New Members - Introduce Yourselves Here!

[JohnN-1BADFE]

Welcome aboard John, and that is a very impressive engine.  I was wondering if you did anything to the bottom end to beef it up, like a crossbolt kit or a girdle or anything?  That's a lot of power for the stock 2 bolt main setup.

Hi Jay and thanks.  That is a fair question and one I do get asked.  The answer is no, I did not girdle or crossbolt.  I know I may be gambling, but those #'s - 654HP/552TRQ are corrected-sea level as all dyno runs are.  In "reality here in Colorado" it's putting out around 500HP because of the altitude if I remember correctly from the dyno sheets. 

[JohnN-1BADFE]

[The answer is no, I did not girdle or crossbolt.  I know I may be gambling, but those #'s - 654HP/552TRQ are corrected-sea level as all dyno runs are.  In "reality here in Colorado" it's putting out around 500HP because of the altitude if I remember correctly from the dyno sheets. 

If anyone has any input on my "rationale", feel free to comment.  As I said ,I have much to learn.  Maybe, this would be a good discussion to put in the FE Tech Forum.  Jay, I have the sonic test results as well that you could put in/attach, since I'm not sure how to that.  Thanks, John

[jayb]

I think your rationale is fine; you don't need crossbolts if you are only making around 500-550 HP due to the altitude.  I have an arbitrary horsepower number of 600 where I feel it is good to start adding crossbolted mains to the engine, but if you aren't there then no worries.

There's some information on posting photos on the forum in the following link:
http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=2.0

If you have trouble with this you can certainly email the sonic check results to me and I'll post them in the technical forum for you - Jay

[Wreckless Warren]

Like many of you I am a member of the Ford Fe Forum and decided to become part of this Forum as well.  If Jay was heading it up I knew it must be top notch.  For those who do not know me already, I have two 1965 Ford Galaxie 500XL's.

The 1st one I built in 1999 as a resto-mod with a 428CJ, ED heads/RPM intake, TCI C-6 with 3500 stall, 3.70 gears and a TrakLoc. After 9 years/10K miles of fun one of the 40 year old CJ rods broke at the pin and windowed the block.  I built a 445 stroker to replace it.

The other 65 XL is a P-Code 4-speed car that my dad special ordered and gave to me in 1968. I kept it until 1984 and sold it. Amazingly  in 2004 I discovered the car was in Wisconsin in the same unrestored shape it was in when I sold it.  In 2005 I purchased the car and brought it back home here in North Florida and am in the process of a frame off restoration. The chassis and body are done and I'm now starting on the engine.  The 390 solid lifter block is going to receive another 445 stroker kit.  I hope to finish the car this year.

I am glad to be part of this forum, thanks Jay for welcoming me. ww

[jayb]

Welcome aboard, Warren, glad to see you here!

[mammyjammer]

When tractors became affordable, my Grandfather bought a Fordson tractor and when the Model T became readily available, he bought one of those.My father is almost 97 and he has never owned anything but Fomoco products.
I was brought home from the hospital in Long Beach CA in a brand new 58 Mercury Wagon and I have to assume my blood runs Ford Blue.
I currently own a 76 F-250 4X4 that I have had for over 30 years , a 68 Bronco, 2001 F-350, 2005 Explorer and my current project, a 58 Fairlane 500 2 door hardtop. The 300 HP 352 and Curiseomatic combo are coming out and a 428/ C-6 combo is going in the Fairlane.
 I have built quite a few FEs , but they have been mostly stock rebuilds with maybe a cam and bolt ons. I'm looking to make my Fairlane a decent performer and figure this is THE place to gain more knowledge to help me meet that goal.
I have to share this.....when I ran the numbers on the 58 I was quite pleased to discover that it too was born in Long Beach in 1958!!!

Scott in Reno

[jayb]

Welcome aboard, Scott.  Interestingly enough, I was also born in Long Beach CA in 1958.  Maybe we shared an obstetrician or something 

[mammyjammer]

I didn't catch his name!! LMAO...went home to Paramount in the Merc.

[hvywrench]

Hey folks, just signed up today.
I'm on the FE forum and the HAMB with the same username.
I'm the guy with the ragged '64 made famous by my nephew's video.
I'm here to learn....an ongoing process for sure.
Nice to be here!
Bill

[jayb]

Welcome Bill!

[SE2839]

Hello,
I am Ed Rader from Central Illinois, a long time Ford nut but still a relative newbie to the FE's as the proud owner for the past two years of an FE powered 1966 Mercury Comet Caliente that I call Sinister Edition. In an effort to introduce myself and allow me to get out to the garage a little faster the following has been cut and pasted from my Super Motors page. Ed

After waiting for nearly 30 years to replace the 1966 Fairlane 500 that I'd had in high school I stumbled either by accident or fate upon this 1966 Mercury Comet Caliente while surfing the offerings on E-bay. I am the fourth owner of this slightly upscale cousin of the Fairlane since it had sold new way back in 1966. When I purchased the car in June 2010 it had 47,000 original miles, it retained its original interior and it had been repainted only once in 2007. Other than paint and the addition of a Glaspac dual exhaust system the car was entirely untouched and I have retained all of the original parts so that it may be returned to its original state although at this point that seems unlikely.
Starting in October 2010 I began to modify the drive train; the first build up was a .020 over 390 with the same C6AE-R iron heads described above, a Comp Mutha Thumpr cam (for that sound), a Weiand intake manifold and a 600cfm Summit carb. This was soon removed due to a sticking valve that bent when it contacted a piston shortly after the break-in procedure had been completed and while being driven for the first time with just 20 miles on the build.
As the heads were being gone through for a second time and the bent valve was replaced it was decided to move towards more of a street and strip performer so a solid lift Comp 282S cam was swapped in, a pair of FPA headers were added with 3in exhaust and a Holley 750cfm carb was set on top while the rest of the short block remained. With around 500 total miles on this engine a knock could be heard and pulling the engine once more revealed that the number 5 rod bearing had spun on the crank.
Those fated attempts at more ponies have led to the current build as it was detailed above. The 445ci stroked 390 is now pounding out 456 dyno proven horse power with a twisting force of 476 foot pounds torque all while appearing as menacing as a gentleman in a business suit (think MadMen).

[427designer]

Hello everyone.  I'm a semi-regular on the Network54 FE forum, Tod Buttermore.  Some of you know my history with the aftermarket FE.  I'm currently working on bringing my Cleveland project to market as well as a new Model A block.  Who knows, maybe another FE will come to be with some changes I have incorporated into a new design.  First things first, though.

Tod

[jayb]

Welcome Ed and Tod, glad to see you guys here!

[4twennyAint]

So my intro is that I'm "only" 41 but I grew up with FE's.  My dad always had strong running FE's.  Through pics here;
That 55 Merc we found in WV.  A guy had dropped a 428 PI in it.  It ran great. I was going to put the engine in my 69 Q-code Mach (that's me, age 15, with all my junk).  I got the insurance estimate and due to the VIN, not even my dad could afford the insurance.  Heart broken, I sold it all and hopped in a Mustang Pace Car, 4cyl turbo.  I went on to race and build 351, 302 and 460 stuff as parts were more available.  I worked inside Ford (supplier to chassis and fuel system division for 15 years, Mech Engr.) I have a pump-gas, street driven 5.0L Mustang, best effort 10.69@127.
Dad's pulling truck was a terror in Super Stock where smaller tires were mandatory.  427 side oiler, steel crank, LeMans Rods, 13:1, 427 LR heads and a Holley 950 3 barrel.  As pictured it had a 452 ci HR set up for the Mod class.  He was nuts and would rev these things over 8,000.  Spit out a lot of driveline parts.
The 69 Cobras; red he bought new, Drag Pak 3.91 4spd, ran 13.2@104 pure stock.  Green was a CJ 4spd belonging to his brother. 
The 66 Fairlane pic from 1968 "avatar" had a 427 MR with domed pistons, big cam.  Broke the rear 13 times.  I am told by the most jaded critic (my uncle) that car's power was impressive. 

[jayb]

Welcome to the site, and that is a really great spectrum of vehicles you've got there!