Grab it. There is no such thing as a junk FE engine, they are all good-352, 360, 390, 410 and 428. My '69 F-100 has a 360 that will do anything I ask of it, and it has 200,000 miles. I built a streetable 390 for my buddies 4,000 lb. '64 Galaxie, and it runs 14.50's in the quarter, and we are at 4,100 ft of altitude. A 360 has the same 4.050" bore as a 390, so a 390 is only a crank swap away. Stick a 3.98" stroke crank in it and you will have a 410. Parts are not small block Chevy cheap, but they are very reasonable to rebuild, and parts are available at your parts store.
OK-it's got what looks like only 2 bolts on the lower valve covers...that's FE. the Cleveland/Midland family and the 429/460 family both had 4 on the lower side of the valve covers. To know for sure, when you go look at it, check 3 things...first, on the bellhousing, is there a flat spot on the top with two bolts at either end (right below the flat mating surfaces of the intake manild on the back of the block)? If so, it's a smallblock, wither Cleveland or Midland, can be worked with. Next, is the Bellhousing bolt pattern almost perfectly round? If so, it is definately a Big block Ford, either FE or 429/460 family. How do you tell the difference? The FE's are really weird in that the intake manifold tucks underneath the valve covers. You actually have to take the rockers and rocker shafts off to remove the intake manifold on an FE. There you have it.....
The FE engine is no good at all. Shelby would never have used one in the Cobra. Those 427s were something else.
My old man had a factory 406 in a '62 T-bird when I was a kiddo. That thing would run like hell! It never seemed to have a top speed or redline,,, just kept going and going.
You'll get people that love and hate every engine that was ever produced. The biggest complaint that I heard about the later run of the FE Fords was that they were gas hogs in pickup trucks of the 60s-70s. Nobody complained about lack of power but they were thirsty. To me it's not the type of engine that I would build a car around but if it fit into my over all plan I'd go for it. I'm going to dress up a 352 to look like an early HP FE. The 401 and 406 were legendary in the early 60s. Take one out of a 2 1/2 ton barge and put it in a light hot rod or gasser and you'll get plenty of grins.
I like it when people call them junk, I just get cores for free then. The FE is a very versatile engine, some are still holding national records in drag racing. And, respectfully I have to say in a bomber/claimer class stock car they wont even allow the 352 because they will kick the shit out of a 350 Chevy on dirt. They only allow Windsors breathing through the drinking straw stock heads. Pull off the intake on that POS and you will see why. 2.03/1.55 valves and ports that flow very well for the displacement. Rebuild it as a 390, put a Performer RPM on it, a nice solid lifter cam, some headers put it in the A and enjoy. Put a deeper sump pan on too and the oiling will work just fine. See the port in my avatar? Minor work on a 352 head. Here is a picture of a worked late model smog head that is going on my .060 over 390, they were on a 428 that was running mid 10's in a '69 Mustang. These heads originally came off of a 360 truck and were ported by Vince Jamora. 2.15/1.73 valves
I bought a new 1966 Ford with a 390 in it and ran the crap out of it. Tore the clutch and transmission out but the engine was still going fine when I traded it in 1969. I've got a 428 in my A Coupe, but it's on a Deuce frame. The FE is a little larger than the "700 club engine". If you loose the cast iron intake manifold (the heaviest known to man) and put a set of Edelbrock heads on it the weight reduction is significant. I dare say that it would be less than a flathead and have a few more horsepower. Do a search on Ford FE here and on Google and you'll be able to find lots of info on these.
You don't know much about FE's I take it. Not much more expensive than any other big block and will make bucket loads of hp and torque. The red headed stepchilds are the 352 and 360, but the 390, 410, 427 and 428 FE's make damn good power.
That is a FE you can look at the front of the block on the drivers side and it will probably have a 352 cast on the block i have seen a few that had 390 cast there. Those arent that bad of a engine all the 55 and 56 fords i had about 40 some years ago i would toss the Y block and install 352s and 390s. I had one out of a 59 galaxie cop car that was a interceptor that i put a stick behind with 325 gears that was a very respectical drag car. you can bore that 360 .030 and use 390 flat tops and raise the compression and with proper cam and intake and headers it will scream. OldWolf
Fuel: A source of power or stored energy Electricity: A source of power [that can be stored, as in a battery] Motor: Any device that converts a form of transfered or stored energy into motion Engine: a 3rd person term used to describe the mechanical motion of a motor....... So you are correct, but you are also wrong because the terms are inerchangable. Electricity is a form of fuel, and fuel can be described as electricity. A motor instantly becomes an engine once it starts to do work.
I am going out to take more pics. I would like to know exactly what it is. Do you think I will be able to edge this thing in to my A frame?
Look on the valve cover for a decal. Some of those years had a decal that listed the size of the engine among other things. Not a sure fire answer but it doesn't seem to be altered too much from the way it came from the factory so if it's there, it's probably correct.
You should be able to fit that into an A frame, the firewall, that might be another matter (unless you move 'things' around some). FWIW I had a 73 Ford F250 4X4 for a little while that had a 360. Crappy carb, at least one burned valve (when I got it) but it would still drag that old truck around just fine. I had planned to do an overhaul on it, figured on a PAW or some other budget OH kit with a 390 crank, wanted to hop 'em up even then (this is when I was 14 or 15).
Oh yeah, see if you can get the box that goes with that distributor, as it should be a Duraspark (or whatever Ford called their electronic stuff then). It should work fine till you can afford something prettier.
700 Club.... That's A Good One! My first FE was in a '67 F250 and it was a 352 with a granny 4 speed trans and as far as I'm concerned the best vehicle I've ever owned.....EVER! Year after year we took that thing on vacations loaded for a family of 5 with a camper and most of the time dragging a small utility trailer then I would work it all week long. My daughters cried when I sold it.
Well if this motor doesnt have a spent block I am going to get it. MNay be a bitch to fit in to my A but with a 9 inch rear it may be a monster.
From the pics it looks like the truck is a 2wd. 73-77 2wd trucks could have the 360 OR a 390. 73-77 4x4 trucks had a 360 as the only v8 option. If the drivers door is still on the truck Write down the numbers and put them in the vin decoder to find out if the truck originally came with a 390. http://www.medicine.wisc.edu/~mrm/bronco/ftvin.cgi
Also take note of the other codes opn the data plate... the rear may have a limited slip centersection in it.
I did look at a white sticker on the door. Most of the numbers were worn off. I did not get a good look as I was leaving when I spotted it. Of course all the vehicles were running when they got parked. Looks like someone took the clip off to get to the motor as it is sitting next to the truck. Not sure why they changed their mind. The thing still has the key in the ignition so I may be able to hook a battery and see if it cranks.. Who knows the block may be full of water from sitting. Not sure. Anyone have advice for checking to maker sure this motor is salvageable?
FE's are great motors but it seems theres a couple CI's that people havent posted 332, 352, 361, 360, 390, 406, 410, 427, 427 cammer... or atleast thats what wikipedia says...iirc all parts interchange? but i could be wrong maybe someone that knows a lil better can help ya there
Pull the plugs before you do anything and squirt auto trans fluid in, wait for it, then spin it by hand, if you can. if it spins by hand, you're probably ok to buy it.
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