How to Build Max-Performance Ford FE Engines: 332, 352, 361, 390, 406, 410, 427, 428 CID

One of the most popular Ford engines ever made, was the Ford FE, and it powered Fords and Mercurys from the late 1950s through the mid 1970s. FE was short for Ford Edsel. Although many of the late 70s FE engines were used mostly in trucks, they have been showing up in high-performance muscle cars, hot rods, pickup trucks, as well as race cars. In this book, author Barry Rabotnick covers all FE engines, with a focus on max-performance buildups for the most popular of the bunch: the 390 and the 428 cubic-inch. How to Build Max-Performance Ford FE Engines shows you how to select the best pistons, the ideal connecting rods and crankshafts that will allow you to dial-in horsepower requirements for whichever application you need. One chapter discuss the strengths and weaknesses of different blocks, and the book will also examines heads, valvetrains and cam options, that will satisfy your performance goals. Since Ford FE engines are an excellent platform for stroking, this book provides an easy-to-follow approach for selecting the right crank, conn rods, pistons, and more, plus which block modifications are necessary. This is a must-own book for the Ford FE builder!
Book Excerpt: How to Build Max-Performance Ford FE Engines A BRIEF HISTORY OF FE FORD ENGINES

So here is the FE engine legacy: It was the engine that was in the most famed Ford racing vehicles of the time in each form of motorsports--NASCAR, the Cobra, the GT40, and the Thunderbolt. This should be the backdrop for comparable fame and popularity on the streets of America, but it never happened. What went wrong?
MUSTANGS, GALAXIES, FAIRLANES AND TRUCKS As a dedicated Ford fan and a Detroit-area FE racer since the 1970's it hurts to say this but it needs to be said. What went wrong is Ford put everything into the low-volume; high-dollar racing efforts and comparatively very little recourses went toward the everyday cars that made up the greatest volume of production. The FE was factory installed or available in numerous car and truck platforms. The full-size Galaxie (and sister models) was the recipient of most FE production, from the early 1960 right to the end. Most popular among enthusiasts are the 1963-1967 models. Ford intermediate cars, the Fairlane, Torino and Mercury variants from 1966 through 1969 had the FE as a regular production option. Most were 390 powered. A very few 1966-1967 models had a 427, and the 428 CJ was available in 1969. Mustangs and Cougars were often FE equipped from 1967 through 1970. The 1967 and 1968 big-block models were nearly all 390 equipped. In 1969 there were a few 390s , but the 428 CJ was the engine of choice. The hydraulic-lifter version of the 427 was installed in a few Cougars in 1968, but no 427 Mustang has ever been documented, despite 30 years of rumors. Ford pickup trucks carried the FE as an available option through 1976. There are probably more FE engines in pickups than in any of the cars. The FE can be installed into any of the cars or trucks where it was an option. Any deserving small-block or 6-cylinder-powered candidate can be converted to FE power using factory replacement components.

Subject: Engine Building: Ford: FE-Series: How-to build high-performance Ford FE V8 engines. ISBN-10: 1934709158 | ISBN-13: 9781934709153 | CarTech SA183