1958 FORD THUNDERBIRD PRE PRODUCTION SERIES
As with the introduction of any new product, there was a lot of ballyhoo associated with the new FE series of engines, with the advertising touting their “Precision Fuel Induction”. The known variations have been covered below, however it is possible that others may exist.ģ32 (5.4 liter) Bore: 4.00″ Stroke: 3.30″Īvailable only in 19 as a $59 option, this is one of the easier members of the family to overlook. Please note the various sources used in the article were focused on the United States market. Even more interesting, let’s see in what automobiles these engines sometimes found a home. So in an effort to best harness all there is to know about this family of very dynamic engines, let’s look at them in order of increasing displacement. In its early years, the displacement of the highest output FE series engine changed annually – if not more frequently. The FE, whose introduction coincided with that of the ill-fated Edsel, was a more modern and lower maintenance engine one that would be able to generate the kind of power needed during the horsepower race of the times. Ford’s M-E-L and “385” engines, with their 4.90″ bore spacing, were the true big blocks. In essence, the FE engine is neither a small block nor a large block engine, but a medium block. The FE engine had a wider bore-spacing (separation between bore centers) that the Y-block, with 4.63″ instead of 4.38″.
The FE did maintain a deep-skirted block like the Y-block, though. The differences between it and the FE series were many most notably the FE had hydraulic valve lifters in contrast to the Y-block having mechanical lifters, and the FE’s cylinder head was much more conducive to better breathing than the Y-blocks poor porting design. While the last version of the Y-block, the 292 V8, hung around until the end of 1962, it was well past its sell-by date. These will be covered here too, but for medium-heavy duty truck applications, the FE engine was called the FT, and its specific details and many variants are not within the scope of this article.)įord’s original overhead valve V8 engines, introduced in 1954 and known more commonly as the Y-block due to its deep-skirted block, started life at 239 cubic inches (3.9 l) and maxed out at 312 (5.1 L).
The FE was used extensively in Ford’s light-duty trucks, like its popular F-Series pickups. Used in Ford, Mercury, and Edsel automobiles, this engine was the bread-and-butter Ford V8 for many years and would last in automotive applications until 1971. The FE series of engine, so named as a contraction of “Ford – Edsel”, had automotive displacements ranging from 332 cubic inches to 428 cubic inches with power output from 220 horsepower to 425 horsepower.
With the displacement of their original overhead valve V8’s becoming limited, Ford introduced the FE series in 1958. To power the automobiles that were steadily becoming heavier due to this philosophy, larger displacement engines generating ever more power become crucial to stay competitive. (first posted ) As the 1950s unfolded, it quickly became apparent that “longer, lower, and wider” was the prevailing design methodology.
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