For the record, the 391 FT will NEVER EVER get near the performance of an FE 390.

The head ports are smaller, the compression is in the toilet, the big massive heavy crank will limit acceleration, and the list goes on.

Also, the MD 330's were a lot like the FE in terms of crank snout, etc, because they (most likely) used a regular cast crank, not the steel crank.

Anyway, I'd pass, unless you feel like parting the thing out on the eBay.

The block might be worth something if you plan on doing a hi-po build-up, and the crank being steel would be worth it but only if you're going for 6500+RPM screaming, nitrous, big blower/turbo or some other outrageous horsepower output

 

You had a 1968/72 330 Medium Duty FT engine, which uses a 360 crank and etc.

You did not have a 330 H/D, 361 or 391 FT engine because these parts are not the same as any FE engine.

The 330 M/D and the 330 H/D share the same cubic inches, but very little else.

It's like comparing a Clunk-O-Matic with Hy-Drive. They may look similar, but they are not the same.

I learned how to drive in a 1951 Chrysler Windsor, with Fluid-Matic aka Tip-Toe aka Clunk-O-Matic Drive. Same trans the DeSoto's used.

 

Bill there are 14 FT's here in my salvage yard , ranging from 330's to 391's
all of them have bolt holes for side mounts. I used a 391 block in my 67 Fairlane , had to use a bushing to be able to use a FE distributor. Ford used to sell these bushings but as far as I know they no longer do. I have never seen a FT block without side motor mount bolt holes.

Have A Good Day----- Hotwrench

 

Straight from the horse's mouth

Um... are they the typical two-bolt-hole setups for the standard mounts for the later FE's, or the earlier setup that was used in the early FE's? (forget what the configuration was for the earlier FEs).

 

Krewat the ones I have has 4 bolts per side like a passenger /lt truck block. I'm dismanteling a 391 now for the connecting rods to use in a
360 to 390 conversion. This FT had a C7ME-A block and a nice set of
C7AE-B rods , plus the block has no wear at all. Lots of goodies!

Have A Good Day-------Hotwrench

 

Thanks HOTWRENCH

 

What about FT steel cranks?
Besides the snout needing to be cut down to fit FE stuff...
Are 361, 389 and 391 FT's externally balanced?
Are 361, 389 and 391 FT cranks, steel?

Alvin in AZ

 

Alvin the big snout cranks are forged steel and should be balenced for use in a FE application. The FT's that use a big snout crank take a weighted flywheel . The medium duty small snout cranks take a neutral balenced flywheel.

Have A Good Day----- Hotwrench

 

Well I was looking at that ft motor and trans setup again today and I just figured I would mention it had provisions on the side of the motor for motor mounts. Now someone had mentioned how the exhaust manifolds exit in the middle well could I just bolt up a set of fe exhaust manifolds, and in order to identify what particular ft motor it is what are the strokes of the different ft motors?

 

Sorry to say that FE exhaust manifolds won't fit FT heads , FT heads have a center exh port. The intake manifolds will not interchange either. You can swap intake, heads and exh manifolds as a set between FE's and FT's
391 stroke is the same as a 390 -- 3.78"
361 stroke is the same as a 360 -- 3.50"
330 stroke is -- 3.50"
I hope this helps------Hotwrench

 

It would be interesting to figure out what compression you would wind up with when swapping FE heads onto a stock FT.

 

Hot, where are you getting these ideas ? You most certainly CAN put FE exhaust manifolds on an FT cylinderhead. You will lose the preheat function, if you care about such things, but they will bolt right on. If you are willing to make small effort, you can close off the center heat passage in the FT exhaust minfold and bolt them to your FE. Whether you really gain anything.......I don't know, but you can do it. Same thing on the intake manifolds. You can put a small port FE 4 barrel intake on the FT heads if you want....again, you're losing the preheat function, which most of us realy don't need anymore anyway. But it WILL bolt on there. But the FT cylinderhead's intake ports are pretty choked down right after the passage, so I wouldn't expect huge gains. The smarter way to go is to put on an FE heads/intake/exhaust combination. That would help the breathing tremendously. I don't think the compression gains much because the FT chambers aren't that big anyway. But the FT usually has pistons with a big dish in them. I don't remember the lift & duration numbers, but I would have to imagine the FT cams are pretty small as well. Again, an FE cam will fit right in.......DinosaurFan, at his Dad's house

 

Sorry to offend you dino BUTT they ain't a good fit. It works better if swapped as a set. I live in Pa where carb heat is nessesary. I've seen FT Exh manifolds welded up and put on FE's worked for a while but performance gain was'nt worth the effort. They always cracked or warped down the road aways. FE intake on FTs don't fit well either , if your not carefull they will suck oil and leak vacuum. The reasons mentioned above are why I SAID that thay don't interchange except as a set. Crossbreeding FE's & FT top ends is not for the faint of heart!!
Just my two cents-----Hotwrench

 

Hey thanks for all the info guys, I really don't know too much about the fe and ft motors. One more crazy question if I wanted to put flat top pistons inthe ft block what motor would I need to order the parts for? I'm kind of thinking of building the ft motor with a set of fe heads and 4 barrel intake unless I could put clevland topend parts on that motor.

 

Make sure the wristpins are the same size, for one thing. Don't have my book handy.

But if it's a 391/389, 390 pistons. If it's a 361/359, 360 pistons. If it's a 330, I have no idea