427/428 FE engine?
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Elder User
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From: Houston, TX
427/428 FE engine?
Can anyone tell me what vehicles came equipped with the 427 or 428 in what year? Could a 76 Ford Thunderbird possibly have one? Looking to hunt me one down and need to know what to look for in backyards and pastures and scrap yards and such. Thanks for the help.
*jdbanks*
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427/428 FE engine?
JD, Do you have your money saved up? That big iron is expensive.
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66F100s Rule
In the cool still quiet of night you can hear chevies rusting away.
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From: Houston, TX
427/428 FE engine?
Only if someone knows what they have. I've found plenty of good deals, people with junk trucks and cars just sitting in there yard going to waste. They get a few bucks and don't have to look at it and don't have to haul it off. That's there viewpoint anyway. You'd be shocked at some of the steals I've gotten, just requires a little driving around and searching and knocking on a few doors. And other than that I know lots of rednecks and friends in lowplaces. So it's worth a shot I think. And if I can't find one, then oh well, didn't hurt to try. But can anyone help with my orginal questions??
*jdbanks*
*jdbanks*
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427/428 FE engine?
the 427 was made between 1963 and 1968, the most desireable years are 65-67 the 428 was made between 1966 and I believe 1970, also you can find a mercury 410 and occasionally it will have 428CJ guts inside it aside from the bore size. but find a FT industrial block and they have a good chance of being able to take a 428 bore. 427's are getting rare and hard to find cheap, most people do know what they have because if they drove the car they know it was hot. Also the kit car market has made a demand for 427's look for the crossbolts above the oil pan rail 3 on each side, I dont think you'll find a 427 in a thunderbird, just Galaxies or Fairlanes.
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From: Houston, TX
427/428 FE engine?
Thanks for the help. I know where a few Galaxies and Fairlanes are sitting up. And believe me, the people I deal with sometimes wouldn't know what they had if there was a glowing neon sign on it. But, it's all just a matter of luck. So we'll see what happens. Thanks again.
*jdbanks*
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From: Houston, TX
427/428 FE engine?
I have a rebuildable 390 now. Didn't know they came from the factory with around 400 horses. You sure about that one? I saw a chart from the late 60's that listed them pretty high, but not over 300 as i recall. With a 390 putting out that much power being stock, how much more power does a 427/428 push out? Is it worth the trouble to find one or would a 390 be nearly as productive?
*jdbanks*
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Posting Guru
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427/428 FE engine?
The early 60's tripower was rated at 401horse around 61 or 62 the 4v was rated at 375
Also 427 medium riser 8v was "rated" at 425 horse but Ford Dyno's showed it as 485 horsepower. I believe the high riser was 525 and the low riser was like 450 horse, all being 8v
Also 427 medium riser 8v was "rated" at 425 horse but Ford Dyno's showed it as 485 horsepower. I believe the high riser was 525 and the low riser was like 450 horse, all being 8v
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From: Iowa
427/428 FE engine?
I recall seeeing a few Hi-Po 390's that pushed 401 ponies straight from the factory. Look in Starliners (predecessor to the Galaxy). The years would be 1960 and 1961, I think. Good luck getting one of those to run well on todays gas - back then they made horsepower with compression. You'll have your best chances of finding one of these motors if you look in 1960 to 1970 full sized Fords and Mercs.
Jason Kendrick
1970 F100 Custom 390/C6
1978 F150 Ranger Lariat Supercab 460/C6
Jason Kendrick
1970 F100 Custom 390/C6
1978 F150 Ranger Lariat Supercab 460/C6
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427/428 FE engine?
There wasn't a 390 that produced over 400 horses stock. Even the 390 Police Intercepter only produced 375. I have a 68 390 H.P. FE that produces over 400, but i have also modified it a little. The H.P.'s came with 365 horses stock. I added 428 Cobra Jet heads, a Police Intercepter intake, and a 5 1/4 lift Comp. Cam. It produces about 425 to 475. We haven't been able to successfully dyno it yet, the truck has had problems with the drive train. WAY too much power and torque for 1/2 ton parts. The 428 cobra jets and the 428 police intercepters produced about 425 to 450 stock. Those were screemers!
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427/428 FE engine?
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 16-Jun-01 AT 01:20 AM (EST)[/font][p]
Check your sources again....
In less that 5 minutes I had two written sources saying in 1961 and 1962 Ford made a 390 rated at 401 horsepower@6000rpm, the Police interceptor rated at 330hp@5000rpm from 1962-1965 and the 390HP rated at 375hp@6000 for 61 and 62 also to quote Steve Christs How to Rebuild your Big Block Ford: "From '61-'65, Police Interceptor engines recieved thicker main bearing caps and webs but otherwise were the same as the standard 390"
There wasn't a 390 that produced over 400 horses stock. Even the 390 Police Intercepter only produced 375. I have a 68 390 H.P. FE that produces over 400, but i have also modified it a little. The H.P.'s came with 365 horses stock.
In less that 5 minutes I had two written sources saying in 1961 and 1962 Ford made a 390 rated at 401 horsepower@6000rpm, the Police interceptor rated at 330hp@5000rpm from 1962-1965 and the 390HP rated at 375hp@6000 for 61 and 62 also to quote Steve Christs How to Rebuild your Big Block Ford: "From '61-'65, Police Interceptor engines recieved thicker main bearing caps and webs but otherwise were the same as the standard 390"
Cargo Master
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From: SW Michigan
427/428 FE engine?
jdbanks, the 427 is too rare and exspensive to think about, I've seen just the bare block sell for 3500. The 428s are worth an extra 80-100 lbs-ft of torque over a similar 390, but 428s are becoming pricey-er all the time. How about offset grinding that 390 crank ? That would be a good way to get 421 + inches from standard stuff. Post in the FE forum and I'll explain how if you are interested. DF
Cargo Master
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From: Northern California
427/428 FE engine?
As another option, the 428 crank will drop right into a 390 block yielding a 410 and most 390 will bore 40~60 over and some will to 80 over which would then be 428 size.
I suggest this because with the 428 crank and properly selected parts (cam, intake, heads, exhaust...) you'll have unreal power. 400HP is not too hard with a 410 and the 410/428 cranks are usually < $400. I'd sooner spend the money on the Ed heads, RPM intake, headers...
BUT if you must make the most power you can, then disreguard this.
I suggest this because with the 428 crank and properly selected parts (cam, intake, heads, exhaust...) you'll have unreal power. 400HP is not too hard with a 410 and the 410/428 cranks are usually < $400. I'd sooner spend the money on the Ed heads, RPM intake, headers...
BUT if you must make the most power you can, then disreguard this.
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427/428 FE engine?
I'm not too familiar with those 390's. I will admit that i'm just now learning about these motors. I just haven't seen any that produced over 400hp. But now i know. I do have one question: Were the 61 and 62 390's just straight or were they a intercepters? I know they made them high horse power in the police cars so they could keep up with the vettes and stangs, but were they droped into normal dayly drivers?
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427/428 FE engine?
They were 390H.P. or High Performance, they had a improved oil system and the 401 horse version had 3 two barrel. carbs I think that the PI versions were just more reliable versions of the regular 390, very few people got the 375 or 401 horse engine so the police wouldn't have really needed that hot (read less reliable) of an engine. in around 1958-1960 the galaxies were capable of 140mph so keeping up with a Vette wasn't much of a problem, and the Mustangs weren't even around yet.