i found a 1971 400 complete engine still in the car,picking it up friday,ive decided to just rebuild it and that should be enough for what i need. THANKS Guy's.

 

If you pull it apart, please post the pictures of the pistons. 1971 400's supposedly have flat top pistons which give it a 9:1 compression ratio, but I have never actually seen any.

 

400 ford all you need is 9.5 compression or more? Nice camshaft 650cfm minimum carb! What ignition do you have?

 

Take a picture of the rear of the block too, some of the early 400's had ribs for both big block and small block bell housing patterns, known as "FMX blocks" I understand.

 

My understanding those were only in 1973, im not 100% sure though.

 

after drag racing for 28yrs with any where from a 468 BBC to a 706 BBC with 3 stages on NOS,im learning as much as i can about the older ford engines. Ive switched back to all ford at our house. Once i gained all the knowledge im looking for trust me,this thing will run,GOOD. The past 14yrs ive run nothing but MSD and thats what will end up on this tank. LOL Once i get the 400 home and start to disassemble it i'll take pic's, when i start to build over the winter i'll post build pic's also. Id like to thank every one who has helped me obtain info ive been searching for.

 

I am pretty sure these are only 1973 blocks from fullsize Ford's with the FMX transmission. I have a 1972 block and it's big block only.

 

finally made it up yesterday to pick up the engine,#'s matched for a 71 400 but, the pan had at least an inch rotted off sitting in the dirt and we could only turn the crank back and forth less than a have rotation. I was not happy, offered him a $50. just to take a chance but he wouldnt move off the $250. he wanted,im still looking.

 

I paid $40 for one w/o the intake but everything else. Several cylinders had rust but they cleaned up at .020".

 

I heard it was '74 with no big block casting.....and in the LTD only

*which doesn't make sense

 

Once you bore these 400 over .040 they are usually on last rebore. Definetly check measure bore on block!

 

I have two 400's sitting in the garage that will need rebuilds that I need to get out of the way. I will make a great deal on one or both to guys here. I won't ship and I'm in north eastern Kansas.

 

Manhattan is northeast KS? Must have moved it since I left school in 67.

Anyway, I'm in northeast OK. Don't need a 400 now, but may some day. So, don't ditch them.

 

Gary, I'm not originally from Kansas (Nebr.), but I know folks from Topeka and on east consider that western Kansas starts about about 20 miles west of Topeka. That being said, Manhattan is about smack dab in the middle of the NE 1/4th of the state. I was just trying to give folks a reference for where Manhattan is located.

Good to hear from a former Manhattanite, and I don't need the engines but would love to see someone use them rather than just sit there or end up at the scrap yard.

 

. Also, the same style pistons are no longer available in oversizes for rebuilding, so still need TMI pistons... and the pre-'78 blocks tend to crack... so the '71 heads would be the only desirable parts... along with re-usable crank and rods and miscellaneous parts...