It may not mean much but there was nothing in Charlie Sorensens book about it. Ford, or more accurately Jeno Farkas' unsuccesful experimentation with the X block 8 cylinder engine prior to the introduction of the model A was chronicled. The Henry Ford has a little bit of info on this site.
https://www.thehenryford.org/collect...tifact/279399/
They have a photo of an experimental block cast in 1930 or 31. They also have a photo of the 1st V8 (complete) and it does have the side pads similar to the ones on the model A clutch housing. It mentions that they did some of the work down at the Ford/Edison Winter Estate in Edisons shop. I figure they put it together there and worked with it trying to get it operational. I don't know if they actually drove the car down to Ft Meyers though. That's a long way to be driving an experimental car that started out with a lot of bugs. I'd want to have a tow car following me. There would have been no capability to make parts down there. Parts would have come from the Rouge.