,000 miles a year, mostly on roads with 55mph or lower speed limits.
I don't plan on getting crazy with this build but would like to increase hp a little.

I just looked at my factory order list; and the h.o. can be ordered with a column shift auto. this is the 350 but the 400 also can have it. I don't see any reason why the 400 h.o cannot be ordered with a column shift. although the 400 trans is the turbo hydro matic. the cam could be a mistake at the factory. yours is a 330 horse 400 auto. the stamp states that. the vin should match the block and trans. I would check that first while you get the phs document. that document will help to reinforce the authentication of the car.

Have the heads checked for cracks before doing any work. I'd advise the same caution as Tom, if this is your first time, try and find someone who will guide you through (no puns intended). If you can't, get a set of junk heads, preferably SBC, and port those first to get a feel for it.

Take your motor to Jim Grubbs Motorsports in Valencia. They are in your neighborhood. (661)257-0101

Have Slover's in North Hollywood port your heads.

Get your Burgers at In-N-Out on Sand Canyon road.

I'll check out Jim Grubbs and Slovers, thanks.

I get my burgers at In-N-Out on the Old Road.

Looks like the consensus is that its not an HO, but FYI, another external feature of a 68 HO motor is the long branch manifolds and 45 degree offset oil filter. The HO option was clearly stated in my PHS.

I know it's not an HO, but, it does have an HO cam. I believe it was a factory screw-up.
It does not have the long branch manifolds or the offset oil filter.