I just scored an FE motor and automatic trans tonight. The guy I got them from said he thought they were out of a '64 Thunderbird but he wasn't 100% sure. The motor does have orange TBird valve covers, FoMoCo 4 barrel carb and the oil fill in the intake. The trans is an auto but not like anything I have ever seen. I would post some pics but it says I can't post attachments. Someone care to help me with this and I will show you what I got.

Thanks
Scott
1968 F100 SWB

 

Unless there is a tag on the motor, you won't really be able to tell what it actually is. Valve covers can be changed(they were never orange). You could check the stroke to see if it is a 390(using a coat hanger through spark plug hole)

The transmission is likely a COM (cruise o matic). Cast iron bellhousing(unlike typical newer aluminum versions).

 

I quote myself:

 

Thanks guys, I apologize for not making my post clear, I do have a 390 but I wanted to know if it was a special 390 or just an average 390. I was also interested in the year but like posted earlier, with no tags it would be hard to do which is why I thought the orangeish valve covers would help. I did run the tag off the carb which shows a 330HP 390 from 61-65 or a 330HP 410 from 68. I know that the carb and intake could have been changed but I was hoping for a miracle.

Thanks
Scott
68 F100 SWB

 

The only FE's to come from the factory with Orange (Vermillion) valve covers were the '65 and early '66 Mercury Marauder 390's, 410's and 428's.

The valve covers would be the tall pent roof style with "Mercury" script and a lightning bolt too.

You might have something special on your hands...

 

Ok I finally got some numbers off the block and they are as follows:

1M28 = March 28 1961
27 DIF = Mold 27 from Dearborn Iron Foundry
C1AE8015G = C1AE-G WHICH EQUATES TO A 352

PLEASE correct me on the above as I hope I am wrong.

Thanks
Scott
1968 F100 SWB

 

couldn't find a c1ae-8015g but found c1ae-6015g
61-62 352&390 only sure way to tell is measure stroke

 

Thanks, that could very well be a 6 instead of an 8. Unfortunately the motor is locked up and I can't turn it to take measurements so I will have to pull it apart. Are there any issues with either of these engines for these year models?

Thanks
Scott
1968 F100 SWB

 

pretty sure the older FE engines had a different motor mount bolt pattern .

 

I just found that out as well as the cranks being different for the ones that use the Cruise-O-Matic vs the C6 I wanted to use. It looks as though I'm not going to be able to use this after all.

Scott
1968 F100 SWB

 

crank different ? first i heard of this . maybe you're thinking FT not FE ? FT is large commercial truck engine , very close to FE

 

Ok, I hope I am wrong. I am basing my info on the statement below and hopefully I am reading it wrong.

"390 cranks from 1966-on had the flywheel flange machined differently than the 352 and 1961-65 390/406/427 flanges. Instead of the six tapped holes, a square indexing notch, and half-moon cutout of the 352 (cutout needed for access to drill out the rear throw), the 1966-later 390 simply had a hole drilled in the flange to replace the half-moon cutout, since the longer stroke didn't need the cutout to hollow out the throw."

What am I reading here? I am wanting to use the crank and rods from the 61-62 block in my 68 360 block, can I do this? I am also interested in using the heads but I'm not sure of the casting number yet.

Thanks
Scott
1968 F100 SWB

 

A = January, M = December, the letter I is skipped. Block cast in 1961, engine probably would have been installed in a 1962 since new vehicle introduction begins in September of the previous year.

Group 6000 = Engine parts. 6015 is the block basic casting number for a gazillion different I-4, I-6, V6, V8 engines / Group 8000 = Cooling related (radiators/grilles/hoses/belts etc).

390 introduced in 1961 Ford/Merc/Thunderbirds. Optional in Fords, standard equipment in Mercury/Thunderbirds.

1961/65 Thunderbirds (all 390's), 1966 Thunderbird 390's came with MX Cruise-O-Matic. Trans also used in misc 1958/67 Ford's, 1961/67 Merc 390's, 1965/67 F100/350 352.

ALL FE engines blocks were cast as 352's and thru circa 1971, have 352 cast onto the blocks. Casting numbers are foundry marks, cannot be cross referenced to Ford part numbers.

1958/64 FE engines were only installed in cars. Have rounded valve covers without holes for oil cap/smog valve, have an engine oil fill tube on the right (passenger) side.

1961/64 390 Galaxie/Thunderbird valve covers were painted GOLD and have THUNDERBIRD marked on them.

C5AZ-6375-D .. Flywheel (flexplate): 1965/67 F100/350 352 MX Cruise-O-Matic / 1968/76 F100/350 360/390 C6

1965/67 Passenger Car 352/390 FX/MX Cruise-O-Matic / 1967/71 Passenger Car 390 C6 / 1966/70 410/428 use a different flexplate, 1958/64 is also different.

1958/64 car engines have a different block bolt pattern for the rubber insulators than the FE engines used 1965/76. 1965 was the first year for FE's in F100/350's.

 

I finally got the engine apart this weekend and it is actually in pretty good shape. I still don't have the pistons out of the bore yet but they are soaking so not sure what kind of shape the cylinder walls are but from what I can see I believe I will be ok. I did look at the crank and I see the difference that had me concerned and I was worried for nothing. I do have a question about the flex plate that was used with the Cruise-O-Matic, will it work with the C6 or do I need to get a different one?

Thanks
Scott
1968 F100 SWB

 

Quoted from my post 13:
If you had read post 13 thoroughly, you wouldn't have needed to type this jazz in post 14.

Here's an expanded version of what I also typed in post 13: 1966/70: The specific flex plate that is different: C6AZ-6375-B = 1966/67 Mercury Parklane 410/C6 & 1966/70 Ford/Merc Passenger Car 428/C6