1963 Hot Rod Ford Performance Handbook Ford 406

[all american boy]

This is on it's way here.


That is probably a 406 on the cover.


That was BEFORE the 427 existed for sale to the public.


THAT size FE motor I could go for!


The other FE engines I always stayed away from over the years because

everyone has an FE!


Have article already saying the production 406 made 405 HP as delivered!


That is pretty gnarly for '61.


There is some other stuff in this book.Money well spent in my opinion.

 

[slumlord44]

I've had one of these since right after it first came out. Recently picked up another copy off of Ebay. Lots of good Y block info in this one also thats still relevant.

 

[all american boy]

'good Y block info'


That makes sense.They were still using them a lot in '62.


The introduction of the 260-289 is pretty messy to figure out.


Here it is in this Wikipedia article.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_small_block_engine


This book being 1963 Hot Rod would have to be 'Johnny on the spot' to get



together info on the brand new 260-289 engine that quick.


There was actually a 221 version first.Yikes! That be mighty small for a V8!

 

[56sedandelivery]

Cannot tell from the cover but wasn't the 406 cross bolted?

 

[KULTULZ]

Cannot tell from the cover but wasn't the 406 cross bolted?

Some very late castings.

Few know it but the 1961 390HP followed into the very early 1962 model year (406 intro) and the 406 into the very early 1963 model year (427 intro).

You have to cipher hard to keep abreast of FE HP engine development.

 

[scicala]

Like KULTULZ said, some of the later 406 blocks were cross bolted. Yes, more than likely a 406 on the cover, since it has tri-power. 427's came out mid model year in '63 and were either single or dual 4 barrel carb engines.
An old friend of mine had a '62 Galaxie 500 with a 390/401 HP tri power engine before the 406 was released. It was the same in '62. The 406 was a late introduction.


Sal

 

[all american boy]

'406 cross bolted?'


Here is what Wikipedia says about it.


Testing of the 406, with its higher power levels, led to cross-bolted mains – that is, main bearing caps that were secured not only by bolts at each end coming up from beneath, but also by bolts coming in from the sides through the block. A custom fit spacer was used between the cap and the block face. This design prevented the main bearing caps from "walking" under extreme racing conditions, and can be found today in many of the most powerful and modern engines from many manufacturers.



Seems like Ford pushed things more to get good horsepower ratings.


More than Chrysler did with the '64 Hemi.It was rated low but treadheads


knew to get their hands on one pronto!


Here is a pic of show car by Ford called the Cougar 406.


A little promotion of the new engine.


See the gullwing doors? The '63 Corvette hardtop was meant to have



those but Chevy cheaped out.They were always doing that!


Here's link to Wikipedia on Cougar 406.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Cougar_406



Car was originally candy apple red.Real go go '62 color!


Some genius has picture of it on net with it painted Chevy metallic blue.


How to screw up a car when some yo yo gets a hold of it!

 

[flatrod]

I have both a 390hp and a 406, both have prevision for cross bolts, but neither is drilled.

 

[slumlord44]

One of my good friends had a 63 Custom two door sedan back in the day. 406 tri power. Not cross bolted. His best friend had a 63 1/2 Galaxie 500 fastback, 406 tri power, not cross bolted. Another of my friends had a 63 1/2 Galaxie 500 fastback 427 single 4 barrel, it was crossbolted. Always heard that some 406's were crossbolted.

 

[5851a]

I have a 406, it's not crossbolted. Got it from a friend that bought the car new. It was a XL so maybe later production. Read something once that said there were crossbolted engines in nascar cars. Never have seen any photos of them.

 

[V8 Bob]

This is on it's way here.


That is probably a 406 on the cover.


That was BEFORE the 427 existed for sale to the public.


THAT size FE motor I could go for!


The other FE engines I always stayed away from over the years because

everyone has an FE!


Have article already saying the production 406 made 405 HP as delivered!


That is pretty gnarly for '61.


There is some other stuff in this book.Money well spent in my opinion.

Page 3 tells you it's a 406 on the cover. This book was published in '62, when the 406 came out. A must have for Ford guys!

 

[alt63bird]

Those "bolt holes" in a 390/406 block which weren't drilled through were for a mounting fixture, not for the rod caps like on a 427. That fooled me early on, too.

 

[all american boy]

'A must have for Ford guys!'


We're using them for engine building guides.


Looks like Ford never put out the factory hop up guides like Chrysler did.


We built our Chrysler 440 in the 80's using the Direct Connection 'Big Book', all the



bulletins in one.'Direct Connection' referrs to right from the engineering department.


Found out that little tidbit reading a '52 SAE paper on Studebaker's V8.Good read.



Big Book had a big block section and other tips throughout it.Fuel system,etc.


For these Fords and Lincoln's we also use old magazine articles.


Looks like Ford was on the move bringing out new engines in the early 60's.


Probably because the other Big Three companies were doing it too.



Everybody knows that came to a screeching halt around '70 and '71.Right?


That is why we don't have Ford 478 cubic inch and overhead cam versions of the engines.


Looking forward to seeing what is in the little handbook.

 

[V8 Bob]

............Looks like Ford never put out the factory hop up guides like Chrysler did..................

Ford did had some factory performance guides, like the "Muscle Parts" book, "High Performance Engines", "Autolite Hi-Per Parts" and others. Ford was heavily involved and winning in all mater of performance and racing in the '60s with the Cobras, GT-350/hy-po Mustangs, Indy, NASCAR, NHRA, GT-40s, Galaxie light-weights, T-Bolts, 427/255 Cammers, Merc floppers, AFX Mustangs, 428CJs, Boss 302s. Chrysler and GM were not even close. Ford's factory "reign of terror" really started with the F-code 312s, then took off with the 360hp 352 in '60, sadly ending in '71 with the Boss 351 along with the Boss 429 "shotguns", and lastly the Panteras.

 

[40 Deluxe]

Ford did had some factory performance guides, like the "Muscle Parts" book, "High Performance Engines", "Autolite Hi-Per Parts" and others. Ford was heavily involved and winning in all mater of performance and racing in the '60s with the Cobras, GT-350/hy-po Mustangs, Indy, NASCAR, NHRA, GT-40s, Galaxie light-weights, T-Bolts, 427/255 Cammers, Merc floppers, AFX Mustangs, 428CJs, Boss 302s. Chrysler and GM were not even close. Ford's factory "reign of terror" really started with the F-code 312s, then took off with the 360hp 352 in '60, sadly ending in '71 with the Boss 351 along with the Boss 429 "shotguns", and lastly the Panteras.

I think Ford factory performance just went into hibernation for awhile. It came back in the '80's with the 5.0 Mustang and has reached the point where you can now buy a factory stock GT500 with 767 horsepower! If that's not enough, a Ford dealer in Ohio will sell you a new Mustang with 1,000 horsepower for $55,000.

 

[V8 Bob]

I think Ford factory performance just went into hibernation for awhile. It came back in the '80's with the 5.0 Mustang and has reached the point where you can now buy a factory stock GT500 with 767 horsepower! If that's not enough, a Ford dealer in Ohio will sell you a new Mustang with 1,000 horsepower for $55,000.

The early'80s Mustangs were the re-start of present day Ford performance that has reached levels never thought possible, but nothing will ever compare to the the factory effort and winning results of the '60s.

 

[KULTULZ]

Performance went into hibernation as a result(s) of EMISSION LAWS, the ARAB OIL EMBARGO and high insurance costs. You could see the writing on the wall as early as 1968.

It came back under more advanced emission compliance and EEC.

 

[all american boy]

Opened it up this morning and skipped halfway through it.


Contributors the book are Karol Miller Y block Bonneville record holder and


Holman and Moody.They campaigned the '58 Thunderbirds with the Lincoln


430's so I will be real interested if that is what they talk about.


Engine section points out big valves and passages in '58-62 Lincoln V8' as the book calls it.Also says it has an 'unusual combustion chamber'.


Says '58-62 Ford engine' (popularly known as FE) has Y block construction.


Sure enough in picture the crank sits high in the block.


Says 'Fairlane V8' (known as Windsor) is 'lightweight and cheap'.


This stuff is very, very, very cool!

 

[KULTULZ]

Opened it up this morning and skipped halfway through it.

Contributors the book are Karol Miller Y block Bonneville record holder and

Holman and Moody.They campaigned the '58 Thunderbirds with the Lincoln

430's so I will be real interested if that is what they talk about.

That should read 1959. The J-BIRD was not released until the 1959 model year although FORD had a few 58's assembled for test purposes.

1961 was the first year of a re-designed 430 so as it would fit into the new LINC uni-bofy. Previous years (1958-1960), the engine was assigned to the MEL DIVISION (MERC-EDSEL-LINC).

 

[all american boy]

' Ford stopped the assembly line to allow Holman-Moody to buy bare bodies and parts for construction of 1959 Thunderbirds. The cars came without needed parts. Turner won races at Champion Speedway, Lakewood Speedway, and the Southern States Fairgrounds.'


'59 Yup!


Here is some more Holman Moody stuff.


'Holman-Moody enteres the "World's fastest Falcon" in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1962. The car was driven by Marvin Panch and Jocko Maggiacomo. Holman-Moody also prepared a small-block AC Cobra, driven by Augie Pabst'


Go long track racing in short wheelbase narrow track Falcon?


Believe that is why they are PROfessional drivers.Not for me though.


Holman and Moody applying their expertise to a Cobra? That sounds really



interesting.I believe that is speedway and super speedway racing.That is a



little different than road racing.So Holman Moody would be the people for that.


Back to the book.Second half of book should be pretty interesting!


It is the biggest and most packed with info of these kinds of books I've gotten.