Technical Ok, Ford FE gurus let’s talk

I had a bunch of FE Fords up until around 1978. My best runners were the 352 based ones.

One place I worked had Ford F350 service trucks with 360 power. Someone badly overheated one and it was towed back to the shop. The sparkplugs were even toasted, but I got them all out with some effort and a little soak time. To everyone's surprise, it ran after the new plugs, water pump and carb. When cold it had a little piston slap to it, but it was still a good parts chaser.

 

You had to go there....

If I go with the stroker kit, really all I need is the block. Pistons, rods, crank will all be in the kit. Brackets? Who know how much I can reuse. There's quite a few listings out there like this one. https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...h&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post

 

300 bucks with all the tin , timing cover and hardware. Are you driving there now?

 

And a free coil

 

Located a complete 390 4v in a 64 Mercury for a friend last year. The yard pulled it and the trans for $450.

Sometimes I do stupid things.
Like the 348 I hooked another friend up with for $200 that turned out to be a standard bore 409.
Neighbor had it and I passed the info on to him.

I need help

 

Chris you can sell the intake for scrap and get your 300 bucks back

 

Im a Blair PatricKkguy myself. Talked to Barry, but went with Blair. I actually got Blairs name from Ross Bullock whos didn't have his shop up and running when I was looking for an engine, Ross is a fantastic builder too. If you want to read a great article on FEs by Blair Patrick, check this out. I actually bought the 390 with the CJ heads in this article: Well, the dueling 390's have now dueled!............... - 332-428 Ford FE Engine Forum.

 

I had a passion for Custom 300's back in the day. Ran everything from 352's to a 406, which I had in a Ranchwagon. Loved them all !!! Several years ago I had a 63-1/2 Galaxie 500XL with a 427/4spd. At the same time I was vintage racing a wee Almquist with a V8-60. I couldn't help taking this picture, titled "When I grow up, I wanna be just like my Dad"......

 

Dang, thanks for the heads up. I was actually looking at that kit. Of course, all of the parts can be sourced independently, so no need for s turn key "kit".

 

I've got a 360 in a dentside 4x4. The first Ford engine I ever built. It ain't much for high winding power but it will pull itself up hill in granny 1st gear idling just above 400rpm. I got the truck as a total basketcase. None of the Duraspark wiring or box was there. Got a Chinese HEI style distributor off the interwebs for seventy bucks and wired it up with a relay off the ignition switch. Been going smooth and steady for 70k miles. I do call the truck Betty Ford though because she loves lots of the sauce.

 

Here is the stroker kit.
https://www.scatcrankshafts.com/product/1-94660/

 

With the -7 cc flat tops and a 72 cc head that should put you in VP C12 race fuel territory. I think you need a -18 / -20 cc dish for a pump gas friendly compression.

 

Source an electronic distributor and buy a blue tab Duraspark brain box, Easy to wire up and looks way better than that GM HEI monstrosity. Also send the distributor to Faron Rhoades ,Wes Adam’s or Brent Lykins for a rebuild/ recurve…many extra horses there for cheap. Trick flow heads, Edlebrock Performer RPM intake, 750 Holley vacuum carb. Contact Oregan cams for a cam. Go with Kogel exhaust, a 360 block is the same as a 390, for your proposes and usually a few buck’s cheaper. With the Scat 445 kit most of the rotating problems are solved. If you get the tight compression. Use a blueprinted stock oil pump, if your engine is going to be raced. High volume, if not. Make a few modifications at the pump and oil filter to enhance flow. Find a four wheel drive pan, pick up tube and main bolt, for better clearance, on the 56.



Bones

 

Really? What kind of compression are we talking about? I am in a vertical learning curve.

I don't know what the standard deck is on a 390. I assume it's close to a sbc. I used the compression calculator with .038 for a head gasket and .025" for deck height.

 

Calculated using TFS 175 Power port heads.

A +18 / +20 dish would put you in the 10.2 / 10.5 range. I would try and zero deck the block for better quench, more resistant to detonation.


Bore: (diameter) 4.08
Stroke: 4.25
Cylinder Head Volume: 70cc
Effective Dome Volume:
Use (-) for Dome and (+) for Dish. -7
Deck Clearance: 0
Compressed Gasket Thickness: .041
Number of Cylinders: 8
Compression Ratio : 13.7 : 1
Total Displacement (in.3) : 444.52
Total Displacement cc's :

 

Dang!

 

FEs like small quench! Just like RmK57 , mentioned!





Bones

 

I think you are about to go on a "quest" and learn why smallblock Chevys became so popular .

 

I am impressed at how many parts are available. I was afraid it was gonna be another Cadillac adventure.

 

Lot fewer parts needed to make them work. No stroker needed when you start out with 500 cu in..........but they are available. A lot of people have found that Ford parts interchange isn't always easy......the parts are available but they don't always work well together. Best of luck sorting it all out successfully. With a Chevy or Cadillac finding parts that work together is as easy as falling off a log....or whatever.

 

I should have said a 365/390 Cadillac adventure. The 472/500 platform has a ton of go fast stuff.

 

The FE has made a huge comeback in recent years, with a ton of good parts available! And heres the kicker, with aluminum heads and aluminum intake, the FE rivals the SBC in weight! With just a little extra knowledge, easily available, an impressive engine can be built. It will cost more than a SBC , horsepower for horsepower, but there must be a reason for all the new parts out there!
Isn’t that kinda what hot rodding is all about….doing things a different way…..your way?

I may be a little biased, having seen my first FE in 1958 and thinking that was the best engine in the world …..at eight years of age! At 72 , I haven’t changed my mind!




Bones

 

I’m no expert on FE engines but I’m pretty positive I could pull a running 360-390 core with a C6 trans from a 70’s F-250, get the machine work done and have a decent running 445 cid street engine. The only hurdle I could see are brackets / pulleys for accessories, but if you buy a complete running setup it’s a non-issue. Seems every back alley you drive through has a derelict Ford pickup laying around.

 

Right now I'm building a 390 for my F100.
It's a factory 330hp thunderbird 390, bored .30 over with flat tops. Comp 280 cam, dual 4s on off intake, factory adjustable rockers, dual roller timing chain. Should be fun!

 

I’ve just started into the world of FEs, I’ve never bought a Ford of any description before. The part numbering system was designed by an account who never actually had to work on one but other than that I don’t think they’re anymore difficult than a Chevy or any more expensive.

 

On GM and Chrysler the part number are just that: numbers. On a Ford the letter/number prefix tells you the date the part was designed and the application, the numerical part tells where it is in the Ford parts matrix, and the last letter is there for any up date. Engine part have a numerical part in the 6000, electrical in the 10000, fuel system 9000, front end parts 2000 and so on. Anyone familiar with the base numbers has an idea what part of the car the part is for.

 

Those 4x4 pans and pickup tubes can be hard to find and people that have them are generally pretty proud of them when pricing for sale.

 

The readily sourced pickup truck engines are a bit odd for deck clearance/quench height. The 360 is a 390 block, 352 crank and rods with 390 pistons. This puts the piston .12 below deck for 8:1 with flat tops. The 390 truck used 410 pistons for a similar below deck clearance and compression. The lack of quench is one of the reasons the truck engines are low on power, and fall flat at higher rpm.
There are also the 361 and 391 FT heavy truck engines which have many differences from the light truck engines. They are actually the same displacement, but use the different numbers to make it clear they are different. You can use the block for a build, but the forged steel crank has a larger diameter snout, so the timing cover is different, the heads have smaller ports, distributor drive is different, etc.

 

This may sound strange............ I'm basically a Chevy guy with a soft spot for old Cad engines as I had a 365 Cad with 2x4s in a 33 Ford in my younger years. The Cad 500 is nice as well.

The thing is, basically there has always been a Ford vs Chevy thing......with Chrysler kinda the stepchild that didn't like either of them. I have always thought that it was kind of wrong to put Chevys into Fords..........but thousands of them have been done and others are happy about it. Building somewhat nostalgic vehicles, I am also happy with installing other types of V8s into Fords or Chevys because thats what was done in the early fifties when Chevy and Ford didn't have OHV V8s. So Cads and Olds and Chryslers were immediately faster than flathead Fords and Chevy OHV 6s.
Later both Chevy and Ford offered OHV V8s and the war between them rose to new heights. Ford over rated their HP and Chevy under rated theirs. On the street the smallblock Chevys dominated the Y block Fords, and people looked for other solutions. They were "archenemies", so to speak. At that time, Ford racing parts were usually more expensive and not as readily available..........and money was in short supply for many of us.

So basically I have always felt that it was wrong to put Chevys into Fords, but anything else was ok because of the nostalic theme of the early 50s. Ford in a Ford and Chevy in a Chevy and nerr the twain shall meet. Any other combination was fine tho. So I hope the Ford thing does go well for Roothog and he ends up with a nice Ford powered Ford. (or a Caddy)