Budget FE Build - Combos You are Happy with

[PANAVIA]

Ok, so not everyone can afford a big inch FE.

What FE Combination do you run and what have you been happy with / Not happy with.

for instance when shelby originally installed 427's they were a hot motor and then they were replaced with slightly more tractable 428's, some people say that the 428 car was a better car>?

( let the bench racing - engine building begin )

Does anyone on the list run say a 390 , or a 410 >? (390 with a 428 crank)

since these cars are light enough, i would suspect a nice 390 would jam along quite well.

Also what fitting issues with the tremec have you had >?

--Steve

[Bill Bess]

Bench Racing 101....start now!

A good 390 FE with a nice cam for sound, a good 4-barrel and lots of chrome.
Perfect..less expensive, hauls a**, and you can tell everyone it's a 427.

Have fun, Bill

[diegokid]

Good cam and carb and intake it will run like a monster. You can even put main cross bolts in it if you wish. With a 3:42 rear and a Tremec TKO 600 with a .82 OD it runs great. My brother actually thought his Demon with a 340 would out run "the truck motor".

[Grubby]

Let's expand on this a bit.

How about a moderate budget build starting with a Gensis iron 427 block. Could a very streetable engine be built using a 428 crank, I rods (aftermarket or Ford), Edelbrock heads and intake, Canton pan, hydralic cam with flat tappets, and Ford type rockers?

I have been thinking about this for a few months and think you could easily get 450hp for less than $9k in parts. I assume an engine builder would charge another $2k for assembly if you can't do it yourself.

Check this link out to a Carcraft article. They built a 500hp 390 for $6000. http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles..._fe/index.html

Please feel free to shoot this full of holes.

John

[convincor]

here's a HotRod article for a 390.
http://www.hotrod.com/webonly_january/index.html

[FWB]

Originally Posted by Grubby

Let's expand on this a bit.

How about a moderate budget build starting with a Gensis iron 427 block. Could a very streetable engine be built using a 428 crank, I rods (aftermarket or Ford), Edelbrock heads and intake, Canton pan, hydralic cam with flat tappets, and Ford type rockers?

I have been thinking about this for a few months and think you could easily get 450hp for less than $9k in parts. I assume an engine builder would charge another $2k for assembly if you can't do it yourself.

Check this link out to a Carcraft article. They built a 500hp 390 for $6000. http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles..._fe/index.html

Please feel free to shoot this full of holes.

John

actually before the aftermarket parts, ie cranks and blocks, we would run .030 and .060 in centeroiler blocks along with the 428 crank and rods to get up to 454 cubic inches for drag racing. most piston companys still offer the custom pistons for this combo and it is quite an effective combo. low 10's in 3000 lb cars at the strip, with factory components. very seldom did we even break anything so in between rounds when the chevy boys were changing head gaskets we cooked hot dogs.

[Three Peaks]

Budget FE build, that's an oxymoron, isn't it?

[MaSnaka]

A local engine builder told me that just about anybody can build a high HP engine, it's being able to keep it running and reliable that is the trick. I think that is where the phrase "budget build" gets left in the dust. My 390 may not be the fastest Cobra engine out there but it will sure give you a nice ride. Sure I'd like to have a stroked 427, who wouldn't. But the way I see it...I am driving a Cobra and having a blast and there are people all over still dreaming about it. fe390 no shame.

John

[Dominik]

Nice thread!

I want to "budget" it even further. If the 390hp 428FE was plenty in the 60s, it might still be for most users today. Wouldn't a 390cui with Edelbrock heads and decent hydraulic cam easily outperform a 60s spec 428cui?

I would merely upgrade the oiling (sump & pump) and keep the revs to 5500rpm that cast iron pistons would work. Or would they even sustain the occasional visit to the drag strip with a 6000rpm redline?

What would be a good cam to suit the Edelbrock heads?

Dom

[RodKnock]

Steve, we didn't get a chance to discuss it much at lunch last Saturday, but my FE was built with a few extras like the Aviaid pan, H-beam rods, 4340 forged steel crank, Shelby intake, Crower billet roller cam and a few other items I can't remember. KC sells an all aluminum Pond engine for about $17,000 and he also can build a nice 428 for around $12,000-13,000, if my memory serves.

[Fordzilla]

Originally Posted by MaSnaka

Sure I'd like to have a stroked 427, who wouldn't. But the way I see it...I am driving a Cobra and having a blast and there are people all over still dreaming about it. fe390 no shame.

John

John, There is a lot of wisdom in that statement.

[PANAVIA]

Well here is where i am coming in at.

--and I think my grandfather is responsible for this in my mind.

"Be creative, reduce complexity, and save a little money for tomorrow, but do it right"

Not super concerned about the money, but if you spend it all in one place then you cant finish your 66 chevelle. eheheheeheheh..

--- soooo...

How about this.

Ford 390 block bored 20-30 over.
428 Crank
Stock Rods (arp bolts)
ARP head studs
AMK engine fastener kit
Edelbrock AL FE heads
Edelbrock Performer Intake (anyone have problems with the carb deck height on a performer RPM IE: hood clearance >? )
Edelbrock AL water pump --unless someone has a recommendation>?

---now let talk cam, what was the GT 390 cam like in 68>?

Has anyone reasonably roller-ised a FE >?

I put a set of harland sharps on a customers FE and they worked fine , but they were exp$$$.

with all the zinc /anti wear adtvs. they are pulling from the oil, I am thinking of a roller cam if possible.

does anyone have a roller cam in their FE >?



Steve

[PANAVIA]

Rodney -- what was the cam spec on your roller cam >?

[blykins]

Originally Posted by Dominik

cast iron pistons

[McD00]

Git yourself a nice stiff bristled broom to and a flat shoval to sweep up those cast iron pistons when they blow through the side of the motor.
Lets face it FE's belong in garbage or dump trucks...end of storie

McVette

Originally Posted by Dominik

I would merely upgrade the oiling (sump & pump) and keep the revs to 5500rpm that cast iron pistons would work.

[lineslinger]

Originally Posted by McD00

Git yourself a nice stiff bristled broom to and a flat shoval to sweep up those cast iron pistons when they blow through the side of the motor.
Lets face it FE's belong in garbage or dump trucks...end of storie

McVette

This thread was an interesting one until capt. ding dong chimed in..
Ignore the man behind the curtain, he is suffering from recreational RX overindulgence from the late 60's.

[blykins]

Originally Posted by McD00

Lets face it, all of my posts belong in the garbage...end of storie

I agree with that wholeheartedly.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by McD00

Lets face it FE's belong in garbage or dump trucks...end of storie

McVette

McDooDoo,

Yeah they did put alot of FE's in trucks, dump trucks, etc. I had a 72 Ford with a 360, not a 351. Why did ford use a 360, because it was a more durable engine.

I had my FE 427 chassis dyno'd, and the dyno shop also had dyno'd several Roush 427R's. My engine had similar specs to the Roush 427's, but with 40 year old designed /built parts, and it outperformed the roush 427's by about 50 HP and 50 ft-lbs. Go figure. Surprised me.

[Rick Parker]

Here is a good article with info gleaned from one of our Members


http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec...ine/index.html

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by PANAVIA

Rodney -- what was the cam spec on your roller cam >?

Steve, I didn't know exactly what you meant by "budget FE." When I started to look for an FE engine, I looked at used 428 and 427 parts, but the prices were very expensive and some of the parts were junk in my opinion. I finally decided to increase my budget and just get an all new setup.

My cam card is at my workplace, but I think the specs were 112 LSA, 245/253 duration and .634/.651.