Sorry guys but I gotta show my ignorance and ask.
What is an FE motor?
What constitutes a small block Ford engine as opposed to a big block?

 

The FE (Ford Edsel) is one of the best engines Ford ever built. It was introduced in 1958 with the Edsel car.

Big block is a chevy term so it's up in the air, as to what it really means.

John

 

FE refers to a seires of engines. the esiest way to distinguish these engines is that the intake manifold extents under the valve cover if you scroll down to the engine section you will find a list of these moters.

 

It's my "Favorite Engine"....

--Mike

 

I love my 352!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The Ford small block is considered to be the 221, 260, 289, 302, and although physically larger the 351W(it uses the exact same architecture). They are also called the Windsors, due to the plant they were originally built in, I believe. The 351M, 400M and 351 Cleveland motors are considered middle blocks? also called the 335 series, can't remem the right term, but they are medium sized. The FE refers to the 332,352,360,390,406,410,427, and the 428 engines. They are a deep skirt, early big block. Ford big blocks are considered to be the 429 and the 460, also refered to as the 385 series engines.

 

Don't mean to contridict John above but the FE was introduced in 58 as a 332 but I have seen some 57 cars with one. In late 58 the 352 replaced the 332. 332 and 352 had the same rods, 6.54. When the 390 came out the rod went to 6.488" and stayed that way all the way till the end of production in 76. (360,390,406,410,427,and 428) It is almost impossable to tell the cubic inch from looking at the engine. The head numbers are easy to track down if they are original to the engine, but they seem to get swapped around a lot. By the way, FE stands for Ford Engine, not Ford Edsel, or Ford Engineering, as a lot of people think. In my opinion the HM427 tunnel port engines were as good as anything Ford ever came out with before or since. Doug

 

FE definitely does not refer to Ford Engine, Ford documents clearly note "FE engine" in the text and that would be redundant if we were to accept your definition. FE most likely does refer to Ford Edsel as the development money for the engine came from the Edsel program and the engine was used in the Ford and Edsel in 1958 when it was introduced. The guys on the FE forum have debated this one a million times and one member has collected a significant amount of original documents but nothing as to where the name actually came from. The earliest mention of the name is in aftermarket speed parts literature from the 1958 time frame which specifically refer to it as the "FE Ford/Edsel" engine to differntiate it from the MEL Mercury/Edsel/Lincoln engine (this acronym is documented). Hawkrod

 

FWIW I concur With John & Hawkrod, FE is an acronym, it's meaning being Ford-Edsel.

In the early 50s FoMoCo was going thru some heavy changes in corporate structure. FoMoCos' "Post Henry Ford Sr." era, after his death in '47 FoMoCo, which was totally a family run afair with "the Old Man" at the helm [regardless of who sat in which chair] was consumed with infighting, positioning, dysfunction & confusion.
In 46 FoMoCo ate the cost of "retooling" from Bomber & Jeep production back to the Automobile & Truck production that had made them what they were. The rapid decline and death of their founder, leader and brains in 1947 was a heavy blow. Fords new 48 Ford Truck & 49 Automobile lines were major departures. By 1951-52 many new faces were among Ford corporate rank & file. Nine lead men similar to Robert Macnamara had come on board. There was a notion to develop & produce a new Line "Edsel" so Edsel Ford II could get his "name" on the Ford Family & US national maps, while gaining some corporate traction and corporate power too. It was a protracted complex and difficult period in the companys' history and growth. A lot of unintended changes happened.

Engine being discussed, was designed for heavier Ford-Edsel-Mercury lines as well as their truck line. In addition, Altho FoMoCo dominated in the world of speed ever since their 32 Model, with it's primitive, but go fast V8, Flathead, by mid 50s other OHV V8s had come along and moved Ford aside. There was an inherent, real, basic recognition on FoMoCos' part, they needed to get back in the fray. FoMoCo, Henry Sr in fact, was who founded the concept "Win on Sunday Sell on Monday" at the 20th Centurys' turn with His' Racers, like old #999. His "Ford" autombiles ability to win races by outlasting as well as outrunning competition were Fords hallmark. Although by the end of WW II, exacerbated by Henry Sr.s' death & all the radical all new designs, sales & profits were sagging, while debts were growing, in early 50s' at FoMoCo.

Ford decided on more new designs which would incorporate these new "FE" engines. Since it was aimed at their new "Ford- Edsel" program it became the Ford Edsel, or FE engine. I read this in a book titled; Ford, The Men And The Machines, written in the late '80s by a British Author (whos' name escapes me right now). I'm not quoting, I'm condesning, paraphrasing by taking information out of context. But point is the same.

I don't want to sound like an authority, I'm just sharing with y'all what I read in the book, "Ford, The Men & The Machines"

FBp

 

Sorry, didnt mean to sound like a "know it all" or step on any toe's. Doug.

 

Ok Old man Doug, you done peeed on the flame and caused a flash fire. You just thought you were a know it all. You got to get up early to hang with this bunch of know it alls.

That said, welcome aboard, pull up a chair, set a spell with us around the fire. We bark pretty loudly but our bite aint much. I think you find us to be a decent bunch to hang with. Just be careful of what ya say cause ol Pete down in Fla. can write so much it'll make you eyes hurt to read it all.

John

 

That was very, very interesting. My fathers '57 Merc (purchased in June of '57) had a 332 in it. The pictures of him hanging over the front fender admiring his new "FE" have become conversation pieces around here when the Ford boys "pop-a-top".

 

I would love to see those pictures. Since mercury did not use the FE until the 60's your pops car had to be a test mule and would be worth a fortune today unless it happens to be a Canadian Merc (those are Fords in disguise).
Mercury cars were built on an entirely different chassis in the 50's and so they had a different engine and transmission starting in 58. The Only engine option for a 57 Mercury was the Y block 312 or 368 and for 58 you could get the MEL in a 383 or 430. And Doug, no need to apologize, this is a polite thread compared to many in teh past. Hawkrod

 

I'll try to scan it in for you. The only reason we believe it is a 332 are the FE style valve covers. It was purchased from the Springfield (Ohio) Lincoln-Mercury dealer but was originally delivered to a dealer in Columbus, Ohio (name not known). He owned it from June of '57 till November of '62 when it was traded in for a '63 Country Squire (4 kids). He only owned one vehicle in his life that wasn't a Ford and that was the Mercury, my grandfather never owned anything but a Ford. All except his first were V8's They were nice enough to leave me a great selection of photos.

 

Hah.
Looks like I ain't the only one, likes to spew history, eh Pete?
Jood job, I like it.