Quote:
Originally Posted by redmt
Here's a question for you all. When is an FE no longer an FE but rather a collection of aftermarket parts that resemble an FE engine? To me an FE is the non-consumables in the engine. Block, crank, rods, heads? When you change out all the original parts for aftermarket then your gathering up parts that may or may not fit well together. Just because it looks like a duck,,,,,,,,
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My perspective is the 'FE' designation relates to the design, particularly the deep-skirted 'Y' block, heads that integrate with the intake manifold to form a mating surface for the valve covers, and shaft mounted rocker arms. Yes, there are other engines that share some of these features, but none (that I know of) that share them all. And yes, I know the SOHC / Cammer is an FE that deviates markedly from the above characteristics.
You could build an FE with no OEM parts - with an aftermarket block, heads, rotating assembly, etc. I don't think that makes it any less an 'FE', though it's clearly not original. This would be analogous to most of the Cobras out there - also built with non-OEM parts and often better in many respects than the originals (except lineage, of course).
YMMV