FE engine designation

G

Grumpy Rick

Senior Member
Read this trivia recently in a Hemmings book on 50's Fords.

The designation FE for the first big block motor in 1958 stands for the cars it was meant to power......Ford/Edsel.

I realize it may be common knowledge to those here, but thought I would mention it.

Rick
 
There was also an engine series known as MEL (only used in Mercury, Edsel and Lincoln). Think they were the 383, 430 and 462. Could be wrong on one or two.

Sal
 
scicala said:
There was also an engine series known as MEL (only used in Mercury, Edsel and Lincoln). Think they were the 383, 430 and 462. Could be wrong on one or two.

Sal
Click to expand...

There was also a 410" MEL used primarily in the early Edsel. The 430 was also offered in the '59 (maybe '60) T-Bird.
 
The MEL series were 383 and 430 in the Mercury, 410 in the '58 Edsel only and 430 in Thunderbird and Lincoln. 462 in Lincoln only. Hope this helps.
 
Does anyone remember the FE HD for trucks? There was a lot of product moved around the country behind these, as well as the big 401, 477, and 534. Reliable as a stone, but thirsty.
 
Ford made it more confusing for us too, by making a 410 FE for Mercury only sometime in the mid 60's. Think it was a one year thing. The 410 MEL I think may have been only one or two years also ('58 Edsel for sure).

Sal
 
Ole Don said:
Does anyone remember the FE HD for trucks? There was a lot of product moved around the country behind these, as well as the big 401, 477, and 534. Reliable as a stone, but thirsty.
Click to expand...

There was the 330", 361", and 391" FE/FT HD truck engines among possible others. I'm using a rear sump pan off a 330" on the FE in my '40 project, something I learned from an article about installing a 427" in a '57 T-Bird many years ago.
 
Yup, I knew about the larger series, but couldn't remember what they called it.

I had a solid black 58 Edsel convertible, which someone stole years ago. Still got the pink slip for it. I was still living at home, and my dad went shopping with me for a baby T-bird, around 1962. We found the Edsel and he talked me into it.

I drove it a year or so and sold it to him, to match the 58 Edsel station wagon he had. This is where I mention dad always bought orphan cars, because they were good buys. The convertible was sold to an employee of dad's a couple years later, he paid dad a down payment, then skipped town.

It was a 58 Pacer model, the smaller series, along with the Ranger. The larger ones were the Corsair and Citation which were on Merc/Lincoln bodies. Mine had a 361 motor, and the larger ones had the 410. I never knew they were different blocks till years later.

Rick
 
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The 370, 429 and 460 engines are in the 385 engine series by Ford.

Many overlapping and confusing Ford issues.

Oldmics
 
I once bought an engine, suppose to be a 460. Was a complete running engine, the block casting said it was a 460. Installed it in my '71 F100. Several years later when I tried to get parts for it, it turned out to be a 429. Good engine though. My son still has the pickup I installed it in 30+ years ago. It is his daily driver.
 
FE 332,352,390,427 and I think the 428 are of the 352 series of engines, embossed on the front of the block.

I had an FT 390, medium duty truck engine (car crank) that had a mirrored 105 (501) embossed on the front of the block in stead of 352
 
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