Dove's FE Claims

This is an objective topic, but I was just over on Dove's website http://www.doveengineparts.com/ where I found:
"So, you have decided to build an F.E. engine. Good, because it is the best V-8 to come out of Detroit ever. We will cover four different levels of performance." They list a few examples to attempt to back up the claim.

I like FE's (and all Fords) but don't know much about them....anyone care to support or refute the claim? I know BarryR will probably chime in

I ran FE's for years in pulling trucks and then my race car. They were WAY ahead of there time with many innovative qualities and they are FINE engines IMO. Best V8 to come out of detriot? That's a very bold statement. I've used DOVE products as well and have no major complaints. I like both FE and 385 engines but for now I'm running a 385 series engine.

I have a real soft spot for FE's. I've never really hot rodded any of them but i ran a couple of 352's and 360's in an old 1 ton, i loved them. I do know one thing...
Never EVER count one out.
About Doves website.....I've been there b4....IDK if he's full of shit or not.. some of it is true.. about outrunning the roush engines and such........i'd have to see that.

I've ran an FE in my 66 Comet since 1985. They are a tough engine and run great. But I'm not sure about the best engine to ever come out of Detroit? These 385 series make alot HP very easily and are tough as hell too.

Here's a little light reading for you...

http://www.network54.com/Forum/74182/thread/1250519404/585%26quot%3B+SOHC+on+the+dyno

canzus wrote:Here's a little light reading for you...

http://www.network54.com/Forum/74182/thread/1250519404/585%26quot%3B+SOHC+on+the+dyno

Man, that thing is nasty..... I've read about him on the drag weeks stuff before. Gotta love the SOHC

Definetly neat engines, but they wouldn't be my first choice for a max effort race engine. I'd be willing to bet for what he has in the cammer you'd be able to have a 1200+ hp 460 based sportsman engine and still have money left over to go racing.

no doubt they are pricey...even for the non-SOHC. Take a look on Keith Craft's site at what he's asking for some FE's...not cheap/hp

I agree about the FE being tough and a good engine, but not the best by a long shot. I still like to reminess about the 57 300 custom and the Fairlane 427 days. I don't know about now, but when DOVE mfd first stadted they had alot of JUNK castings in their Alum. products.

I kinda like FEs.......



Lots of smileys to pick from - I suppose that's an upgrade....

I think whoever designed the FE block and whoever designed the Chrysler B block must have had lunch together back in their day...

Really, I did'nt know that, But , I don't know anything about NOpars.
Glad your here Randy

"Back in the day", I built a lot of FE's. I quit doing them 25 years ago and sold off everything I had for them EXCEPT the special tools I'd made. They'll "run real fine, last a long time" IF you do everything right BUT, damn few people will pay to do what I consider is necessary.

I also have a big soft spot in my heart for FEs, I still have a bunch of them in service from the 390 in my F 250 p/u to the 427 MR in my 67 Fairlane with some variations in between. But the 385 series takes up where the FEs leave off. I couldn't see hammering a valuable 427 S/O in a v-drive boat when a much cheaper, more plentiful 460 will do a better job. I think the statements made by Dove were more self promotion than fact but if you dedicate your life to one particular product then you should promote the beejeesus out of it. I wouldn't take any of that too seriously.

Back in the late 70's early 80's we hunted coyotes a lot with pickups. All of the Ford guys were running 390's. They were fairly easy on gas and ran like a herd of goosed mooses. Tough old motors for sure. Most of them kept up with the chebbie girls and their 454's. We'd go twice as far on gas and had just as much power. Most of our 390's were still running on the old Motorcraft or Holley 2bbl carbs too.

i think if you are in the retro crowd, build a fe but for the all out performance the 385 series motor will kill any fe ,cube for cube, dollar for dollar

I have a 390 in one of my Galaxies. It is a sweet running motor that looks cool. I built it to cruise around, not to race. I would love to build a stroker FE for my 67 Mustang, but I already bought motor/trans mounts for a 460. And I have a set of Windsor Senior heads, so a 427 Windsor would be sweet.........Automotive A.D.D strikes again............


This is why I will never be rich.......

Barry_R wrote:I kinda like FEs.......



Lots of smileys to pick from - I suppose that's an upgrade....

Quite an understatement LOL

Dollar for dollar no question.

But on a fairly measured per cubic inch measurement I can get the old FE pretty competitive based on EMC results - - of course I cannot get them nearly as large.

Barry_R wrote:Dollar for dollar no question.

But on a fairly measured per cubic inch measurement I can get the old FE pretty competitive based on EMC results - - of course I cannot get them nearly as large.

Barry, What is the biggest FE that you've seen or heard of?

I've prsonally done a couple of 520 inchers tha ran around 770HP with 12.5:1 compression and a couple 4 bbls.

At least one gent has done a Cammer (more swing room without a camshaft in the way) that was at 580 inches with a 4.5 crank"

Barry_R wrote:I've prsonally done a couple of 520 inchers tha ran around 770HP with 12.5:1 compression and a couple 4 bbls.

At least one gent has done a Cammer (more swing room without a camshaft in the way) that was at 580 inches with a 4.5 crank"

Is that Jay's cammer? From what I read on the FE Forum a few weeks ago, it was VERY impressive!!

Barry,

What kind of numbers where the gt40 and NASCAR 427 motors laying down back in the day? Real stuff not the bs ratings ford gave them.

This car has a 512" FE. It was built by Kuntz&Co. It dyno'ed (I think around 840 on a single 4).He was w/us at Norwalk last month and run a 9.04 off foot brake.

X2 Rick!,
Bad-Azz!!! And the best sounding engine there too. INCREDIBLE. You had to hear it to believe it. Go Randy!

Hotrodmerc, I like your new avatar photo!
Al