So 500 bucks bought me an 86 F250 XLT Lariat, 4spd, 4WD, Xcab and it even came with a sweet flatbed. the catch is the 460 that was in it originally came in boxes. the story goes the block was rebuilt, punched 30 over and blew up the first ride out. pistons are scored, couple rings broken and such. the block is still intact, but after sitting in a shed for about 10 years it now has a good bit of surface rust, as well as the crank and cam. the cam is a comp rv cam (or so i was told). anyway i aquired a 71 429 engine some time back that ive been saving for just such a project as ive got now. the 429 is all intact and well stored, however when i started to tear it down some time back i found parts of ring and piston in the oil pan and kinda lost interest. id really like to think the 429 block is good and i can rebuild that and install it in this truck. if not between the 1986 460 engine and the 1971 429 engine i also like to think that ive got enough parts to make one engine. what im looking for here is someone who knows these engines better than me and can provide me with some guidance.

 

the 429 and the 460 share the same block. the only difference between the two is the pistons and crank. they share the same heads and rods. the other big differences between the two is that in 79 Ford went from internally balanced to externally balanced cranks, so your 85 crank is an externally balanced crank. you can put the 460 crank in the 71 block but not the other way around. you will have to use the flexplate, harmonic balancer and hatchet weight from the 85 as a complete unit. also depending on the actual year of the 429, you either have the small chamber heads or the large chamber heads. check the casting number between the exhaust ports. could be either D0VE heads (small chamber with screw in studs) or D3VE heads (with large chambers and bolt down rockers, these would be the heads on the 85). might also be D2VE heads which i would just throw in the junk pile (but not the D20E PI heads, very valuable). either the D0 or D3 heads are fine just select the correct pistons to get your CR to acceptable levels.

the pistons for a 460 are easier to come by and more selection then the 429 pistons so i would build up the 460 using the 71 block and 85 rotating assembly.

rgds
Mike

 

Many thanks for the detailed response that's just what I needed to know. The heads on the 429 are stamped d1ve, any idea if those are any good. Also are the cams interchangeable?

 

Oh and another question, U say the pistons r different. will I need to have the 429 bored to fit the 460 piston, or is the diameter the same?

 

are you sure on the D1VE stamping? never heard of those heads. it should be one of three possibilities (maybe 4). DOVE, D2VE or D3VE. this is of course assuming that the engine is stock.


easy way to tell the D0VE heads apart from the other two is that they have screw in rocker studs. the other 2 have bolt down style rocker arms. also the D0VE heads have 75cc chambers, the D2 heads have huge 100cc chambers and the D3 heads have 95cc chambers.

the only items not the same between a 429 and 460 is the crank and pistons. everything else is interchangeable. cams, rods, heads, distributor, etc. this is true of the same era engines (pre 79, after 79 they went to external balance so the flexplate ans balancer are different)

the pistons have the same bore the pin location is in different spots so you have to make sure you use 429 psitons with a 429 crank and vice versa. the rods are the same between a 429 and 460 (therfore the different pin locations.

Rgds
Mike

 

There are also C8VE and C9VE castings. I have one of each on my 460.

 

DV1E shows up as a block casting # in my How to Rebuild your 460 book.

 

D1VE is a good block number, just never heard of a head having a D1VE casting.

didn't mention the C8 and C9 head casting as if it is a stock D1VE 429, it is a 71 to 78 block. 71's still used the D0VE heads, 72 used the D2VE heads and 73 and newer used the D3VE heads. for all intent and purpose the C8, C9 and D0 heads are pretty well the same head. slight casting differences only.

rgds
Mike

 

sorry my mistake on the d1ve block number, its been awhile since i really looked into this project. im doin a lot of teardown and research this weekend and will have all my ducks in a row. thanks to all for the input and i look forward to hearing more in the near future.