Finally, I’ve got a big block that is GOOD! I pulled an FE block from a 1970 Ford pickup that’s been parked for some time. The donor truck was bought for $1 at a local auction back in the early 2000s. It was surprising to find the block in such good shape directly out of the vehicle so I had some high hopes in taking it to the machine shop to be checked.
The Donor:
Dirty Block:
I’m using Ontario Engine & Machine (http://www.ontarioengine.com/) in Canandaigua, NY for the machine work. Vic Logan is the owner and, quite frankly, I have a huge crush on him.
LOL He was a fuel-cell engineer at GM before opening his shop in 2009. Vic knows his stuff and it shows. Looking at the bored cylinders, you can see the crosshatch and the perfection he puts into his work.
Thus far, the block has been magnafluxed, bored (0.03), honed, decked (0.006), main caps machined to height, main girdle machined and installed, pistons and rods weighted and matched. So, we’re coming right along. The cam bearings and soft plugs have to go in and we’re waiting on a rear main seal. It’s been fun to stop in and just see things. Got to go back and check out the magnaflux process, he took my kid and off they went to crush cans with a huge ass hydraulic press. It’s been a fun experience to work with Vic and see the goals for my car coming to fruition.
Magnaflux:
Main caps being machined to height:
Main girdle install:
Being bored 0.03:
Decked 0.006:
Now, the main girdle is something kind of neat, in my opinion. I ended up finding this guy on ebay who creates the girdles for FE blocks in particular. Some calls were made and he makes up the whole girdle, with the spacers, an adaption for the oil dipstick and the entire kit for $295. He started into this in like 2007 and has made some changes over the years. I'm really happy with the advances he's done since then to make the girdle fit that much better. I feel this thing is going to tie the bottom end together quite well. I’m very pleased with the looks of it.
The crank has been balanced. And Vic sent me a vid of that last Friday. [ame=http://youtu.be/fmakNdTnjJ4]Miller's Ford FE Crankshaft Balance - YouTube[/ame]
Things are slowly but surely coming together. Once things are done on his end, I’ll be completing the build with the intake, heads, etc. I’m in no rush to get it together as I haven’t even begun to strip the car. The goal is just a little, ole street car. There was a brief discussion of going EFI and that’s off the table. I love my engines carbed. It was kind of enticing though. I plan to keep the top-loader, bump up the rearend to a 9”, possibly get the transmission refreshed but I honestly haven’t thought that far down the road.
Body work-wise, I will be stripping the entire car and getting her repainted to candy apple red with a matte black hood. (“Mock 1”
har har har) The driver side door will likely be replaced as there is some rust in the back bottom corner and MAYBE some fender replacement. All this depends on what I find when I get it stripped down to a rolling chassis. But this will be going to a shop to be done. I’ll do all the prep (strip the interior, paint, etc.) but I have no desire to do body work on the car. I know my limitations.
This article Ford 390 FE - Car Craft Magazine is kind of the premise behind the engine build.
There a few more pics here: jmiller's Album: FE 390 - New York Mustangs
There you have it, kids. Game on.
The Donor:
Dirty Block:
I’m using Ontario Engine & Machine (http://www.ontarioengine.com/) in Canandaigua, NY for the machine work. Vic Logan is the owner and, quite frankly, I have a huge crush on him.
LOL He was a fuel-cell engineer at GM before opening his shop in 2009. Vic knows his stuff and it shows. Looking at the bored cylinders, you can see the crosshatch and the perfection he puts into his work.Thus far, the block has been magnafluxed, bored (0.03), honed, decked (0.006), main caps machined to height, main girdle machined and installed, pistons and rods weighted and matched. So, we’re coming right along. The cam bearings and soft plugs have to go in and we’re waiting on a rear main seal. It’s been fun to stop in and just see things. Got to go back and check out the magnaflux process, he took my kid and off they went to crush cans with a huge ass hydraulic press. It’s been a fun experience to work with Vic and see the goals for my car coming to fruition.
Magnaflux:
Main caps being machined to height:
Main girdle install:
Being bored 0.03:
Decked 0.006:
Now, the main girdle is something kind of neat, in my opinion. I ended up finding this guy on ebay who creates the girdles for FE blocks in particular. Some calls were made and he makes up the whole girdle, with the spacers, an adaption for the oil dipstick and the entire kit for $295. He started into this in like 2007 and has made some changes over the years. I'm really happy with the advances he's done since then to make the girdle fit that much better. I feel this thing is going to tie the bottom end together quite well. I’m very pleased with the looks of it.
The crank has been balanced. And Vic sent me a vid of that last Friday. [ame=http://youtu.be/fmakNdTnjJ4]Miller's Ford FE Crankshaft Balance - YouTube[/ame]
Things are slowly but surely coming together. Once things are done on his end, I’ll be completing the build with the intake, heads, etc. I’m in no rush to get it together as I haven’t even begun to strip the car. The goal is just a little, ole street car. There was a brief discussion of going EFI and that’s off the table. I love my engines carbed. It was kind of enticing though. I plan to keep the top-loader, bump up the rearend to a 9”, possibly get the transmission refreshed but I honestly haven’t thought that far down the road.
Body work-wise, I will be stripping the entire car and getting her repainted to candy apple red with a matte black hood. (“Mock 1”
har har har) The driver side door will likely be replaced as there is some rust in the back bottom corner and MAYBE some fender replacement. All this depends on what I find when I get it stripped down to a rolling chassis. But this will be going to a shop to be done. I’ll do all the prep (strip the interior, paint, etc.) but I have no desire to do body work on the car. I know my limitations. This article Ford 390 FE - Car Craft Magazine is kind of the premise behind the engine build.
There a few more pics here: jmiller's Album: FE 390 - New York Mustangs
There you have it, kids. Game on.
I am going with a stroked 302 or 351 for mine. Cant wait until spring so I can get going on the rest of the metal work that needs to be done on my 69 Coupe. Now that our house her at the Jersey shore only has a cramped 1 car garage I have to wait for spring because the welding will have to be done outside. Good luck on your build, & keep us posted on the progress of the engine.
Looking forward to following this build!!! Best of luck.
