FE Ford Perfordmance engines, Ford's word, not mine

[Moto Mel]

The very first FE engines were introduced in the '58 Ford products. The first one released for production was a 332 cid and possibly the most underpowered FE ever built, the 352 was highly touted early in the year but not released until January of '58. It was more powerful than the 332 but a good running 283 Chev would out perform it every way you could try to match them up. The 348 Chev "W" motor was vastly superior to the 352 in any form of tune available. after struggling with poor sales due to a poor performance image Ford came out with the 360 hp 352 cid in 1960 and finally there was a Ford that kicked ass again. Back then I had a 1959 Pontiac Catalina with the 345hp Tri-Power, 389 cid engine with a 4 speed trans and a 352/360hp Ford handed me my ass in a street race for a $100.00 bill. Then in 1961 Ford came out with the 390 cid with 385 hp (?) and a 401 hp with Tri-Power. Mainly for NASCAr and drag racing. After that came the 406cid, 410 cid, 427 cid and the 428 cid engines. There were also the 360 cid Edsel, 361cid HD truck variation and a 391cid HD truck variation. The 361 and 391 truck engines came with forged steel cranks and the 427 engines came with nodular iron cranks excepting the 7000 RPM kit engines of 1963 to 1965, supposedly the side oilers all came with steel cranks except for the 1968 390 hp engines that had nodular iron cranks and hydraulic lifters, this last engine was usually found in the Dan Gurney Cougars, very rare. There was one last variation of the FE engine that was only used in NASCAR and Ski boats, that was the 396 cid engine that used a modified 361 truck crank, 427 side oiler block plus the latest and greatest parts Ford could provide. The 396 would rev past 8500 rpm with no problem. There's another combination that a few 427 fanatics built and I ran one on the street in my '68 Shelby GT 500KR and that was a 427 block and a 428 SCJ crank making 448 cid. A really bad assed engine, I often took it past 8500 rpm running a C 6 trans. It was a great combination that I had a lot of fun with. I wish I had it still.

 

[LEB Ben]

Thanks for the info...don't know anything about FE's (so you could have told me anything you wanted) but thanks for taking the time to type some tech info.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Thanks for the info...don't know anything about FE's
(so you could have told me anything you wanted)
but thanks for taking the time to type some tech info.

LOL

Someday you'll own an FE, it's just a matter of time.

Looking at a parts truck tomorrow and it -had- a 390FE in it.
That's more important to me than if Princess Di had sat in it.

If it ain't a 4 speed manual and an FE (or 300) I ain't interested.
YMMV

Now on the Bronco's (up to '97?) all it needs to be is a manual.

Alvin in AZ

 

[BKW]

The very first FE engines were introduced in the '58 Ford products. The first one released for production was a 332 cid and possibly the most underpowered FE ever built, the 352 was highly touted early in the year but not released until January of '58. It was more powerful than the 332 but a good running 283 Chev would out perform it every way you could try to match them up. The 348 Chev "W" motor was vastly superior to the 352 in any form of tune available. after struggling with poor sales due to a poor performance image Ford came out with the 360 hp 352 cid in 1960 and finally there was a Ford that kicked ass again. Back then I had a 1959 Pontiac Catalina with the 345hp Tri-Power, 389 cid engine with a 4 speed trans and a 352/360hp Ford handed me my ass in a street race for a $100.00 bill. Then in 1961 Ford came out with the 390 cid with 385 hp (?) and a 401 hp with Tri-Power. Mainly for NASCAr and drag racing. After that came the 406cid, 410 cid, 427 cid and the 428 cid engines. There were also the 360 cid Edsel, 361cid HD truck variation and a 391cid HD truck variation.

The 361 and 391 truck engines came with forged steel cranks and the 427 engines came with nodular iron cranks excepting the 7000 RPM kit engines of 1963 to 1965, supposedly the side oilers all came with steel cranks except for the 1968 390 hp engines that had nodular iron cranks and hydraulic lifters, this last engine was usually found in the Dan Gurney Cougars, very rare. There was one last variation of the FE engine that was only used in NASCAR and Ski boats, that was the 396 cid engine that used a modified 361 truck crank, 427 side oiler block plus the latest and greatest parts Ford could provide. The 396 would rev past 8500 rpm with no problem. There's another combination that a few 427 fanatics built and I ran one on the street in my '68 Shelby GT 500KR and that was a 427 block and a 428 SCJ crank making 448 cid. A really bad assed engine, I often took it past 8500 rpm running a C 6 trans. It was a great combination that I had a lot of fun with. I wish I had it still.

1958 Edsel FE (FORD/EDSEL) engine: 361 cid / B&S: 4.05" x 3.50" / Only used in 1958.

The 330 M/D; 330 H/D; 361 & 391 are FT engines, not FE engines.

Since the 330 H/D engine used the same crank as a 361, it also has a forged crank.

The 1964/67 330 M/D engine used the 352 crank, the 1968/72 330 M/D engine used a 360 crank.

The 330 M/D engine was dropped after 1972.
-------------------------------------------
Alvin, what's this new location? I thought you lived within the Gadsden Purchase.

 

[5.0]

LOL


Now on the Bronco's (up to '97?) all it needs to be is a manual.

My '79 Bronco had a 390, but it was an auto. The original motor was a 351M.

.

 

[TexasNomad]

I love my FE engine it's a shame to have to see her.

 

[SuperCab]

LOL

Someday you'll own an FE, it's just a matter of time.

Looking at a parts truck tomorrow and it -had- a 390FE in it.
That's more important to me than if Princess Di had sat in it.

If it ain't a 4 speed manual and an FE (or 300) I ain't interested.
YMMV

Now on the Bronco's (up to '97?) all it needs to be is a manual.

Alvin in AZ

I'll take a good c6 any day. The 4spd mannys were antique when they were new. Why shift that cast iron beast when modern (1940's) technology can do the shifting for you?

 

[polarbear]

Dang- we've had a fair number of those over the years. One T-bird had a 352, another a 390 (First one was a 312- different family). Mercury had a 410.

 

[LEB Ben]

I'll take a good c6 any day.

x2...gimme a C6 over anything anyday. They're bulletproof. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind any of the 4 speeds...just prefer the C6.

 

[TexasNomad]

It only it had over drive...

 

[LEB Ben]

It only it had over drive...

For a mere $2500 it could

 

[SuperCab]

http://www.gearvendors.com/ag3s.html

or for 4x4s http://www.gearvendors.com/ag4x4.html

 

[LEB Ben]

Hey Matt...do you know/remember the name of the other manufacturer of OD kits for C6's...my mind just blanked.

 

[TexasNomad]

For a mere $2500 it could

For a mere $1890 I can get a custom built AOD rated at 600hp with a 60,000 mile warranty..

 

[LEB Ben]

For a mere $1890 I can get a custom built AOD rated at 600hp with a 60,000 mile warranty..

Yeah but the AOD is GAAAAAAAAAARBAGE. I refuse to buy another rig with an AOD. I have yet to have an AOD last longer than 60k. I've rebuilt a couple, had shops rebuild a couple, had brand new tannies go bad, had orginal mile vehicles on the factory build need rebuilding. I've had terrible luck with about 6 vehicles and bought new or had the tranny rebuilt 14 times. Hell my '87 Bronco had a rebuild about 20k ago and I contantly have TV cable problems.

 

[TexasNomad]

Well i've heard it two ways hate or love them.
And its the only real option I have for O/D and the place i'm going to get mine seems to have a very good rep about them so I guess it's just a chance i'm willing to take, It's nothing personal Ben but I have to own one and have it fail miserably before I can fully believe it sucks..
Like Glock pistols every one and their dog says best gun on the market got one and it fell apart sooner and failed harder then a dime store cap gun.

 

[LEB Ben]

Hey Tex...what are you going to put this AOD in? If the rig doesn't already have an AOD in it, you're going to need a costly adapter and other mods. Plus, do you already have the trans to be rebuilt? Or is this like a 'crate' tranny. So that $1900 for the tranny plus mods to make it work will probably cost about the same in the end.

 

[TexasNomad]

Hey Tex...what are you going to put this AOD in? If the rig doesn't already have an AOD in it, you're going to need a costly adapter and other mods. Plus, do you already have the trans to be rebuilt? Or is this like a 'crate' tranny. So that $1900 for the tranny plus mods to make it work will probably cost about the same in the end.

What mods?
Move the cross member a little back and get a shorter drive shaft, place here in town will shorten mine for less than 150 bucks, moving the cross member is easy and since the body is going to be off its not going to be a big deal, the tranny wont need a adapter it will all ready mate up to a 351W.

 

[LEB Ben]

Gotcha Tex...I didn't know you already had 351W...

 

[TexasNomad]

I"m getting this engine http://www.proformanceunlimited.com/specs/393_415hp.html I am going to put it on Extended lay A way, yeah its pricey but i'm sick and tired of shelling out my hard ass earned money for half ass slapped together crap! and that's all I can get in this city is half ass crap! ask Don about the builders in Lubbock.