In addition to FE's, what other engines/families do you dabble in?

[DEANs427]

I started with the Y-blocks in the 60s, then to the FE (all flavors). ran the same 289 in the brackets for 10 years or so, now back to y- block, with a supercharger.

[Lowrider]

Mechanic for over 40yrs so I've worked on about everything. As far as builds go, I stay with Yblocks and FE's. Love to tinker with the classics like early Hemi's and Nailheads. Not a fan of the SBC though.

[Falcon67]

  I even ran the thing on a butane torch cylinder for a while, the throttle was the knob on the torch head.  Blown head gasket?  How about blowing a head right off a motor.  Ah, good times.

......and you still managed to make it into adulthood. 


I have one small block chevy and 4 FE's for a complete rebuild/assemble over the last 30+ years. Worked on most everything I've owned to keep it going.... lawn mowers, weed eaters, Ford, Chevy, Mazda, and a BMW. Always bought used cars and tried to pass them on while there was still life in them. Do dishwashers, washing machines, and clothes dryers count??

I claim divine intervention. 

>Me and a friend built a car/ go cart with a 2 stroke 2 cyl Archimedes engine with the flywheel where you had a knot on a rope and twisted it around the flywheel to pull start it.

That was our push mower motor.  The flywheel on top had smooth sides and my dad stopped it by idling the motor and placing his palm on the side and just stopping the motor.  Rope start.  I put another motor on it after I sent the original to some comin-to-Jesus RPM and the rod came out the side.  So that's why there's a govenor. 

>Wellll, I do have a certain fondness towards Ford 385 series motors.

I'm still bummed that the 68 429 I scored was junk, rust blown out cylinder. 

[machoneman]

I've always though a 322 Buick, straight 8, would be a awesome build in a T-Bucket, with a 37, floor shift trans.

The early Hemi's are great. I had a 271 DeSoto engine, that My dad threw away when I was in the Army. The 330 and 341 DeSoto's would have been fun to play with. They were about 100 lb lighter than the 331 - 392's Chryslers. Gotta bore em out, too

Yeah, those 392's were heavy indeed! I still remember years later that it took a real man (hah!) to lift those assembled iron Hemi heads onto the short block! Christ, they were heavy and we worried about both the engine stand holding up or breaking the rented engine hoist! As to boring, we didn't need to but racers, even on nitro, did go an easy .080 over to 'save' a torched block and still had strong bores. 

[TomP]

I only dabble in two types, the FE and the Windsor style small block. I own 289, 302, 360, 390, 427 and 428 engines. Nothing else and that is amongst six vehicles, three of which were not available with either type. But no correct flathead is going in my 53 truck and no six for the 62 Ranchero or four banger for the Consul Capri. I have had other types but didn't dabble!

[Hipopinto]

I like Lima fords (2.3 turbo)

I also like Buick straight eights and small block fords

I am building a new stroker engine for my pinto it’s a 2.65 liter with a Volvo 16 valve head!

I’m hoping it will make about 750 horsepower it’s turbocharged my borg Warner EFI 9180 flows 94 lbs per minute and I have 2000 cc injectors

That head flows 295 cfm at .460 lift and 240 on the hot side with the same lift!

It should do exactly what I want it to!

The Buick straight 8 is in an Auburn speedster replica and it’s coupled to a T56 transmission

That one is a long way off of completion

Anyhow that’s my game

Thanks again
Dave

[WConley]

I like your style Dave!  Neat and eclectic stuff.

I developed an appreciation for the 2.3L Lima back in the late 80's.  I had a girlfriend who had one in a Mustang, and she tried her best to kill it.  I recall two occasions where she pulled up with a rattling valvetrain, and I had to add five quarts of oil!  The thing just wouldn't die 

I bet that Auburn is fun!

[Hipopinto]

I have not driven the auburn yet

Heck I haven’t even fired that engine and I built it about 10 years ago

I would really like to get the intake finished and light a fire in that thing!

I am building the intake it’s basically a 2x4 aluminum tube that connects to 4 runners

For the carbs I have 3 stromberg 97s

This will be a 225 hp low rpm machine but should be plenty enough to push that replica car

I’m excited about it as well

Thanks
Dave

[Rory428]

I started with Y Blocks in the early 70s, got into 351Cs in the mid 70s, but after my first FE in 1977 (66 Fairlane GTA 390,ran 12.6s and 110 MPH with a stock torque convertor), pretty much nothing but FEs until I got a free 78 Fairmont 302 around 1990. (Thanks TomP!). eventually got that Fairmont into the high 12s with the stock short block, then when I wanted to build a NHRA Stocker, the 85 Mustang 302 4 barrel looked decent, and I was able to build my entire 85 Mustang for less than I probably would have had to pay to find an even 1/2 way decent 68-70 Mustang project car. And after getting the wagging finger when the FE Fairmont got into the 9 second range, a buddy made me too good a deal on his old 331 " small block Ford to turn down. This flat tappet, pump gas SBF has gone a best of 10.15@129 MPH, less than 2 tenths slower than the 454 FE had gone. So I guess you could say I kinda like SB Fords too. Funny, don`t much care for the 351W engines, and despite owning a 429 4 barrel Thunderjet car in the early 80s, just never got too enthused about those large heavy engines. Maybe if I was looking for  a whole lot quicker performance , a 460 based engine would be considered, but at my age, I doubt I will want to go much faster than maybe mid 9s (assuming I ever upgrade the roll bar and safety gear), so for me, the small block and FE are more than adequate.

[1967FEGT]

I started off with a love for the Datsun in the early 80's. I owned a 69 SSS 510 and later installed the L series 280Z engine. I mastered adjusting SU carburetors because of the 510 and the 2000 roaster.
I have also built a few R2800 Pratt and Whitney and Packard-Merlin V12s.

As for current tinkering it's just the FE in the Shelby and maintenance on my Saab Aero Nordic Edition. ( GM Turbo V6) The Lincoln and the BMW are still under warranty.