I have one of each. A 460/535 hp in my 65 Galaxie, which with a stock Holley 750VC and 4.11 gears, but the overdrive brings it to about 3.00, it gets in and out of 13 mph driving it on the freeway. Now when I throw the 1000cfm double pumper on it , I dont even bother wanting to know what mpg it gets. The gas gauge moves real quick to "E" I have a 390 in the 61 Fairlane that I bought about mid summer last year with 3.89 gears and god knows what cfm Holley VS, but it runs pig rich. I get about 10 mpg. Gotta fix that this summer, Im sure I can squeeze a little better mpg out of it. That being said, while I love the 460 in the 65, everything you do to the car after the enging swap is a compromise. Your always having to work around the swap. If I had to do it all over again, I would have stuck with the FE that originally came in the 65 and just built a stout engine for it
It does sound like a no brainer. Well it sounded ok when I brought it home but the junk carb is gone along with the mouse in the tank. So before long here I should be able to fire it up and take it for a spin. With 28 inch rear tires and a high gear should go good down the hwy. It already has a c6 so as long as the trans is good.
well i vote for FE, but thats because im getting my feet wet with them now and like them alot. Ive got the 352 in my truck with a c-6 and it does the job. My buddies 62 galaxie has a 352 and it gets the job done for him and he has 3.00s in the rear and does fine. My other buddy is building a 410 out of a 390 block, and I cant wait to see that thing. Some times you get lucky, i have a spare 352 that has an edelbrock preformer intake, edelbrock 600 cfm carb and headers that I drove before buying. Grand total 250 bucks and he gave me the three speed that was in the truck as well. Dont worry about MPGs, if you where really worried about them you wouldnt want a big block.
Get the car together and drive it around for a while. Get a feel for it, THEN start thinking about what you want to change. Did you ever figure out what cam was in it?
The FE is cool in an old school way, and like has been said if you want to cruise on a budget then its the way to go. This is especially true since you already have and are set up for one. The FE has a lot more options as far as trick induction systems go. On the down side I have to disagree with what has been said about them being super reliable. They do have oiling issues that need to be addressed by a machinist that knows those engines, further, parts interchange is more complex than with the 385 series. A stock 385 becomes a monster with a port/polish job with the right induction system/camshaft marriage. 400 to 425 Hp is not unreasonable with that formula. Parts are also easier to find for the 385 series and there are millions of them out there. As far as gas mileage goes, you need to look elsewhere. Big Block Ford and good gas mileage are not interchangeable words. In your case I would work with what you have, but if you go 460 get a hold of me and I will give you as much info as I can, as I just went through a build up on one about two months ago.-Jim <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
Well I have no plans on building anything for awhile. I think the cam is a hydro with adjustable rockers. After I changed oil and fired it up and tried to decarbon it, it went away. The only two things I find that are high priced for the fe's are intakes and valve covers
with all these 'fe' guys choosing that over the 460, im a little discouraged, because i just bought a 460 about 2 weeks ago to put in my 58 fairlane. it was a great deal so i couldnt let it go, 250 bucks for the engine and trans, RUNNING and everything. im aware ill use a ton of gas with the 460, but i mean, i dont wanna make it a racing engine or anything, i just wanna have something to finally drive around in, and.. if needed.... while sitting at a red light and a honda pulls up next to me, i wanna make sure i can surprise the pants off that honda!
I wouldn't be, I own a pretty healthy FE, and the 460 has it all over the FE in terms of "bang for buck'. But this IS a traditional board, and theres nothing traditional about a 385 series.
I have been wrestling with that same issue, FE or 385. I have both engines on hand and have built both in the past and like them both. This engine is going into a 60 Starliner so an FE would look more correct but there are other considerations that make me look hard at the 460. First, I would like to have an overdrive transmission - Advantage 460, you don't need an adapter as the later ones came with overdrive. Second, I would like to try fuel injection to see if both power and mileage could be increased. - Advantage 460, you can modify a factory EFI system to keep cost down. Third, speed equipment is more available for the460 and a little less expensive. The down side to a 460 is, Will have to make the engine fit the mounts. Will have to modify the transmission cross member. Will have to make headers or purchase some limited production ones. May have to install a hood scoop especially if trying to use an EFI system as the engine is taller than an FE. My car had a Y block in it so I will have to modify something to use either the FE or the 460. I have both engines on hand. The cost to freshen up either is about a wash. So I am leaning toward the 460. Scott...
An FE is cool but if you want to build it up they need more care in the valvetrain department and oiling. The 429-460 are one up on the 390. The 429-460 have the cubic inches and very cheap to build. I have run the 429-460 for years they pull big galaxies around like no problem. My galaxie has a 460 in it and runs really well. I had a 390 in it years ago it had a big cam headers always had problems with rocker shafts and pushrods. In saying that, that was twenty years ago when there wasn't much aftermarket parts.I put a 460 in it in 1995 and have never went back. Most guys cant tell the difference by just glancing under the hood. I had lots of people ask me if that was a 427 under the hood when I had a 460 with CJ valve covers and tunnel ram. I would do whatever suits you. If you need any advice just ask away. Bill
Modifiing things is part of hotrodding, and I have done the swap (460) it is not hard Crites makes the conversion.
One BIG negative about the 385 that no one has touched on, many of them have broach-cut rather than spot-faced rods.
Take a look at the intake ports on a 429 then decide.429s were 365 horse from factory but compression a little high on them bout 11.2 for todays gas 460 "s were tamer
Both are great engines. I just prefer the 385 series pound for pound. Tons of power with alot less work than an FE. A ton of development was done since the 50's design of the FE till the late 60's introduction of the 385 series, and it shows. Not taking anything from the FE design it still works very good today.
Flathead ran from 1932--thru--52 Y-block 1954--------64 the last were in pickups FE-block 1958--------68? 429, 460 1969F?------?
FE '58-'76 Between FE's & FT's, 332, 352, 359, 360, 361, 389, 390, 391, 396 (NASCAR destroker, not regular production), 406, 410, 427, 428 I have a nice 514 SVO, but I'm still staying with the 427's- the 385 series is cheap power and easy inches, but the 427's got soul- and "The Sound" Had my old 14:1 427 in the 406 car, lit it up in the shop uncorked, and had left a 9/16 combo wrench on the uncarpeted floor, right over the header collector. Looked down, and the wrench was hovering about an inch above the floorboard like a hologram at idle, and the 3 guys in the shop went and stood outside Somewhere I have an old magazine from '65, that has a road test of the new '65 427-8V Galaxie- they uncorked the factory cast-iron headers for the drag strip testing. The author's comment was "The sound-producing capabilities of this engine are unmatched". The 385 series sounds pretty good, but it just ain't got that same edge
Back in the 70's, my buddy had a 67 Mustang with a 390 that ran like stink. I always had a soft spot for the FE motors. They used to be very common.
Gotta love it when something like that falls on your lap. My dad bought a 429 CJ, toploader 4 speed, and nodular 9in out of a 70 torino in 1994 for the grand sum of $300. Oh.... by the way, that CJ and 9 inch are in my 55 f-100. The toploader is in the garage waiting for its day to be put in a 57 f-100.
I got rid of the glasspacks and got flowmasters. I think it will sound a lot better despite the small pipe it has. Just need some headers down the road.
The FE big block ran until about 1976 in trucks. My 460 is a 71' block with 70' heads. I would say the FE would be more "traditional" if you have one that was made before 1964, but then again I don't know what the cut-off is on this site for something being considered traditional. FE's are cool though!
I wonder if you get thrown out for not using pre 64' gasoline in your car? I can see pre 64' cars I guess, but the rest is a load of nonsense. Nothing cooler than a 521 stroker in a 63' Galaxie. I hope I don't get arrested for stating that. How bout a John Kasse Boss 520 even? Just a thought, don't mean to frighten.
If money was no object that would be nice to have a sohc. I have rolled around a thought of a carbed 4.6 sohc and running the badges but the money for wiring would not be worth it. You have to admit it would be cool and gave a six speed. Not a hamb friendly motor but still cool and reliable.
I don't know about not reving very high with an FE. They seemed to do pretty well at Lemans, and I know of several that see 7500 with great regularity. A 460 is cheaper to build and can make big power also, but not light and not as good to look at. Mike
I love the super traditional stuff too. Would have run FE if I could. But I have always had to make do with what I had. I catch a lot of crap from people who tell me my dual quad 460 (dressed to look traditional) is not traditional...as they get into a 350 Chevrolet powered roadster or old pick-up. Its like its OK not to be traditional if its a 350. I can't oblige them kind.-Jim
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU5J44CyFz8 if the link works, that is my car yesterday after i put the new exhaust on. first time it has been started since i got it back in december.
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