429 vs 360 390
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 739
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From: Westfield, North Carolina
Yes, the 429 is a 385 series engine that has nothing in common with the 360-390 which are "FE" engines. So thats out of the question, now to the 360 - 390. They are the same block but have different rods\crank which gives em a different stroke. Both the 390 and 360 are interchangeable with just about every part they contain. I think thats a simple overview of what u want to know.
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From: Honkytonkville
Like guns said, the 429 shares no characteristics of the "FE" 360 & 390. However, the well known 428 is a similar block. A 360 or 390 can be bored & stroked to create a 428, although for performance purposes you would have to have head work done. These motors also share blood with the 427, which is a notoriously tough engine. This is basically a big block FE with hemispherical, or "HEMI", combustion chambers, which increased output. Of course, other minor difference exist, but this is Ford we're talking about, and in their eyes power can't come from simplicity, as we all know very well.....
Last edited by scottie2hottie; Jun 11, 2004 at 10:04 PM.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2003
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That's not exactly right...
The only FE engine with "HEMI" heads is the ultra exotic 427 SOHC (Single Over-Head Cam), which was never installed in a car from the factory.
All factory installed 427's came with "Wedge" heads.
All factory installed 427's came with "Wedge" heads.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
And they don't need all that much head work, most are excellant right off the bat. Most only need minor cleanup work on the ports and bowls, unlike the 385 series.
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From: Honkytonkville
You would definitley have to go aftermarket on the crank unless you wanted to find a 428 crank(GOOD LUCK). And ALL 360-390 blocks have the capability of being bored/stroked to 428 inches. I worked for a machinist and there wasn't one that he bored in 5 yrs that couldn't be taken to 4.13" on the bore(which is .080 over the bore of a 360/390) safely. The factory 428 and the 360's/390's have the same bore spacing of 4.63". And last time I checked, cleanup work on ports and bowls was considered head work...
Scott
Scott
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Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
Originally Posted by scottie2hottie
ALL 360-390 blocks have the capability of being bored/stroked to 428 inches. I worked for a machinist and there wasn't one that he bored in 5 yrs that couldn't be taken to 4.13" on the bore(which is .080 over the bore of a 360/390) safely. And last time I checked, cleanup work on ports and bowls was considered head work...
Scott
Scott
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From: Honkytonkville
The fact of the matter is, a 390 FE block is a 390 FE block. These are scientifically engineered engine blocks, and you just don't have some that are different than others. A 4.63 bore spacing is just that, and does not vary regardless of which FE motor you're talking about...However ford did produce both a 389 and a 391(both share the 4.05 factory bore as well), which are of different build than the FE series motors. Maybe this is what you have, but if can't be punched to a 4.13 bore, it's definitley no 390. And a 428 definitley came from the factory with far better heads than any 360/390. I was informing the gentleman that, if indeed they wanted to build a 428 clone, they would need head work done.
Last edited by scottie2hottie; Jun 12, 2004 at 11:25 PM.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
If you still insist on believing in your theory's on FE's , then you need to log onto the FE forum on Network54. There's about a dozen or so members there who will shoot your theories down. One in particular named Dave Shoe. And yes, the blocks I have are 390 blocks, no doubt about that. One is from a 68 Galaxie, another from a week younger 68 Merc. Neither has casting #'s. Another is a D3TE truck block. It's punched 40 over, but that's about it's limit, I wouldn't trust it at 60 much less 80 over. I DO have a C4AE 390 block from a 64 T bird that will go 60. That machinst you worked for just got lucky. Yes there were some precision castings ( but not all them are first rate quality), but due to core shift and other things, there aren't all that many that will go that far.
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From: Honkytonkville
The best we each can do is give our own experiences, and at 20 I don't have many. My apologies for any mistakes I have made....I say only what I know- and I know that I have seen both a 360 and a 390 become 428 inches of displacement. Thanks for your knowledge and understanding
Scott
Scott
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
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From: south louisiana
Hey, you're young, you'll learn that your never too old to learn. I'm 45 and still learning new things everyday about Fords, even after 25 years of experience with them. I've had a half dozen or more 390's a 410, a 428 and a 427. I can tell a 360/390/410 block almost blind folded LOL.
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Riverside, CA
Gentlemen,
Sorry to tag on to an existing thread, but I am trying to identify the block in my 54 F100. I am a newbie to V8 power as well as F100s. The casting mark on my (390?) block is D3TE. Can anyone point me to a source for identifying this engine block, heads etc?
Thanks in advance,
Adrian
Sorry to tag on to an existing thread, but I am trying to identify the block in my 54 F100. I am a newbie to V8 power as well as F100s. The casting mark on my (390?) block is D3TE. Can anyone point me to a source for identifying this engine block, heads etc?
Thanks in advance,
Adrian
Elder User
Joined: May 2003
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Originally Posted by Adriand
Gentlemen,
Sorry to tag on to an existing thread, but I am trying to identify the block in my 54 F100. I am a newbie to V8 power as well as F100s. The casting mark on my (390?) block is D3TE. Can anyone point me to a source for identifying this engine block, heads etc?
Thanks in advance,
Adrian
Sorry to tag on to an existing thread, but I am trying to identify the block in my 54 F100. I am a newbie to V8 power as well as F100s. The casting mark on my (390?) block is D3TE. Can anyone point me to a source for identifying this engine block, heads etc?
Thanks in advance,
Adrian