How to Build Max-Performance Ford FE Engines

Book excerpt: 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.