Don't shoot me, but does anybody know Ford BB's

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Coyote Jack

Coyote Jack

Member #55, I'm old
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I find myself a little lacking in knowledge of Ford big blocks. If anybody can school me on what blocks, heads and cranks to be looking for. I have a contact for parts but I want to know what I'm looking at and what to be looking for. He is most likely going the 428 route but I told him if the is a 429 shotgun block and heads he may want to go that route. This is for my brothers 69 Mustang fastback build which is starting to move along.

Jack
 
Some BB Fords are awesome!
 

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First, Jack, let me go this route. There's no such thing as a "big block Ford." It's a generic term that gets hung on a world stuck in Chevy land.

The first thing to learn, is when you get into the Ford you have to know the family. The 428 you're talking about is an FE, along the lines of the 390. The 429 you're talking about is from the 385 series, built along the same lines as the 460. Parts don't interchange between the two families.

Personally, I like the FE series. 428 cubes is nothing to sneeze at and it's light compared to the 385 series.

What don't you know? As far as heads, block, etc? Help identifying? Help with which route to go? Which is "superior" to the other? Your questions are somewhat generic.
 
Thanks for the insight guys. I will give Rob a call. That seems to be the most common advice.

To answer a few questions.
My brother is not sure on the route he wants to take.
He is leaning toward the 428 platform.
It is going to be a street car, but with some muscle.
The casting numbers of the better parts are what I was after.

As far as putting the engine together, I am confident that once the machining is done, I can do it with the proper book to follow. I have built many engines, just no Fords.

Jack
 
Coyote Jack said:
Thanks for the insight guys. I will give Rob a call. That seems to be the most common advice.

To answer a few questions.
My brother is not sure on the route he wants to take.
He is leaning toward the 428 platform.
It is going to be a street car, but with some muscle.
The casting numbers of the better parts are what I was after.

As far as putting the engine together, I am confident that once the machining is done, I can do it with the proper book to follow. I have built many engines, just no Fords.

Jack
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Leaning towards the FE platform is where I'd go, too. To me, it's a better head design, having played with a few FE's and 385's over my career.
 
ramenth said:
Leaning towards the FE platform is where I'd go, too. To me, it's a better head design, having played with a few FE's and 385's over my career.
Click to expand...

if the bud has the beans, he ought to go w/ a boss 429, way rarer than Chrysler hemis. and all hemis are kick *** !
 
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