Thread: FE Identification

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Greetings from CA! Glad to have found your website! We have a project '56 Ford PU getting ready to enter the shop and are trying to id the engine. Was told it was a 427, but it appears to be a 406 or perhaps a 390 HP block? Block casting: C3AE, and HP 24. Heads: C2SE & 6090 B (or E). Crank casting: C1AE-A. Rod: C2AE-B. Also has an aftermarket Edelbrock cross ram style X-F66 intake #4041 without any linkage. Anyone know where to find linkage? Any and all help is much appreciated!

Does it have cross bolted main caps??

C3AE-6015-?? There should be a letter or 2 at the end of the casting number. The HP cast in does designate a HIPO block. My guess either a 406 or a 427. Like Daffy427 said the 427 came stock with crossbolted caps. C3AE-6015-D or V is a 406 block and would not have come crossbolted from the factory. But solid lifter block, oil pressure relief and HD webbing and cranksaddle. The D block also has the crossbolt bosses cast in there where the V block does not. Those C2AE-6090-B heads are 406 heads. Does the crank have grooved journals?

Thanks for the quick replies... I'll need to look at the caps... not being familiar with these early fords, I may need some direction on what you mean by "cross bolted" unless it is obvious when I stop by the shop. We did not see any letter(s) following the block casting numbers but I'll check it, the crank, and the caps again this evening.

There are 3 crossbolts on each side of the block right above the oil pan rail. If you look at this site www.genesis427.com you'll see them. Sorry I don't have any stock pics handy. The center 3 maincaps are crossbolted. This prevented "capwalk" seen at high rpms under constant load. Mopar did the same to the Hemi. They are still used today on the 4.6 Mod engines.

This is a strange one... was thinking for sure it was a 406 but the bore and stroke show the same as the 427. Doesn't appear to be cross bolted though... Perhaps it is one of the very early blocks from 1962...

What bore measurement are you seeing? 406 has a stock 4.13 bore. 427 4.23 stock. And there were some 406 blocks cast with thicker 427 cyl wall cores. Stroke on both were 3.78. So it's very possible the block has 427 wall cores. You can remove the freeze plugs on both sides of the block. And gap the space between the cyls with drill bits using the shank side of the bit to gap with. 427 cyl wall cores will normally host a 7/64" bit size and 406's a 13/64" bit size. This is just commonly know as the drill bit test. While it won't confirm total thickness like a sonic map. It will tell you what your looking at there as a simple field test.

We were at 4.23, and the pistons are still marked as std. The block & crank were just dropped off for hot tank this morning and the machinist verified the readings. He'd said not all 427 engines had the cross bolts, which I thought they all were. The freeze plugs are already out so we'll do the bit test this week. Thjanks for sharing your knowledge.

Being the block is at the shop maybe have them sonic map it for thickness. This way you'll be able to see any coreshift and actual thickness around the cyl wall. This will also let you know how much room there is for future overbore if needed. The 406 was also used as a test mule for the 427 development. Just as the 390hp was for the 406. This was a interesting time in Ford production as their performance years were gearing up.

OK... the block bore shows it's an early 427, and the pistons are stamped std. The machine shop says it is marginal but we should be OK with the hone job and use the same pistons with Chevy BB rings (that makes us nervous). I assume the heads are low rise but how can we tell for sure? Thanks!

Well all 427's have the same 4.23 cyl bore both early and late. But it's good the block is still std bore. Hopefully the oversize rings do the trick. Most 58-66 heads were lowrisers. Exceptions are the 63-64 high riser and 65 medium riser. But I can assure you the C2AE-6090-B 406 heads are lowriser. But measure the intake ports 2.34 x 1.34. Exhaust ports are 1.84 x 1.28.

Also something else unique to some 406 heads was the use of a 1.65 exhaust valve stock from the factory. While still using the 2.02 intake valve. Most books, literature and websites list them as 1.55 which is incorrect. For years I found it odd many of the stock 406 heads I had only the larger ex valve. Till I learned they came that way stock. As the most common valve upgrades are both 2.09 and 1.65 like the CJ heads used. I had to LOL wondering why everyone only changed the ex valves. Duh!! Most books and websites also show the C3AE-C as 406 heads and having larger ex valves. Where the C2AE-B and C used them too. As for those C3AE-C 406 heads I've never seen a pair. Small chambers with valve spring seat cups and 1.65 ex valves. But I hear they are out there. I dunno but I'd hafta see it to believe it. There are C3AE-C 390 heads with larger chambers and NO seat cups. Smaller 1.55 ex valves too. Lots mistake these as true 406 heads which they are not. But see the number listed as a 406 head and say "well the book says so" so they must be. LOL.