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Ford Logic
Racer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 338
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From: Mesa Az
From the 56 and 57 passenger car specifications. Note use of the "Corvette Type Engine" in the specs.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...ges/56058a.jpg
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...ages/57052.jpg
From a 57 sales brochure listing the 'Corvette Engine"
http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/b...ages/57-01.JPG
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...ges/56058a.jpg
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...ages/57052.jpg
From a 57 sales brochure listing the 'Corvette Engine"
http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/b...ages/57-01.JPG
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
"FE" stood for Ford Engine. Ford and Edsel used the 332 and Edsel used a (unique to Edsel Ranger,Pacer)361 CI version of the 332. The bigger Edsels used a Lincoln engine.
Last edited by MikeM; Apr 27, 2010 at 07:51 AM.
Team Owner
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From: Greenville, Indiana
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In another of my automotive lives I was involved with Tri-Five Chebbies and I saw lots of dual quad '56 cars. Never, ever saw one in restored condition with aluminum valve covers.
Not sure it would have even been possible to use them; the air cleaners at the ends of the batwing were partially supported/stabilized by metal supports spot welded to special versions of the steel valve covers.
Jim
Team Owner
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From: Greenville, Indiana
Race Director
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From: northern california
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Team Owner
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From: Greenville, Indiana
The oldest parts book I have is a '61. One common valve cover services ALL '55-'59 pass car engines and '56-'59 Corvette with four barrel carb.
You can take that to mean the above engines had the steel valve covers in production.
You can take that to mean the above engines had the steel valve covers in production.
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Advanced
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Extreme NW Alabama Roll Tide
The “only” engine available in the above 1958 models was the FE 361 cubic inch.
All the Edsels used the torque rating # on the valve covers, not the cubic inch #.
The 1958 Big Car, (built on the mercury chassis), which was the Citation, and Corsair, received the Lincoln engine mentioned.
The 332 was not available in the Edsel until 1959, when dismal sales forced Ford to revamp the whole Edsel line.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
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From: indy indiana
I thought FE stood for Fairlane Engine...was told that years ago. The Thunderbird with the 312 supercharged (paxton) started it all, along with the " Ford Interceptor" or" police Interceptor" usage.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
Both counts.
The 1955 T-Bird 292 cubic inch engine had cast aluminum valve covers with the Thunderbird emblem on them.
Where do you think Chevrolet got the idea for the '56 Corvette valve covers the following year?
Last edited by MikeM; Apr 28, 2010 at 10:23 AM.
Advanced
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From: Extreme NW Alabama Roll Tide
Confused Thousands
Ford did just that with the Edsel name. Only recently, in the last decade or so, has Ford even acknowledged the Edsel car. (Such as the Ford centennial.)
The “Ford Engine” name you refer to didn’t appear until after the demise of the Edsel. And the FT didn’t come along until the next decade.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
If you had laid a multimillion dollar egg like Ford did with the Edsel, You would purge all record of the name in association with the mega failure.
Ford did just that with the Edsel name. Only recently, in the last decade or so, has Ford even acknowledged the Edsel car. (Such as the Ford centennial.)
The “Ford Engine” name you refer to didn’t appear until after the demise of the Edsel. And the FT didn’t come along until the next decade.
Ford did just that with the Edsel name. Only recently, in the last decade or so, has Ford even acknowledged the Edsel car. (Such as the Ford centennial.)
The “Ford Engine” name you refer to didn’t appear until after the demise of the Edsel. And the FT didn’t come along until the next decade.
The FE was used initially in Ford, Edsel, Mercury, Thunderbird and Ford truck. Maybe it should have been called FEMTT? Same as the big engine was called "MEL" for Mercury, Edsel and Lincoln. But wait, the MEL engine was also used in T-Bird. Maybe it should have been called MELT?
There was really nothing wrong with the Edsel that wasn't wrong with any other US car in the late 50's. It just came into a very crowded mid-sized car market during an economic downturn. There were other brands that disappeared at the same time. Packard, Hudson, Nash and the full size Studebaker.
Lot's of journalists poked fun at the styling but hey, look around at he competition in 1958. Most of the '58 cars on the market were butt ugly and loaded with chrome.
Le Mans Master
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FE stood for Ford/Edsel. The FT designation refers to Ford Truck and the MEL (Mercury/Edsel/Lincoln) were replaced by the 385 series engines. The MEL engines were 383,410, 430 & 462 cid that were offered in '58 and ended in '67. The '58 Edsel had, as an option, the 410.
Last edited by Dan Hampton; Apr 28, 2010 at 06:04 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Greenville, Indiana
Old wives tale on FE equal Ford/Edsel. FT stood for medium/heavy truck. Not light truck.
MEL did stand for Merc, Edsel and Lincoln. The the 385 series engines were the 429/460, not the ones you listed. 385 stood for the stroke of the engine (429)
We got away from the original question so I'm outa' here.
