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ОглавлениеCHAPTER 1
GENERAL DATA AND SPECIFICATIONS
Ford’s FE Series big-block arrived in 1958 in three displacements: 332, 352, and 361 ci. The 332 ci had the shortest stroke of any FE Series big-block at 3.300 inches with a 4.000-inch bore. The 352 with the same 4.000-inch bore had a 3.500-inch stroke. In the beginning, the 332 and 352 were fitted with mechanical lifters with blocks void of oil galleys for hydraulic lifters. Throughout the 1958 model year 332/352 blocks were drilled for hydraulic lifters in order to meet higher passenger car standards of the period. Car buyers did not want the hassle of periodic valve adjustment in a marketplace full of V-8 engines with hydraulic lifters.
When you’re shopping for a 332/352 block, pay close attention to important elements such as hydraulic lifter oil galleys along the cam bore. Blocks designed for mechanical lifters cannot be upgraded to hydraulic lifters.
When the FE was introduced in 1958, the 292/312-ci Y-block V-8 (shown) was the Ford industry standard with its skirted block, mechanical tappets, stacked port heads, and simple design. The FE Series big-block dwarfed the Y-block even though it employed similar engineering.
360/361/390/410
The 360, 361, 390, and 410 engines are grouped together because they have the same 4.050-inch bore. The 361 was an Edsel engine option with a larger 4.050-inch bore and the 352’s 3.500-inch stroke. The 361 was also available as the Ford Police Interceptor for 1958 only. The 360, virtually the same displacement, was introduced strictly for pickup trucks from 1968 to 1976. FE production ended in 1976.
The 390, introduced in 1961, differs from the 332, 352, 360, and 361 in terms of stroke, which was greater at 3.780 inches. The increase in stroke made the 390 FE something of a powerhouse for its time. The 2- and 4-barrel versions of the 390 were most common followed by the 401-horse 6-barrel 390 High Performance V-8 made possible by a trio of Holley 2-barrel carburetors and a progressive throttle linkage. The 390 High Performance engine for 1961–1962 had mechanical lifters in a mechanical lifter block. The 390-6V was a flash in the pan because this engine was never as powerful again.
The Ford FE Series big-block was introduced in 1958 looking a lot like this custom-built 428-6V with Mallory ignition. This 428 demonstrates what you can do with the FE Series big-block given budget and imagination. In its most basic form the FE Series big-block was available with 2-barrel carburetion as a 332, 352, 360, and 390 ci.
There were many variations of the 390 produced in this engine’s 15-year production life, including the Police Interceptor, Thunderbird Special, and the 390 Special. There were also industrial, stationary, and marine versions, each being distinctive in its application. Some ran on natural gas while others were fired by propane instead of gasoline.
The 410 was a Mercury-only displacement available in 1966–1967, which was little more than the 428’s long-arm 3.980-inch-stroke crank in the 4.050-inch-bore 390 block. A soul mate to the 390 is the shorter stroke 360 truck engine, which is little more than a 390 4.050-inch-bore block destroked with the 352’s 3.500-inch crank.
406/427
The 406 and 427 are grouped together because they were purpose-built high-performance V-8s with many of the same nuances. The 406 sported the 390’s 3.780-inch stroke with a larger 4.130-inch bore, thicker main bearing webs, and larger oil galleys for improved oil volume to the main journals. Toward the end of the 1962 model year, Ford revisited the 406 block’s architecture and gave it cross-bolted main caps for bottom-end strength. You may never have heard of a cross-bolted 406 block but they were produced in low numbers toward the end of production in 1962–1963.
In its quest for power, Ford developed a new big-bore block casting with a 4.230-inch bore and the 406’s cross-bolted main caps to get 427 ci. The 427 was a big-bore FE like never before with a new approach to stress relief during the casting process, which came via a slower cool-down process at the Dearborn foundry.
Ford introduced the big-bore 427-ci FE in the Galaxie and Marauder as a midyear sales booster in the spring of 1963. The 427 arrived with Ford’s new Total Performance program ushering in a new era of excitement. Ford was back in racing and the 427 proved this out. This 1966 427 Side Oiler is fitted with pent-roof steel valvecovers.
When the casting process was complete, 427 blocks were machined and assembled on a 427-specific line at the Dearborn Engine Plant. Each 427 engine was hand-assembled with close attention to detail. The 427 block has a thicker deck to handle extreme compression ratios. Down under, much thicker main webs were employed to handle the power.
Despite the 427’s cross-bolted main caps and stress-relieving efforts, these engines still came apart at high RPM, scattering parts all over racetracks across the country. This was when Ford engineers discovered these engines had a serious oil starvation problem at high RPM. The 427 Side Oiler was a major engineering and manufacturing commitment to durability with a redesigned block equipped with a single oil galley down the driver’s side of the block. The Side Oiler supplied the crank, rods, and cam with improved lubrication and failures stopped.
Here’s the 427 FE on the dyno at JGM Performance Engineering. What makes this 427 unique is its Side Oiler block and rare factory aluminum heads from the mid-1960s. This is a Le Mans–bowl Holley on top of a 427 High Riser manifold.
The 427’s vastly improved oiling system made this engine a world-beater against Ferrari at Le Mans. In fact, the Side Oiler became the gold standard for big-block power. The Side Oiler was teamed with Medium Riser heads and Carroll Shelby’s 427 Cobra in 1965. The 427 Side Oiler was a culmination of nice refinements learned from experience in racing. The FE dominated NASCAR in the 1960s, winning five manufacturers championships and five Daytona 500s.
By 1965–1967, the 427 was the best it had ever been and guaranteed to finish the race. The challenge today is finding an undamaged Side Oiler with standard bores you can build. An alternative is to purchase an aftermarket Robert Pond 427 block, which will hold even more power than the original.
The 427’s handicap is bore size limitations. Because bore size reaches the limits of this block at 4.230 inches you can only bore it .030-inch oversize unless you intend to re-sleeve, which averages more than $100 per bore. Unique to the 427 is a forged-steel crankshaft, although nodular cast-iron cranks were installed in some for non-performance applications.
Here is Ford’s 390 FE big-block swapped into a 1960 Thunderbird, replacing the 352. The 390 was introduced in 1961 in 2V, 4V, and High Performance configurations (4V and 6V). The 1961–1962 390 High Performance V-8 was factory fitted with an aggressive mechanical lifter camshaft and cast-iron headers.
The FE big-block enjoys great interchangeability. Although there are a lot of head casting numbers, there isn’t much difference across the board in terms of port and valve sizing. One exception to this rule is 427 heads. They can vary a lot across Low, Medium, and High Rise types. Heads and manifold must match.
This 1963 Galaxie Lightweight was spotted at a car show with a 427 topped with rare Mickey Thompson hemispherical combustion chamber “hemi” cylinder heads. It makes you wonder why Ford didn’t do a 427 with a hemi cylinder head. Note the use of a magneto. Also noteworthy is the special Mickey Thompson induction.
The 427 SOHC Cammer was conceived as a specialty off-road engine for NASCAR-sanctioned stock car racing. Ford built approximately 1,000 427 Cammer engines for stock car racers. When NASCAR said no to the SOHC, Ford was stuck with at least a thousand engines. Ford ended up selling these engines in the aftermarket just to unload them. It is unknown exactly how many 427 Cammers were built. However, their value remains extremely high on the rare occasion they come up for sale.
The defining feature of the 406 and 427 standalone FE engines was this bulletproof cross-bolted main cap design that made the skirted block indestructible. No other FE big-block had a cross-bolted main block except late-1962 406s and all 427s through the end of production in 1969.
The 427 SOHC block is unique to the SOHC heads. This means that you can run a Cammer block with wedge heads. However, Cammer heads will not work on a standard 427 block due to lubrication drainback differences, unless an external oil drainback line is used.
The 428
Because the 427 was an expensive engine to produce, Ford had to look at what it would take to get a cost-effective FE to the luxury car market. Ford introduced the FE Series 428 in 1966 as a low-revving alternative to the 427. Although the 428 was 1 ci larger than the 427, its architecture was different. It used a nodular-iron crank along with a 3.980-inch stroke and a 4.130-inch bore. So close in size (427/428), yet so different in how they made power. The 427 likes to rev high, making its greatest horsepower and torque at 6,000 rpm. The 428, with a smaller bore and longer stroke, likes to make torque at lower RPM ranges to smoothly motivate heavy cars around town and onto the freeway.
Ford probably didn’t understand at the time, but it was birthing a new era of hot Ford performance in its 428 that would make it a winner in NHRA Super Stock competition. One lone Ford dealer in Providence, Rhode Island, Bob Tasca, who was an avid drag racer, wondered about the potential of Ford’s long-stroke 428 in NHRA Super Stock competition. Ford’s 390 High Performance V-8 for 1967–1968 was decidedly lame; Tasca believed that it was an embarrassment to Ford’s legacy of high-performance race cars. Tasca saw the Mustang’s 390 Hi-Po as nothing more than a Galaxie 390 with a modest cylinder head upgrade, which impressed no one.
Of all the FE Series big-blocks produced, the 390 is most common. This is the 390 High Performance GT V-8 in a 1967 Mustang. Although Ford identified these as 390 High Performance V-8s, they were little more than Galaxie 390s with improved GT heads. They lacked the aggressiveness of the early 1961–1962 390 High Performance V-8. You can make a big difference in the 390 High Performance V-8 with a hot roller cam.
Tasca went to the Ford parts bin, grabbed a handful of 427 parts, and went to work building a high-performance 428 with 427 Low Riser heads and induction, hotter cam, and Holley carburetion. Then he went racing. The results were so impressive that Tasca decided to present the idea to Ford Corporate in Dearborn, Michigan. Tasca’s 1967 Mustang with a high-performance 428 so impressed Ford management that it decided to press this engine into production for midyear 1968. Ford began with 50 standard 1968 Mustang fastbacks built in December of 1967 with the new FE Series 428 Cobra Jet built specifically for NHRA Super Stock drag racing.
The 390 High Performance V-8 didn’t change much for 1968. This one is fitted with Ford’s Thermactor injection pump system (arrows), which infused fresh air into the exhaust ports to reduce emissions. Thermactor parts are very hard to come by these days. Many were removed and thrown away back in the day.
They rolled off the Dearborn, Michigan, assembly line bone stock and were delivered to veteran NHRA Super Stock drag racers who would turn them into stunning performers as a bold threat to drag racers everywhere. In January 1968 at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California, Ford unveiled these Wimbledon White 1968½ Cobra Jet Mustangs in NHRA Super Stock competition. No one was laughing in the chilly Southern California air. Avid Ford campaigners rolled out their Cobra Jet fastbacks and awed the crowd with lightning-quick pony cars. The key to performance was the 428’s long stroke and a complement of 427 components. Mustang got its respect back.
The production 428 Cobra Jet arrived on April 1, 1968, with a thicker, heavier block and beefy main webs for strength. On top were little more than 427 Medium Riser heads, even though Ford called them Cobra Jet heads. All 1968 Cobra Jet engines were basically the same in Fords, Mercurys, and Shelbys with Ram-Air.
For 1969–1970, there were two FE Series Cobra Jet engines available: Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet. The Super Cobra Jet was more an all-out drag racing package with C7AE-B Le Mans rods and a small counterweight to counterbalance additional rod weight. The Super Cobra Jet’s bottom end was electronically dynamically balanced for added measure to minimize destructive vibration. Super Cobra Jet units were also fitted with an external oil cooler and drag race gearing (3.91:1 or 4.30:1).
You can build your own Cobra Jet FE with off-the-shelf parts from the Ford parts bin or the aftermarket and make huge sums of power like Bob Tasca did a half-century ago. A 390 or 428 block can be fitted with a Scat stroker kit to achieve 430 to 450 ci with incredible stroke and the resulting torque. What’s more, your big-cube FE stroker won’t have to rev high to get good time slips because it’s all about torque.
Thunderbolt: NHRA World Beater
Ford went after the rest of Detroit muscle aggressively in NHRA Super Stock competition in the early 1960s with its lightweight 427 Galaxies. Despite Ford’s best efforts, it couldn’t catch General Motors and Chrysler with the lightweight fiberglass-bodied Galaxie super cars. This was when Ford went to work conceiving the smaller, lighter-weight Fairlane coupled with 427 FE power. It had to build at least 100 production 1964 Fairlanes to qualify for NHRA Super Stock competition. Ford built 49 4-speed cars and 51 with automatics.
Ford began to develop the Thunderbolt using a 1963 Fairlane development mule coupled with a 427-ci FE High Riser. Dearborn Steel Tubing built these cars, which rolled off the Dearborn, Michigan, assembly line as “K” serial numbered 289 High Performance intermediates. This has been confirmed with Ford documentation that includes all 100 vehicle identification numbers. These cars were shipped to Dearborn Steel Tubing and surgically modified to accommodate the rotund 427 big-block. Body structures were welded along the seams to provide strength.
Thunderbolt Fairlanes had all of the lightweight fiberglass body components including front bumper, Plexiglas side windows, and Econoline Van bucket seats. These cars were completely gutted including the deletion of radio, heater, window mechanicals, sun visors, and anything else that wasn’t welded to the body. The 1964 Thunderbolt received structural modifications and suspension improvements that made them better able to tolerate the 427’s brutal torque. High-beam headlamps were deleted to make way for cold-air induction.
The Thunderbolt remains the 427 FE’s greatest calling card because it quickly became a clear demonstration of power, less weight, and the ability to trek the quarter-mile in short order. Although replica Thunderbolts are out there, only 100 of these cars were produced as “K” serialized 289 High Performance Fairlanes. They remain among the most highly valued muscle cars of the mid-20th Century.
Easily the most legendary 427 outside of Le Mans was Ford’s limited-production lightweight 1964 Thunderbolt Fairlane sedan. The 427 Thunderbolt Fairlane stood drag racing on its ear when these beasts rolled into the staging lanes of dragstrips from coast to coast.
FT Series
The FE Series big-block has a tougher fraternal twin brother known as the FT big-block, which is a heavy-duty mill engineered for medium- and heavy-duty truck use. Displacing 330, 359, 360, 389, and 391, the FT was the definitive low-revving workhorse. The beauty of the FT is its interchangeability with the FE, including its steel crankshaft and heavy-duty block with thicker main webs and cylinder walls. The downside to the FT block is the weight penalty. Blocks and cranks are heavier.
The 428 FE big-block, introduced in 1966 in the 7-Liter Galaxies, found its way into the 1967 Shelby GT500. Not all 1967 Shelbys had the 428-8V. Some had dealer-installed 427-8Vs.
Another 1967 Shelby GT500 with a 428-8V and black wrinkled Cobra Le Mans valvecovers.
The 335-horse 428 Cobra Jet FE was introduced on April 1, 1968, with Ram-Air, which became optional in 1969–1970. The Cobra Jet gave the Mustang a renewed performance image in the wake of the rather lame 325-horse 390 High Performance V-8 in 1967.
The MEL
The MEL (Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln) big-block, produced from 1958 to 1967, is Ford’s most unusual big-block. It was conceived to replace the Lincoln Y-block of the 1950s. Produced in displacements of 383, 410, 430, and 462 ci, the MEL was available in the Mercury, Edsel, Lincoln, and even Ford Thunderbird. When this engine entered production at the beginning of the 1958 model year at Ford’s new Lima, Ohio, engine plant, it wasn’t officially known as the MEL. In fact, based on Ford documentation from the period the Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln (MEL) Division of Ford didn’t exist until January 1958 when it was officially announced.
This is a 1968 GT500KR with the 428 Cobra Jet with Ram-Air and a single Holley 4150. The 428 Cobra Jet was a midyear option introduced on April 1, 1968. This engine replaced the 428 Police Interceptor version that was standard in the non-KR models.
Ford’s 428 Cobra Jet got these finned cast-aluminum valvecovers early in the 1970 model year. They replaced stamped steel chrome valvecovers that were common from 1967 to 1969. This R-code 428 Cobra Jet is fitted with optional shaker Ram-Air.
What makes the MEL an odd-duck big-block is its unusual combustion chamber and cylinder head design similar to Chevrolet’s W Series 348/409-ci big-blocks. Instead of a wedge-shaped chamber in the cylinder head, the MEL used the top of the cylinder bore as a combustion chamber with a flat-surface cylinder head. Cylinder heads resemble those from a diesel with a flat deck. The block deck was milled at an angle to the cylinder bore to where the piston dome determined compression ratio. The MEL had shaft-mounted rocker arms similar to those found in the FE/FT Series big-blocks.
Engine Identification Tag Information
Beginning with the 1965 model year, Ford V-8 engines were equipped with identification tags from the factory. This tag includes displacement, model year, year and month of assembly, and the change level. The change level advanced only when a replacement part or upgrade was introduced. The change level addressed engineering changes, making it easier to identify engines. This information was more for Ford’s use than the enthusiast’s. The identification tag is attached to the intake manifold on the FE Series big-block V-8s. The tag is located at the ignition coil bracket of 429/460 engines. ■
The MEL employed an open valley with a stamped pan beneath the intake manifold similar to the Ford and Lincoln Y-block V-8s. Intake manifolds were not equipped with a cold-start heat feature. Down under, the MEL had a brute cast crank, heavy cast pistons, and large-shouldered connecting rods. Although Ford called this engine the “MEL,” it was installed in the Thunderbird as well as a premium engine option (430 ci) in 1959–1960.
The Mercury-only 383-ci MEL engine was available from 1958 to 1960 sporting a 4.300-inch bore and 3.300-inch stroke. The 410 yielded a smaller 4.200-inch bore and longer 3.700-inch stroke. The larger 430-ci MEL, produced from 1958 to 1965, was available in the Lincoln, Lincoln Continental, Mercury, and Ford Thunderbird and had a 4.300-inch bore and 3.700-inch stroke. Ford fitted the 430 with three 2-barrel carburetion to conceive the Super Marauder.
The 430 was legendary for unwieldy amounts of torque. They were very popular with the powerboat crowd. Ford’s 430-ci Thunderbirds stood racing on its ear when Holman and Moody took them to the racetrack. Ironically, the performance aftermarket never embraced the 383/410/430/462 MEL big-blocks, which called for a lot of private enterprise innovation in race shops around the country.
Ford took the MEL to 462 ci in 1966 with a 4.380-inch bore and 3.830-inch stroke to power big, heavy Lincolns. This was the MEL’s last hurrah for the 1967 model year. The MEL was considered dated and in 1968, the lighter skirtless-block 385 Series 429/460-ci engine family replaced it.
The Super Duty
The new Ford V-8 engines had a banner year in 1958. This included the FE, FT, MEL, and Super Duty, or “SD,” which displaced 401, 477, and 534 ci. The Super Duty 401/477/534 engine was a heavy-duty, truck-only super-size V-8 with a production run from 1958 to 1982. It has nothing in common with the FE, FT, or MEL. Forget about this engine for your Mustang, Galaxie, or F-Series pickup.
The Super Duty is easily one of the largest and heaviest gasoline engines ever made. Some aspects of the Super Duty can be considered iconic, such as its early log-style induction system. It struggled with fuel distribution problems and cold-start issues. If you grew up around this engine you will remember lean off-idle intake backfire as the throttle was opened. They coughed and sputtered until they were warmed up.
What the Super Duty did share with the MEL was that same 90-degree V-8 with a 60-degree flat deck where the top of the wedge cylinder became the combustion chamber. Pistons had a large dome that took up space and provided compression. The Super Duty was quite the workhorse and did it well for a long time.
427 SOHC Cammer
Ford can be considered notorious for going way out on a limb with engineering innovations that excite the senses. The Single Overhead-Cam (SOHC) 427-ci FE big-block is one such example and easily the most memorable. However, it can be considered a significant corporate flop for Ford Motor Company.
Ford developed the 427 SOHC as a response to the beating it was taking in stock car racing. Chrysler’s 426 Hemi was beating everyone. Ford was determined to get back into the winner’s circle. When Ford presented the 427 SOHC Cammer to NASCAR head honcho Bill France early in 1964 it was promptly rejected as too exotic for stock car racing. Ford continued to lobby for the 427 SOHC against NASCAR’s pushback. Ford’s own racing chief, Jacque Passino, stressed the importance of leveling the playing field. France continued to say no.
About Ford Part Numbers
Ford part and casting numbers can be confusing, especially if you have not dealt with them before. There are actually two different part-numbering systems. The more common system, 1950–1998, applies to engines addressed in this book. Things changed in 1999 with a new numbering system. Here’s how the 1950–1998 system works:
Typical Ford Part/Casting Number
| C5ZZ | - | 9510 | - | K |
| Prefix | - | Basic Part Number | - | Suffix |
The prefix tells you when the part was originally released for production, what car line it was released for, and what engineering group it came from. The prefix breaks down like this:
First Position (Decade)
| B | = | 1950–1959 |
| C | = | 1960–1969 |
| D | = | 1970–1979 |
| E | = | 1980–1989 |
| F | = | 1990–1999 |
Second Position (Year of Decade)
Indicates the year the part was released by Engineering for production.
Third Position (Car Line)
| A | = | Ford |
| D | = | Falcon |
| G | = | Comet, Montego, Cyclone |
| J | = | Marine and Industrial |
| K | = | Edsel |
| M | = | Mercury |
| O | = | Fairlane, Torino |
| S | = | Thunderbird |
| T | = | Ford Truck |
| V | = | Lincoln |
| W | = | Cougar |
| Z | = | Mustang |
Fourth Position (Engineering Group)
| A | = | Chassis |
| B | = | Body |
| E | = | Engine |
However, regarding a service replacement part, the fourth position means division, as follows:
| Z | = | Ford Division |
| Y | = | Lincoln-Mercury |
| X | = | Original Ford Muscle Parts Program |
| M | = | Ford Motorsport SVO or Ford Racing Performance Parts |
Basic Part Number
The Basic Part or Casting Number is the same whether it is an engineering number or a service number. For example, “9510” is the basic number for all carburetors. A finished engine block would be “6015” as another example. Each engine part gets another basic part number.
Suffix
The Suffix identifies the change level. “A” means original status of released part. “B” indicates at least one engineering change. The entire alphabet is used except for the letters “I” and “L,” which could be mistaken for the number “1.” When Ford goes through the entire alphabet, it starts over again at “AA,” “AB,” “AC,” and so on.
It is important to understand that part, casting, engineering, and service numbers rarely match. The casting number is derived from the actual casting or part, and typically does not match the part, engineering, or service numbers. Unless the casting has been revised, the basic casting number does not change. It means the number you see in the casting will not match the part number in the Ford Master Parts Catalog. And if the catalog you are using is dated, as most are, expect even more changes in your Ford dealer’s microfiche or computer when it comes to suffixes. When demand for a part falls below a predetermined level, Ford will discontinue or “N/R” (“Not Replaced”) the part.
Date Code
Ford makes it easy to identify engine castings because it has three foolproof systems in place. First is the casting number, which identifies engineering level and when the engineering level originated. Second is the casting date code that is an alphanumeric code identifying the exact date that the item was cast at the foundry. When you compare the Ford part/casting number with the date code, it helps you determine the year of the date code. For example, a C5OE-12345-A casting number is likely going to coincide with the date code below of “5A26” meaning “1965 - January - 26.” If this part has a D5AE-12345-A casting number the date code below would mean “1975 - January - 26.” To determine a casting or assembly date, you have to first decipher the casting number.
A foundry logo is also cast into the piece that indicates where it was cast.
Finally, unless any machine work has been performed, a manufacturing date code is normally stamped into a machined surface that confirms when the component was manufactured. Casting and manufacture date codes look like this:
5A26
5 = 1965
A = January
26 = Day
If this code is cast into the piece, it indicates the date the piece was cast at the foundry. If the date code is stamped or inked, it indicates date of manufacture. When a cylinder block or deck is milled, the stamped manufacture date code is normally lost in the machining process.
Also expect to see foundry codes such as DIF (Dearborn Iron Foundry), CF (Cleveland Foundry), or WIF (Windsor Iron Foundry). There was also Michigan Casting. Some iron and aluminum castings were produced outside Ford. ■
Despite NASCAR’s continuing rejection, Ford continued with SOHC development hoping that attitudes would change in North Carolina. They didn’t. Ford’s development included relocation of spark plugs from the bottom of the chamber to the top, much like the 4.6L and 5.4L SOHC Modular V-8s of today, to ease access. Ford worked at developing a more racer-friendly SOHC racing engine. The following year, 1965, Ford went back to NASCAR seeking its consideration. NASCAR again said no.
The monster mash 427-ci SOHC Cammer remains the most exotic muscle engine ever produced by a Detroit automaker in the 1960s. Originally produced for NASCAR use, the Cammer enabled Ford to put hemi heads on the FE. Ford learned a miserable lesson when NASCAR said no to the use of an overhead-cam V-8 in Ford stock cars. Ford wound up with at least 1,000 of these engines, which were sold on the aftermarket to racers and enthusiasts.
Ford Basic Part Numbers
Ford stuck its neck way out there with the 427-ci SOHC big-block. It rolled the dice on being able to run this engine in NASCAR competition and lost. Despite a lot of engineering time spent developing this engine, the best Ford could do was make these engines available to the racing industry and enthusiasts via the aftermarket and Ford dealer parts departments. (Photo Courtesy Barry Rabotnick)
Ford’s 427 Cammer was easily the most technologically advanced engine of its time but in no way user friendly. It had a 7-foot-long timing chain and was very challenging to service and tune. It still is today. Racers developed gear-drive timing systems to eliminate the complexities of a chain system.
The 427 Cammer’s output was astounding for its day: 616 hp at 7,000 rpm and 515 ft-lbs of torque at 3,800 rpm. Although it is less impressive by today’s standards, more than 600 hp in 1965 was incredible. When NASCAR put an end to Ford’s pursuit of the big track, Ford looked for a place to go with all the parts it had produced to create the Cammer. Ford investigated other motorsports venues, including drag racing, to peddle the Cammer and its many parts. Racers lined up to buy 427 SOHC parts, which filtered into the performance parts pipeline.
Ford’s problem was the Cammer’s genetic code. It was a steady high-RPM racing engine designed for the big NASCAR tracks, not the dragstrip. Although it made more than 600 hp as Ford intended, the Cammer was capable of 2,500 hp. The downside to 2,500 hp was durability. The Cammer could make 2,500 hp with a blower on top; however, it could only do it a couple of times before racers ran over their crankshafts. The Cammer’s weakness wasn’t its heads, but instead a mile-long timing chain and a block that was never designed for the kind of power professional drag racers were seeking. The Cammer could hold a 7,000-rpm rev all day long. It was the abrupt nature of drag racing that made these engines vulnerable.
Ford Part Numbers 1999-On
Although this book deals primarily with the vintage Ford part numbering system, late model 385 Series big-block parts as well as vintage Ford V-8 parts show up in the new 1999-on Ford part numbering system. The new system works differently than the old one and takes some getting used to. The only real difference is the first four characters in the part number. The rest of it remains much the same. Instead of seeing part numbers such as C8AE-9510-A, you will see XL3E-9510-A. Here’s how 1999-on Ford part numbers work.
Typical Ford Part/Casting Number
| XL3E | - | 9510 | - | A |
| Prefix | - | Basic Part Number | - | Suffix |
First Position (Model Year)
V = 1997
W = 1998
X = 1999
Y = 2000
1 through 9 = 2001–2009
A = 2010
B = 2011
C = 2012
D = 2013
E = 2014
F = 2015
The alphabet continues accordingly after 2015 with “G” for 2016 and so on. Again, Ford does not use the letter “I” or “L” because they are too easily confused with the number “1.”
Second and Third Positions
For example, “R3” indicates Mustang. “L4” is Maverick. “R2” is Falcon, and so on.
Fourth Position
Engineering Department responsible for the part.
Basic Part Number
Same as prior to 1999. A cleaner numbering system, however, with driver-side and passenger-side specifics. Easier to follow and understand.
Suffix
Same as prior to 1999. Again, easier to follow and understand. ■
Had Ford been willing to develop the 427 SOHC further it could have enjoyed an extraordinary windfall of success in drag racing much as Chrysler did with the Hemi. However, it was not to be. Cammer blocks, heads, and similar components wound up flowing into the new and used parts markets; production ended with what Ford had on the shelf. On the rare occasion SOHC parts show up, the sale prices are reflected by rarity. Bill Coon Cammers produces 427 SOHC parts including heads and blocks, which makes this engine now available on a mass scale.
385 Series
When the MEL big-block became long in the tooth Ford reviewed its shortcomings and looked at building a lightweight big-block replacement at the Lima, Ohio, engine plant. The new 385 Series big-block in 429- and 460-ci displacements would be skirtless and resemble the small-block Ford architecturally. It would just be larger with a similar oiling system and main web structure.
The 385 Series engine is a fiercely rugged and reliable big-block sporting less weight, but it is long on torque. Even though the 385 was an intended luxury car powerplant, Ford went far with this engine as did drag racers. Drag racers took this mild-mannered big-block and made it psychotic where it could rev to 7,000 rpm without consequence.
The 460 with a 4.360-inch bore and 3.850-inch stroke was first on the scene for the 1968 Lincoln Continental followed by the lower displacement 429 with the same 4.360-inch bore and less stroke at 3.590 inches. Because these engines have the same bore size it makes more sense to build a 460 than it does a 429. There are also more 460 cores out there than there are 429s. Both employ the same block.
When Ford introduced the FE Series big-block in 1958, a distant cousin, the 383/410/430/462-ci MEL (Mercury-Edsel-Lincoln) big-block, joined it. This engine did not have a conventional combustion chamber. Instead, the MEL used the top of the cylinder as a wedge chamber like the 348/409-ci Chevrolets with a flat-surface cylinder head. The MEL was the 410 in the Edsel and the 383 in the Mercury. The MEL was also a Thunderbird option in 1959–1960. Note the fuel pump mounted on top of the timing cover, which is the quickest way to identify the MEL.
The 429/460 has large 3.000-inch main journals with 2.500-inch rod journals. The 429/460 benefited from good Cleveland-style poly-angle valve wedge cylinder heads out of the box. In 1970, Ford topped the 429 with large-port cylinder heads to birth the Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet engines.
The Cobra Jet yielded a whopping 11.0:1 compression ratio. The mechanical tappet Super Cobra Jet pegged the needle at 11.5:1 compression. Compression was the key to power, much as it always has been. The 385’s time as a factory high-performance V-8 (429-ci wedge) with a tremendous amount of horsepower and torque available was short lived at just two model years, 1970 and 1971.
The Cobra Jet was fitted with a Rochester Quadrajet carburetor with a spread-bore manifold. The more powerful Super Cobra Jet had the Holley 4150 with a Holley baseplate compatible manifold.
This is the MEL big-block from another angle. In the mid-1960s, MELs had the power steering pump driven directly off the crankshaft.
Boss 429
Ford Motor Company never gave up in its pursuit of a NASCAR-winning engine. When the 427 SOHC failed to endear NASCAR officials, Ford looked to its 385 Series big-block for hemi-chamber inspiration. The objective was to conceive a hemi-head 429 and go after Chrysler’s 426-ci Hemi. Ford called its Hemi answer the Blue Crescent. During development, the Blue Crescent had iron hemispherical chamber cylinder heads and surely weighed a ton. Aluminum heads weren’t far behind.
The Blue Crescent was a purpose-built racing engine developed for NASCAR competition, in particular the 1969 Torino Talladega and Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II race cars. Somewhere in all of that it became known as the Boss 429. To meet NASCAR homologation requirements, Ford had to produce a minimum of 500 street versions of the Boss 429 engine and a corresponding number of vehicles in which it would be raced.
The MEL big-block was replaced by the 385 Series 429/460 big-block in 1968. Produced in the same plant as the MEL (Lima, Ohio), the 429/460 big-blocks remained a Ford mainstay well into the 1990s. For two years only, 1970–1971, Ford produced the 429-ci Cobra Jet for high-performance Mustang, Cougar, and intermediate applications. The premium option 429-ci Super Cobra Jet also produced in 1970–1971 was the only mechanical lifter 385 Series big-block ever produced.
Semon E. “Bunkie” Knudsen, Ford’s short-term chief, came up with a way to get the most mileage out of the Boss 429 project. The decision was made to produce at least 500 Torino Talladegas with 428 Cobra Jets and at least 500 Boss 429 Mustangs. Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II street cars (Mercury’s Talladega) were fitted with the 351W.
Although the Boss 429 was good for marketing mileage, it was an incredibly bad idea from a logistics and manufacturing standpoint. Producing Boss 429 Mustangs involved bucking and building these cars at Dearborn, then shipping them to Kar-Kraft in Brighton, Michigan, to be fitted with their Boss 429 powertrains. The Atlanta and Lorain assembly plants had to be shut down for a time to build the NASCAR-bodied long-nose Torino and Spoiler II street cars.
To add insult to injury, Ford and Mercury dealers couldn’t give these cars away. The Boss 429 Mustang and 428 Cobra Jet Torino Talladegas didn’t sell because they were impractical for the average buyer. Some sat on Ford dealer lots for years before they were sold. The Mustang’s Boss 429 engines were detuned for the street and loaded down with the Thermactor emissions system, making them pigs compared to their NASCAR siblings. Few people wanted them.
Ford took another shot at NASCAR with the Boss 429 big-block in 1969–1970. Originally developed as the Ford Blue Crescent with cast-iron heads, Ford engineers refined the most exotic of the 385s giving it aluminum heads to reduce weight and enable more power. The downside to the street Boss 429 was its detuned reputation and poor performance, even though it did make 375 hp. The 1969 Boss 429s were fitted with hydraulic lifters. Realizing this engine’s power shortcomings, Ford went to mechanical lifters and a more aggressive cam for 1970. This engine wanted to rev and did when built to NASCAR specifications.
The Boss 429 engine was another exotic offering from Ford. It was decidedly temperamental for so many reasons, which made it a less-than-adequate street engine. They sputtered and stalled. They had Cooper rings and O-ring seals instead of gaskets to keep combustion where it belonged within the dry deck.
Gross Horsepower/Torque versus SAE Net
Prior to the 1972 model year, manufacturers published horsepower and torque figures at the engine’s crankshaft. Beginning in 1972, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) changed horsepower and torque numbers from gross to net, which meant measuring power output with all accessories and related pieces installed and operating. In other words, SAE Net horsepower and torque is measured based as though the engine is installed in the vehicle. Gross horsepower and torque were measured at the crankshaft with the engine void of any accessories.
The 429 Cobra Jet for 1970–1971 with 360 hp on tap. Ram-Air was an option, as was the Super Cobra Jet with 375 hp. These were first to leave the traffic light, especially the solid lifter 429 Super Cobra Jet.
Gross horsepower and torque numbers weren’t always honest either. Automakers raised numbers to sell more vehicles. They also reduced horsepower and torque numbers to satisfy regulating bodies and insurance companies. Power ratings depended largely on what was happening at the time. During the horsepower wars of the 1960s, automakers didn’t always tell the truth about real, usable power. SAE Net quickly curbed gross numbers advertised by automakers, calculating real world power more accurately.
Ford FE Big-Block General Engine Specifications
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Ford MEL Big-Block General Engine Specifications
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Ford 385 Series Big-Block General Engine Specifications
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