Hello... some great tips & advise here sir... do read the books on Ford FE Tommie listed... excellent info... Steve Christ FE book 1 of the best out there very knowlagble fellow indeed.

Couple tricks on looking to see if block is a 428 core.. knock centre frost plug out of block.. on floor of block between clyn you will see cast into block the #'s 428
this is 100% proof + its a 428 core.
I have bored 390 & 410 blocks to 4.130 from 4.050... BUT not without a complete sonic test is performed on block.. called some of the FE masters..on min. bore thickness after boring the vote seemed to be .170 to .180 min wall thickness / street driven engines 450/500 BHP range.

Im building a 410 now , C6ME-A block , C7AE-B CJ rods , Probe forged pistons
flat top , Scat 9000 crank (very fair priced) & Probe pistons in stock fair priced also.
Cam i like to use is Isky's Mega 280 series... found it to be best overall street cam with Rhoads lifters... the dang things work. I've used this combo in Shelby GT 's Cobra kits , hot rods ,ect ect.
Heads i like are CJ iron with some time with the die grinder & if budget allows
Ed RPM alum heads are the chioice Sir also on the FE engine there weak spot is there bottom end oiling system
I like to match blocks main bearing feed holes to bearing shells, and also go on the high side on rod & main bearing clearances adding approx .001 ths over stock clearances.
Also use CJ or SCJ oil filter adapter & match fliow path to block.. see George Gessford Machine web site for FE oil mods very helpfull indeed ..easy to do tricks.
Also on iron CJ heads i like to use .090th oil restrictors in heads... i cut off the tips of Chevy SB pushrods & load them in feed holes there perfect @ .090 ID.
This trick helps keep oil down stairs were it needed & not flooding the valve train & lifter valley.
Oil pan i like to use is Kevko road race oil pan , low profile 7qt fair priced to boot..

Here's a tipical build sheet on FE428 street engine:
1-Block stripped & tanked & magnafluxed & sonic tested .170th min wall thickness
Main bearing saddle oil feed holes matched to bearings, oil filter pad on block feed holes matched to CJ oil filter adapter (see George Gessford site for details)

2-Block bores Sunnen honed to 4.130 380 grit stones used for plasma moly rings.
Speed-Pro forged pistons L2303NF fitted to bores @ .0025th piston to bore.
Speed-Pro moly file fit rings fitted to bores top ring .016th second ring .019th.
Piston deck clearance .006th with Fel-Pro head gasket .047th piston to cyln deck clearance.

3- Block decked .006th finish to suite Fel-Pro alum head gaskets , Edelbrock RPM alum. Heads used , ARP head & main stud kit installed in block .

4- New Clevite 77 cam bearings loaded & brass frost plugs & drain plugs installed.

5-Crankshaft Ford casting IU code CJ ground & polished on Norton grinder mains ground to 2.738 & rods ground to 2.428 on low limits .

Crankshaft end play is .006th ,Engine Works USA S.F.I. fluid damper
Used , bearings mains & rods are Clevite 77 series deburred & scotch brite polished.

6-Rods are 428 CJ high perf fully resized , new small end bushings installed forging lines removed from beams & rods shot peened ,Milodon
rod bolts installed. Rods resized on Sunnen power stroker, centre to centre held within .001.

7-Oil pump is Melling HV blueprinted M57-HV , ARP 4130 forged pump drive used
With ARP oil pump bolts , custom HV oil pump pick up installed.

8- Camshaft is Isky Mega series hyd. # 351281 lift is .565 , duration 232 @ .050 lift
108 lobe centre line, Rhoads vari duration & lift & anti pump up hyd lifters used.

9- Chain & gear set is Rollmaster billet steel full comp series .250 dia, seemless pins

10- Edlebrock RPM alum heads # 60069 72cc chambers 170cc intake runner ,125cc
Exhaust runner, intake valve dia. 2.090 exhaust dia. 1.660

11- Head gasket used is Fel-Pro # 1020 pre flattened SS combustion fire ring.

12- Rocker assemblies are Harland Sharp alum roller rockers 1.7:1 ratio with Ford
FE rocker stands & DSC custom rocker shafts , grade 8 rocker shaft bolts & washers
used..060th shims used on intake rocker arms to align roller rocker tips to centre of
intake valve tip (rocker arm set screw turned 1& ¾ turn clockwise from 0 lash= approx
.060 lifter plunge movement to set preload on Rhoads lifters) NOTE under no
circumstances remove low RPM ticking sound from this engine, the ticking you may
hear are the Rhoads lifters working this mild solid cam sound is 100% normal & will
fade as RPM climbs past 2500 RPM.

13-Intake is Edlebrock RPM range 1500 to 6500 RPM, Permatex copper RTV used
with aviation sealant used on intake & heads & block valley rails.

14- Engine is painted with VHT high heat gloss black & VHT high heat clear.

15- Flywheel is Hayes billet steel with Centre Force II clutch set up & Lakewood S.F.I. bellhouse.

16-Carb is Holley 750CFM by Quick Fuel USA fully recalibrated ,with secondary jet extentions ,power vavle protection ,5.5 power valve ,high flow needle & seat ,Nitro filled floats.

17- Ignition is MSD billet distributor fully adjustable, Mega-Fire 8.5mm wires reverse
Magnetic field, MSD 6-AL ignition amp system supplied ,spark plugs are Bosh
Platinum set @ .050th as per MSD spec for compression of engine.

Hope this helps........... best regards Daryl aka Dr,Dee