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Topic: 406 FE big block (Read 5193 times) previous topic - next topic

406 FE big block

does anyone Know if a FE series big block can be installed in a fox
thunderbird? At the local junk yard theres a 65' t-bird with a 4-bolt (cross bolted from outside of block on FE's)
main 406 FE. I did some research, and any FE with a 4-bolt main caps is either a 406 or a 427 high performance engine.we're talking over 400 hp.! I know theres a company that makes kits that will adapt a an AOD to the FE bell housing bolt pattern. The problem there is that an
AOD that can handle that much power is not cheap. So what would work for a alternitive, and what about mounts? Custom made headers would have to be incorperated...

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #1
I know that a standard 460 fits with minor modifications. Look at bills race cougar on the coolcats cat of the month. http://www.coolcats.net/cotm/1999_07.html
I will pull up a page that has 460 mounts for the 83 to 88 cougar on it, and also a c6 or something simmilar (I am not sure if its the c-6 or c-4 or what)would do alot better behind a 406 ,and is also alot stronger then you probably could make an AOD. If you do go the AOD route use an AOD-E from a xr7 or supercoupe. there at the bottom of this page is the 460 engine mount kit. I have not used this nor do I know what it has with it.http://www.critesrestoration.com/mustang.htm I have heard that the 427's use standard 351 block, and that that would be all that you would need. but I cant really say.
also 400hp could be had from alot of good 5.0's farily easily, and it would take less gas and it would weigh less and those types of things.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
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Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #2
Quote
have heard that the 427's use standard 351 block, and that that would be all that you would need. but I cant really say.
    The 427 he is talking about isn't a stroker 351, it's an older sixties Ford engine called the FE series. Might be wortg it to just get it and resell it to a retorer, then use the money to build a motor that more readily fits. :dunno:  :)
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Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #3
406 can be built to make some good power just like any other motor.
As for fit u can look up the specs of a 406 and compair them to 351 and 460.
If a 460 can fit then unless there is prob with oil pan to K member it should fit.

headers would be a bitch

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #4
I have a 390 FE that I am putting into a fox chassie. The problem with this swap is no one makes swap pieces for it. Everything from motor mounts to exhaust is custom.

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #5
Quote from: cougarman
The 427 he is talking about isn't a stroker 351, it's an older sixties Ford engine called the FE series. Might be wortg it to just get it and resell it to a retorer, then use the money to build a motor that more readily fits. :dunno:  :)


If its a real 406/427 its worth big buckaroos.... You can sell it for enough to buy a 460 and all the pieces to swap it in..

BTW NO Thunderbird ever came from the factory with a 406/427, 390/428s were it (neither had cross bolt mains, BUT it is possible to convert a std block). 406 production ended early '63 when the 427 was introduced, so it has to have been swapped in at a later point. But again if it has the cross bolt mains its worth big $$$$(Unless it is a converted 390, but a 428 is worth $$$$ either converted or not).

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #6
I've seen one of those 406's in an early 70's LTD and that thing screamed.  What did they come in from the factory?

Nick

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #7
Quote from: stuntmannick
I've seen one of those 406's in an early 70's LTD and that thing screamed.  What did they come in from the factory?

Nick

I'd say I doubt, it but anything is possible....      I've seen a '72 LTD 4 door with a BOSS 429 stroked and bored to 470cu in(got a couple of pictures somewhere). Now that thing screamed.

The 406 was only built in '62 and early '63 and were only installed in full sized Fords and Mercurys.

The 427s were available from mid '63 to '67 in the full size Fords and Mercs. The '64 Fairlane Thunderbolt got it, as did the '66 Fairlane and the '67 Fairlanes and Comets. Also a handfull of Shelby Mustangs got it. The 427s last hoo-rah was in the '68 Cougar GTE(I had one of those). It was supposedly available in other '68 models (Torino, Cyclone, Mustang), but to my knowledge  a actual FACTORY built model has never been found. Marti Auto Works has all the original records on the later '60s models and he says none were ever built.

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #8
Back in the '80s, my dad had a '61 Starliner, and we built a 406 for it, all forged internals. That big old car would pull the front wheels on launch!! We had a 427 once, that some guy had laying in a barn, turns out it had just been rebuilt for his oval track modified. That motor would scream, had it in my '62 Galaxie 4spd. :ies:
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Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #9
BTW..... I almost forgot....  Only a few of the late 406s actually had the cross bolt main bearings(NASCAR blocks), but ALL the 427s had this feature.

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #10
Yeah, the guy who owns this junkyard has alot of weird and rare stuff. for example: 70' ss 454 chevelle, GNX grand national, ford pinto station wagon with a 351W, (he put that in) a turbo 301 firebird, 340 barracuda, and of course the 65' thunderbird of our main topic. These are just a few. This guy has hotroded all of these cars at one time, now their all parts cars. The bodies of these cars are pretty much destroyed by rust. their all in a seprate lot off from the newer cars, and i usually wander through them when I go there.
The owner said that the 406 FE has a bad c-6 behind it and the engine itself has a bunch of bent valves and a cracked head. He said he'd sell it to me for $200 because he "thinks" the block is bad. :bs:

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #11
Quote from: TurboCoupe50
BTW..... I almost forgot....  Only a few of the late 406s actually had the cross bolt main bearings(NASCAR blocks), but ALL the 427s had this feature.

the owner of the junk yard said It was a 406. i felt down beside the engine and felt three bolts going horizonally into the skirt on both sides, witch led me to belive at first that is, that it wasn't stock, and had to be a 427. but he swears its a 406.

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #12
If you can, check to see if it has threaded in freeze plugs(they have a hex in the center). That is a feature of most of the 427s.

 

Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #13
Quote from: TurboCoupe50
The 427s were available from mid '63 to '67 in the full size Fords and Mercs. The '64 Fairlane Thunderbolt got it, as did the '66 Fairlane and the '67 Fairlanes and Comets. Also a handfull of Shelby Mustangs got it. The 427s last hoo-rah was in the '68 Cougar GTE(I had one of those). It was supposedly available in other '68 models (Torino, Cyclone, Mustang), but to my knowledge a actual FACTORY built model has never been found. Marti Auto Works has all the original records on the later '60s models and he says none were ever built.

Galaxies had 'em as well - The '66 Galaxie 500 I had came with its original owner's manual, and the manual listed the engine options. It's been 15 years but I think the engines were like this:
 
289 260-horse
390 2-bbl 275-horse
390 4-bbl 325-horse (mine had this)
428 "Police Interceptor" 375-horse
427 425 horse
 
I didn't know a lot about cars then, and I remember wondering why the smaller 427 had more power than the 428
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Re: 406 FE big block

Reply #14
Quote from: Thunder Chicken
Galaxies had 'em as well - The '66 Galaxie 500 I had came with its original owner's manual, and the manual listed the engine options. It's been 15 years but I think the engines were like this:
 
289 260-horse
390 2-bbl 275-horse
390 4-bbl 325-horse (mine had this)
428 "Police Interceptor" 375-horse
427 425 horse
 
I didn't know a lot about cars then, and I remember wondering why the smaller 427 had more power than the 428

UHHH Carm... The Galaxies were full size Fords. There was also a 7 Litre model in '66 that had the Tbird 428 std, with the police 428 and 427 HIPO optional. It was a sporty 2dr only model, that had the 500XL console and buckets with a few pieces from the LTD.

BTW the HP for the 289 was 200 hp, there was also a 225hp and a 271HP available in the Mustangs but not in the full size models. Also I thought the 390 4 bbl was 315 hp and the 428 police 360(it had a solid lifter cam). Your owners manual didn't list the 250 hp 352 4bbl engine or a std Tbird 428@345hp?? I know '66 was the last year for the old 352.... Ford went 2 years without a mid size engine till the 351 appeared in '69.