What the hell does FE stand for?

rschillo · #1 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 04:33 AM

Hey everyone,

I'm pretty new to Cobra's. I have been and still am the owner of several Corvettes. One of them is a 427 Tri-Power. I recently traded a ZR1 for a 1965 427 Replica. It has a 390 engine with cam. I see FE mentioned all over the place. What does it refer to? Thanks.

Ron61 · #2 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 04:40 AM

Rschilo,

I hate to say this and am not trying to be smart assed, but try the search function. This subject has been argued to death on here in the past. Ie, it stands for Ford/Edsel, Fairlane/Engine, Ford/Engine. I am sure that one of them is most likely actually correct, but not sure which one. I always figured with the luck that I have it stood for Fix/Eventually.

Ron

MetaJacko · #3 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 04:46 AM

Hi,

The simple answer I think is ether 'Ford Engine' or 'Ford Edsel' (I may have spelt Edsel wrong)

What I think you mean is 'what is the relevance of FE' since obviously there are a lot of 'Ford Engines' but not all are FEs

Basically it is a block design and relates to a series of engines with different bore and stroke 352, 390, 406, 410, 427, 428 CI. (There may be others I've missed) and is considered a big block.

I beleve it was replaced in late 60s by 429, 460 (again both are the same block but different bore/stroke)

Someone else may give some more detailed info but I hope this helps.

Paul

rschillo · #4 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 04:46 AM

Does 'FE' generally refer to big blocks or all Ford engines?

mj_duell · #5 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 04:50 AM

I have heard and I like "Ford Engineering", but like everyone else I'm not sure that is true.

--Mike

MetaJacko · #6 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 04:52 AM

It just referes to the once series of engines which is why stating it means 'Ford Engine' is a little confusing.

Paul

Ron61 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 04:56 AM

Paul,

The 429/460 series engines are different and are of the 385 series. The first FE I had wasin a 1958 Ford Fairlane and it was a 332 Police Interceptor. I don't think it has anything to do with being a big block or small block.

Mike,

I had forgotten about the Ford/Engineering that was included, but I really don't think that one was the right one. Maybe we can find a contact in Ford that can actually tell us what it did mean. It seems that maybe Ron(CW) may have posted what it meant. If not, I am sure that he would be the best to find out from.

Ron

MetaJacko · #8 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 05:05 AM

Hi Ron,

Thanks for the info, I thought the 352 was the smallest FE.
I was under the impression that the FE was phased out late 60s and the 385 series (429, 460 etc) was used instead. IE Mustangs had 428CJs one year then 429s following year.

I always wondered about when do you define something 'Big Block' and something 'Small Block' regardless of Chevy Ford or whatever (Most American V8s are 'Big Blocks' compaired to the 'Starter Motor' sized cars we drive over here

)

At the moment FE stands for 'F*****g Exasperated' for me since it seems to be taking an age to get all the bits required for the re-build and then get the machine shop to get the work done

Paul

mj_duell · #9 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 05:12 AM

I have just completed an email to Ford requesting information on the meaning and origins of "FE". I also asked for any reference to documents that would be available from Ford that refer to the meaning of "FE". I hope they come up with something because I would love to finally put this question to bed.

--Mike

computerworks · #10 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 05:21 AM

"..according to the book, "Ford 1903-1984" by David L. Lewis, Mike McCarville, and Lorin Sorensen, on page 172 "The FE was devised principally by Robert Stevenson, who was named chief engineer at Ford Engine & Foundry (i.e. FE) where the FE was cast in 1957."

..named for the Ford-internal reference to the foundry.

mj_duell · #11 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 05:28 AM

Ron,
That sounds like a good solid anwser. I am curious to see what Ford comes up with. I'll let you guys know.

--Mike

LURK · #12 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 05:35 AM

Mike-

Well... that's mighty tenacious of you! I can't imagine Ford dropping everything to get you that answer somehow, but heck- stranger things have happened. Let us know what you hear.

-John

DonC · #13 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 06:32 AM

Freaking Expensive.
DonC

Sizzler · #14 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 06:38 AM

Don't care. But judging by the title you wrote for this thread I assumed you were from the south, opened the thread, and sure enough, south carolina. I'm been spending a lot of time recently in the southeast and the thing that has struck me most is the foul mouths spewing down there. Walking along the waterfront in Savannah, dads swearing at daughters, shouting out down the street to their kids...

Have a nice day.

Ford of France · #15 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 06:48 AM

The engine series that predates the FE series is the 272-292-312 Y Block design. This was the first OHV V-8 produced by Ford and was introduced in 1955. You could say that it was the small block in the series of engines that Ford produced. I would have to check and see when it was eventually phased out. I

It wasn't until 1962 that Ford produced a thin wall casting small block. That one evolved from 220/260/289/302/351W.

Chevrolet's small block (Turbo Fire) was complimented with two different big block series: 348/409 Turbo Thrust and the 396/427/454 Turbo Jet. The 348 was, essentially, a truck engine modified to passenger car application. It was introduced in the Chevy line in 1958, much like the Ford 332. The 409 was phased out in 1965 with the introduction of the 396 "porcupine" engine which debuted in the Corvette in May of 1965.

The 409 was an interesting engine that was overly square in its configuration. Hard to keep together but they did some damage to Ford on the strip in the early going.

SCOBRAC · #16 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 07:00 AM

Mostly it stands for Friggin Expensive.

mj_duell · #17 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LURK

Mike-

Well... that's mighty tenacious of you! I can't imagine Ford dropping everything to get you that answer somehow, but heck- stranger things have happened. Let us know what you hear.

-John

John,
Consider it a test of Fords customer relations dept. It is kind of like buying a lottery ticket. "Hey ya never know". Besides it gave me a 10 minute break from work

.

--Mike

KeithBrown · #18 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sizzler

Don't care. But judging by the title you wrote for this thread I assumed you were from the south, opened the thread, and sure enough, south carolina. I'm been spending a lot of time recently in the southeast and the thing that has struck me most is the foul mouths spewing down there. Walking along the waterfront in Savannah, dads swearing at daughters, shouting out down the street to their kids...

Have a nice day.

Sizzler,

What does your regional bashing have to do with the question? I have lived in both the Midwest and South and can't say that people from the Chicago area are less inclined to 'cuss' than those of us in the South.

You know the old joke:

What's the difference between a Yankee and a "dam#ed Yankee?

A dam#ed Yankee doesn't go home!

Oops - I guess I just proved your point!

Regards,

Randy Rosenberg · #19 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 08:54 AM

Simple! "fe" is the periodic symbol for Iron.

ohekk · #20 (**permalink**) 01-26-2005, 08:58 AM

Wasn't the Ford Y block introduced in 54?

If I recall, the 53 Fords had a flat head whereas the 54 was an overhead valve.

Also... I had a 57 Mercury turnpike cruiser with a 368...was that an FE?



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