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01-26-2005, 04:33 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: concord,
nc
Cobra Make, Engine: 65 427 SC Replica, 390 engine
Posts: 13
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Not Ranked
What the hell does FE stand for?
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.
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01-26-2005, 04:40 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Shasta Lake,
CA
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 26,554
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Not Ranked
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
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01-26-2005, 04:46 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Leicester,
UK
Cobra Make, Engine: Metaline 1969 Ford 390 bored to 402ci
Posts: 89
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Not Ranked
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
Last edited by MetaJacko; 01-26-2005 at 04:50 AM..
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01-26-2005, 04:46 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: concord,
nc
Cobra Make, Engine: 65 427 SC Replica, 390 engine
Posts: 13
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Not Ranked
Does 'FE' generally refer to big blocks or all Ford engines?
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01-26-2005, 04:50 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Glastonbury,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 1,387
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I have heard and I like "Ford Engineering", but like everyone else I'm not sure that is true.
--Mike
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01-26-2005, 04:52 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Leicester,
UK
Cobra Make, Engine: Metaline 1969 Ford 390 bored to 402ci
Posts: 89
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Not Ranked
It just referes to the once series of engines which is why stating it means 'Ford Engine' is a little confusing.
Paul
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01-26-2005, 04:56 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Shasta Lake,
CA
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 26,554
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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
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01-26-2005, 05:05 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Leicester,
UK
Cobra Make, Engine: Metaline 1969 Ford 390 bored to 402ci
Posts: 89
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Not Ranked
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
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01-26-2005, 05:12 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Glastonbury,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 1,387
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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
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01-26-2005, 05:21 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Northport,
NY
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham, KMP178 / '66 GT350H, 4-speed
Posts: 10,362
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Not Ranked
"..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.
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01-26-2005, 05:28 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Glastonbury,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 1,387
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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
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01-26-2005, 05:35 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Hanover,
NH
Cobra Make, Engine: Shelby Cobra 427 S/C
Posts: 559
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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
__________________
I just wanna drive my car.
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01-26-2005, 06:32 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: West Linn,
OR
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA #684, 428 FE, TKO600
Posts: 1,378
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Not Ranked
Freaking Expensive.
DonC
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01-26-2005, 06:38 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicago, Oscar winner, my kind of town,
Posts: 614
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Re: What the hell does FE stand for?
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.
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01-26-2005, 06:48 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Paul,
Mn
Cobra Make, Engine: CSX 2189
Posts: 319
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Not Ranked
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.
Last edited by Ford of France; 01-26-2005 at 06:52 AM..
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01-26-2005, 07:00 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Northern California,
CA
Cobra Make, Engine: -Sold- Contemporary 427S/C # CCX-3152 1966 427 Med Rise Side Oiler, 8v 3.54:1 Salisbury IRS, Koni's.. (Now I'm riding Harleys)
Posts: 2,567
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Not Ranked
Mostly it stands for Friggin Expensive.
__________________
michael
A man that is young in years, may be old in hours, if he have lost no time. But that happeneth rarely. Generally, youth is like the first cogitations, not so wise as the second. For there is a youth in thoughts, as well as in ages... Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
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01-26-2005, 07:08 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Glastonbury,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 1,387
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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
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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
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01-26-2005, 08:39 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 695
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Not Ranked
Re: Re: What the hell does FE stand for?
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.
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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,
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01-26-2005, 08:54 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: SF Bay Area,
CA
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF #1019
Posts: 1,657
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Not Ranked
Simple! "fe" is the periodic symbol for Iron.
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01-26-2005, 08:58 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Waukesha,
WI
Cobra Make, Engine: Custom built Excalibur 351C
Posts: 530
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Not Ranked
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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