460 vs 390?
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,271
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From: Franklin, IN
If your going to building a motor then a 460 can be had with more power for a fraction of the cost of a strong 390, but who wants to build another big block? Call me old fashioned but i love vintage and/or unique builds. Give me a strong running FE or Y block over a 385 series anyday
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
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From: Alton, MO
If your going to building a motor then a 460 can be had with more power for a fraction of the cost of a strong 390, but who wants to build another big block? Call me old fashioned but i love vintage and/or unique builds. Give me a strong running FE or Y block over a 385 series anyday
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Mississippi
As was said here, all these engines have the potential to make big power but to my ear, nothing sounds as good as a strong FE. The FE has a racing heritage that the 460 never had. The 460 was never a performance engine in factory form, it was a land yacht engine and whenever I think of one I remember those gigantic slab sided Lincolns of the early to mid '70s, those things looked like RR flatcars with tires.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,867
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From: Alton, MO
As was said here, all these engines have the potential to make big power but to my ear, nothing sounds as good as a strong FE. The FE has a racing heritage that the 460 never had. The 460 was never a performance engine in factory form, it was a land yacht engine and whenever I think of one I remember those gigantic slab sided Lincolns of the early to mid '70s, those things looked like RR flatcars with tires.
The other thing to think about when thinking about the 460 is the fact they were put in huge land yachts. Something that required some serious power to get moving the way the older Lincolns would move. Swapping into a lighter vehicle really makes the exact same engine shine.
I am curious as to why the 390? Why not the 427? Same FE engine with more cubic inches. I think if I were doing a FE I would be going for a 427 or 428.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Rockport, IN
As was said here, all these engines have the potential to make big power but to my ear, nothing sounds as good as a strong FE. The FE has a racing heritage that the 460 never had. The 460 was never a performance engine in factory form, it was a land yacht engine and whenever I think of one I remember those gigantic slab sided Lincolns of the early to mid '70s, those things looked like RR flatcars with tires.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
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From: Alton, MO
I had an old TBird (don't remember the year. somewhere in the '70s) with a 460 in it & a 1970 Sedan De Ville. Talk about a boat that would fly! That was back when you could buy a used Challenger for $750 that had a factory 440 in it. In fact all the muscle cars were available dirt cheap used. They were just everywhere back then. Normal everyday cars.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,261
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From: Big Sky Country
I concur, i've heard the FE's unique sound has to do with its exhaust ports design...
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px">Most engines have a big hunk of iron all the way around the exhaust ports exit, The FE is scalloped away almost to the valve in this area.
The iron is relatively thin and acoustically this is like a speaker transmitting its own sound wave from the vibrations, the more intense the sound waves through the exhaust ports, the louder the iron "speakers" ring.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px">Most engines have a big hunk of iron all the way around the exhaust ports exit, The FE is scalloped away almost to the valve in this area.
The iron is relatively thin and acoustically this is like a speaker transmitting its own sound wave from the vibrations, the more intense the sound waves through the exhaust ports, the louder the iron "speakers" ring.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
New User
Joined: Oct 2012
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New User
Joined: Oct 2012
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Definitely not wanting to get into a pissing match over this but the 460 has quite the history in performance from the factory. They are also used quite extensively in racing today. More information on the 460 can be found at www.460.com Great site. Anyway the 460 is the same engine as the 429 with exception of stroke. You can take the 429 performance heads & bolt them right on the 460. Anything that was ever done with a 429 can also be done with a 460. The only difference is CID. Ford even built a Hemi out of the 429/460 engine. It had 429 for a displacement but you can put all the parts on your 460 & have a 460 Hemi if you have the money.
The other thing to think about when thinking about the 460 is the fact they were put in huge land yachts. Something that required some serious power to get moving the way the older Lincolns would move. Swapping into a lighter vehicle really makes the exact same engine shine.
I am curious as to why the 390? Why not the 427? Same FE engine with more cubic inches. I think if I were doing a FE I would be going for a 427 or 428.
The other thing to think about when thinking about the 460 is the fact they were put in huge land yachts. Something that required some serious power to get moving the way the older Lincolns would move. Swapping into a lighter vehicle really makes the exact same engine shine.
I am curious as to why the 390? Why not the 427? Same FE engine with more cubic inches. I think if I were doing a FE I would be going for a 427 or 428.
In truth a 460 is a WEAKER design than an FE, look at the way its cast a 460 is essentially a big 302 thin wall cast an FE is old school from the 50s made for lots of torque at low rpms, exactly what a truck loves, strength and low end torque.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,867
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From: Alton, MO
ONLY advantage a 460 has over an FE is cost effectiveness since the FE was killed off in 1977 and the 460 lasted into the 90s.
In truth a 460 is a WEAKER design than an FE, look at the way its cast a 460 is essentially a big 302 thin wall cast an FE is old school from the 50s made for lots of torque at low rpms, exactly what a truck loves, strength and low end torque.
In truth a 460 is a WEAKER design than an FE, look at the way its cast a 460 is essentially a big 302 thin wall cast an FE is old school from the 50s made for lots of torque at low rpms, exactly what a truck loves, strength and low end torque.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,038
Likes: 4
From: South west Idaho
Well i like both engines and i really like the debates ,i learn a lot just reading them. I'v had a few FEs , 332, 352 , 360 , 390, 428. Never did use the 428 it was in a wreck i bought and i sold it. I have a 73 / 360 now that needs rebuilt if i decide to use it . I did have a 79 / 460 for a number of years in my bronco, plenty of H P but loved fuel.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 605
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From: Castle Rock, CO
Great debate! I owned, until recently a '72 F250 w/390 2bbl and C6 3.73 (all stock) and currently own a 74 F350 w/460 4bbl, C6 and 4.10. Both 2wd. My 390 was great, no problems, lots of power and got about 8mpg. The 460 gets about 11 mpg, no problems, and has a lot of power and torque. Don't have problems with parts for either. I think the 460 performs a little better, but to be honest my comparison isn't quite apples to apples due to the carb and axle. I really love both and can't say that I absolutely prefer one over the other. Both FE and 385 were great Ford engines IMO. 
New User
Joined: Oct 2012
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Again not wanting to get into any pissing match. There were several 385 blocks built. Some are thinner than others just as cyl length. My truck seems quite happy with it's little 460. Call it the "Tim Taylor" mentality, just love having the biggest! Personally I never cared for the FE design. Mine always had great torque & would run up rpms quick which I liked but I fought oil leaks & when I asked folks at Ford their response was "just keep putting oil in it". I then seen the same issue with the 2.8/2.9 Ranger engines to the point Ford was replacing intake gaskets on the 2.9 under warranty. It is of FE design.
The FE engines are just a better built engine made to take abuse, thats why the highest horsepower big block ford EVER made was an FE.
and i had a 70 lincoln with a 460 that was a fan of oil and gas itself so any big block will have its "consumption" issues.
End of the day it always comes down to preference, and preference is biased..... so FE all the way!
Senior User
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 105
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In my 35 years as landscaper and then final grading contractor. I was lucky enough to drive and have to live with Ford trucks equipped with 390s and 460s since they had to haul 10,000 lbs or more of tractor and trailer day in and day out for years. Both engines were excellent and long-serving for the jobs ask of them. As for power in towing conditions the 460 had a slight edge over the 390.
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 540
Likes: 3
for my money there really is nothing like a well built, well dressed FE. they are getting kinda hard to find and even harder to find someone with the love and dedication to the FE to build a nice one due to the rarity and expense involved. EVERYONE has a 3.85, nothing all that special, they are everywhere. in fact for my summer driving i take my '48 F1 out "topless" just to show off her FE. my step son says he wants to have me a shirt made with a pic of my truck that says "ROCK OUT WITH YOUR BLOCK OUT!" people stop traffic and break their neck to see it when I go by or look around to find that sweet sound when they dont see me right away. most people dont know what it is when they see it and when I tell them they ask "Ford?" FE FOR SURE!