How To Build Max Performance Ford Fe Engines

The Ford FE (Ford Edsel) engine is one of the most popular engines Ford ever produced, and it powered most Ford and Mercury cars and trucks from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s. For many of the later years, FE engines were used primarily in truck applications. However, the FE engine is experiencing a renaissance; it is now popular in high-performance street, strip, muscle cars, and even high-performance trucks. While high-performance build-up principles and techniques are discussed for all engines, author Barry Rabotnick focuses on the max-performance build-up for the most popular engines: the 390 and 428. With the high-performance revival for FE engines, a variety of builds are being performed from stock blocks with mild head and cam work to complete aftermarket engines with aluminum blocks, high-flow heads, and aggressive roller cams. How to Build Max-Performance Ford FE Engines shows you how to select the ideal pistons, connecting rods, and crankshafts to achieve horsepower requirements for all applications. The chapter on blocks discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each particular block considered. The book also examines head, valvetrain, and cam options that are best suited for individual performance goals. Also covered are the best-flowing heads, rocker-arm options, lifters, and pushrods. In addition, this volume covers port sizing, cam lift, and the best rocker-arm geometry. The FE engines are an excellent platform for stroking, and this book provides an insightful, easy-to-follow approach for selecting the right crank, connecting rods, pistons, and making the necessary block modifications. This is the book that Ford FE fans have been looking for.

Ford FE engines, which were manufactured from the late 1950s all the way through the mid-1970s, were designated as the large-displacement engines in the Ford lineup. FE means Ford Edsel, and reflects an era when Ford sought to promote the Edsel name. The design of these engines was implemented to increase displacement over its predecessor, the Y-Block engines of the previous decade. Early models were fairly modest in displacement, as were most big-blocks of the era, but they grew quickly to fill the needs of rapidly changing chassis requirements and consumer demand for larger vehicles. As it grew, the FE engine performed admirably as a heavy passenger car and light truck engine. It also became quite accomplished in performance circles, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as powering Ford’s muscle car and drag racing programs in the mid- to late 1960s. In this book, you will learn everything you need to know to rebuild one of these legendary engines. CarTech's unique Workbench series format takes you step-by-step through the entire rebuilding process. Covered are engine identification and selection, disassembly, cleaning, parts analysis and assessment, machine shop processes, replacement parts selection, re-assembly and start-up/break-in techniques. Along the way you find helpful tips on performance upgrades, trouble spots to look for, special tools required, and professional builder's tips. FE master, owner of Survival Motorsports, and veteran author Barry Rabotnick shares all of his tricks and secrets on building a durable and reliable FE engine. Whether you are simply rebuilding an old truck for reliable service use, restoring a 100-point show car, or building the foundation for a high-performance street and strip machine, this book will be an irreplaceable resource for all your future FE engine projects.

Ford's 351 Cleveland was designed to be a "mid-sized" V-8 engine, and was developed for higher performance use upon its launch in late 1969 for the 1970 models. The Cleveland engine addressed the major shortcoming of the Windsor engines that preceded it, namely cylinder head air flow. The Windsor engines just couldn't be built at the time to compete effectively with the strongest GM and Mopar small-block offerings, and the Cleveland engine was the answer to that problem. Unfortunately, the Cleveland engine was introduced at the end of Detroit's muscle car era, and the engine, in pure Cleveland form, was very short lived. It did continue on as a low compression passenger car and truck engine in the form of the 351M and 400M, which in their day, offered little in the way of excitement. Renewed enthusiasm in this engine has spawned an influx of top-quality new components that make building or modifying these engines affordable. This new book reviews the history and variations of the 351 Cleveland and Ford's related engines, the 351M and 400M. Basic dimensions and specifications of each engine, along with tips for identifying both design differences and casting numbers are covered. In addition, each engine's strong points and areas of concern are described in detail. Written with high performance in mind, both traditional power tricks and methods to increase efficiency of these specific engines are shared. Also, example builds of 400-, 500-, and even 600-hp engines are highlighted, so you can model your build after any of these powerhouses, depending on your intended use. With the influx of aftermarket parts, especially excellent cylinder heads, the 351 Cleveland as well as the 351M and 400m cousins are now seen as great engines to build. This book will tell you everything you need to know to build a great street or competition engine based in the 351 Cleveland platform.

Ford's 4.6-liter-powered Mustang is the last remaining "classic" muscle car in the world and is incredibly popular with performance enthusiasts. More than 1,000,000 Mustangs have been built since 1996. Covers all 4.6 and 5.4-liter "Modular" motors--Ford's only V8 engine for Mustangs, fullsize cars, and light trucks from 1996 to 2004.

This revved up volume addresses high-performance engines, such as the ones found in Mustangs and emphasizes a budget approach to building them. 300 photos.

The photos in this edition are black and white. Skylarks, GSXs, Grand Nationals, Rivieras, Gran Sports; the list of formidable performance Buicks is impressive. From the torque monsters of the 1960s to the high-flying Turbo models of the '80s, Buicks have a unique place in performance history. During the 1960s, when word of the mountains of torque supplied by the big-inch Buicks hit the street, nobody wanted to mess with them. Later, big-inch Buicks and the Hemi Chryslers went at it hammer and tongs in stock drag shootouts and in the pages of the popular musclecar magazines of the day. The wars between the Turbo Buicks and Mustang GTs in the 1980s were also legendary, as both cars responded so well to modifications. How to Build Max-Performance Buick Engines is the first performance engine book ever published on the Buick family of engines. This book covers everything from the Nailheads of the '50s and early '60s, to the later evolutions of the Buick V-8 through the '60s and '70s, through to the turbo V-6 models of the '70s and '80s. Veteran magazine writer and Buick owner Jefferson Bryant supplies the most up-to-date information on heads, blocks, cams, rotating assemblies, interchangeability, and oiling-system improvements and modifications, along with details on the best performance options available, avenues for aftermarket support, and so much more. Finally, the Buick camp gets the information they have been waiting for, and it's all right here in How to Build Max-Performance Buick Engines.

From racing to heavy-duty hauling, the big-block Ford engine has been used successfully in Ford Motor Co. vehicles ranging from full-size trucks and passenger cars to the LeMans-winning GT40. How to Rebuild Big-Block Ford Engines details how you can rebuild your FE or FT engine to perfect running condition using factory stock components. All rebuilding steps are covered with easy-to-understand text, illustrated with over 500 photos, charts, drawings and diagrams. You'll find tips on engine removal, disassembly, parts reconditioning, assembly and installation. You'll be able to do either a complete overhaul or a simple parts swap. As an added bonus, a complete section on parts identification and swapping is also included, along with the most complete and correct listing of specifications and casting numbers available on big-block Ford engines. Don't put off your project any longer. Rebuild your big-block Ford engine today!

Ford was unique in that it had two very different big-block engine designs during the height of the muscle car era. The original FE engine design was pioneered in the late 1950s, primarily as a more powerful replacement for the dated Y-block design. What began as torquey engines meant to move heavyweight sedans morphed into screaming high-performance mills that won Le Mans and drag racing championships throughout the 1960s. By the late 1960s, the FE design was dated, so Ford replaced it with the 385 series, also known as the Lima design, in displacements of 429 and 460 ci, which was similar to the canted-valve Cleveland design being pioneered at the same time. It didn’t share the FE pedigree of racing success, mostly due to timing, but the new design was better in almost every way; it exists via Ford Motorsports’ offerings to this day. Beginning in 1971, the 429 found its way between the fenders of Mustangs and Torinos in high-compression 4-barrel versions called the Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet, and they were some of the most powerful passenger car engines Ford had ever built. If the muscle car era had not died out shortly after the release of these powerful engines, without a doubt the 429 performance variants would be ranked with the legendary big-blocks of all time. In this revised edition of How to Rebuild Big-Block Ford Engines, now titled Ford 429/460 Engines: How to Rebuild, Ford expert Charles Morris covers all the procedures, processes, and techniques for rebuilding your 385 Series big-block. Step-by-step text provides details for determining whether your engine actually needs a rebuild, preparation and removal, disassembly, inspection, cleaning, machining and parts selection, reassembly, start-up, and tuning. Also included is a chapter in building the special Boss 429 engines, as well as a bonus chapter on the Ford 351 Cleveland, Ford’s little brother to the big-block.