Ford was unique in that it had two very different big-block engine designs during the height of the muscle car era. The original FE engine design was pioneered in the late 1950s, primarily as a more powerful replacement for the dated Y-block design. What began as torquey engines meant to move heavyweight sedans morphed into screaming high-performance mills that won Le Mans and drag racing championships throughout the 1960s. By the late 1960s, the FE design was dated, so Ford replaced it with the 385 series, also known as the Lima design, in displacements of 429 and 460 ci, which was similar to the canted-valve Cleveland design being pioneered at the same time. It didn’t share the FE pedigree of racing success, mostly due to timing, but the new design was better in almost every way; it exists via Ford Motorsports’ offerings to this day. Beginning in 1971, the 429 found its way between the fenders of Mustangs and Torinos in high-compression 4-barrel versions called the Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet, and they were some of the most powerful passenger car engines Ford had ever built. If the muscle car era had not died out shortly after the release of these powerful engines, without a doubt the 429 performance variants would be ranked with the legendary big-blocks of all time. In this revised edition of How to Rebuild Big-Block Ford Engines, now titled Ford 429/460 Engines: How to Rebuild, Ford expert Charles Morris covers all the procedures, processes, and techniques for rebuilding your 385 Series big-block. Step-by-step text provides details for determining whether your engine actually needs a rebuild, preparation and removal, disassembly, inspection, cleaning, machining and parts selection, reassembly, start-up, and tuning. Also included is a chapter in building the special Boss 429 engines, as well as a bonus chapter on the Ford 351 Cleveland, Ford’s little brother to the big-block.

Learn to make incredible horsepower from Ford’s most powerful big-block engine design. For years, Ford relied on the venerable FE big-block engine design to power its passenger cars, trucks, and even muscle cars—and why not? The design was rugged, reliable, amortized, and a proven race winner at Le Mans and drag strips across the country. However, as is always the case with technology, time marches on, and Ford had a new design with many improvements in mind. Enter the 385 family of engines (also known as the “Lima” big-block). Produced from 1968–1998, the 385-series engines were used in multiple applications from industrial trucks to muscle cars and luxury cruisers. In Ford 429/460 Engines: How to Build Max Performance, which was written by Ford expert Jim Smart, all aspects of performance building are covered, including engine history and design, induction systems, cylinder heads, the valvetrain, camshaft selection, the engine block, and rotating assemblies. The best options, optimal parts matching, aftermarket versus factory parts, budget levels, and build levels are also examined. The 429/460 engines are a good platform for stroking, so that is covered here as well. Whether you want to build a torque-monster engine for your off-road F-150, a better-preforming version of a 1970s-era smog motor for your luxury Lincoln, or an all-out high-horsepower mill for your muscle car, this book is a welcome addition to your performance library.

If you have one of the 351C, 351M, 400, 429 or 460 Ford V8s, this comprehensive book is a must. It walks you through a complete engine rebuild, step-by-step, with minimum use of special tools. Save money by finding out if your engine really needs rebuilding, or just simple and inexpensive maintenance. Results from diagnosis outlines in this book should be your guide, not the odometer. All rebuilding steps are illustrated from beginning to end. How to inspect parts of damage and wear, and to recondition each part yourself to get the job done right! The most complete source of information identifying major engine parts. Casting numbers, parts description, when a part was used and how it can be interchanged is fully covered in the text, in 20 tables and in 560 photos or drawings. This book will make you an expert!

All engines are covered in full detail in this Workbench series rebuild volume. Included are step-by-step heavily illustrated instructions, that walk you through the entire process of rebuilding your Ford engine. If you want to breathe new life into your tired old Ford engine, this is the book for you.

If there is one thing Ford enthusiasts have learned over the years, deciphering which Ford parts work with which Ford engines is a far more difficult task than with many other engine families. Will Cleveland heads fit on my Windsor block? Can I build a stroker motor with factory parts? Can I gain compression by using older-model cylinder heads, and will it restrict flow? Is there a difference between Windsor 2-barrel and 4-barrel heads? These are just a few examples of common questions Ford fans have. These and many other questions are examined in this all-new update of a perennial best seller. Thoroughly researched and, unlike previous editions, now focused entirely on the small-block Windsor and Cleveland engine families, Ford Small Block Engine Parts Interchange includes critical information on Ford’s greatest small-block engines and goes into great detail on the highly desirable high-performance hardware produced throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. By combining some of the best parts from various years, some great performance potential can be unlocked in ways Ford never offered to the general public. Following the advice in Ford Small-Block Engine Parts Interchange, these engine combinations can become reality. You will find valuable information on cranks, blocks, heads, cams, intakes, rods, pistons, and even accessories to guide you through your project. Author George Reid has once again done extensive research to accurately deliver a thorough and complete collection of Ford small-block information in this newly revised edition. Knowing what internal factory engine parts can be used across the wide range of production Ford power plants is invaluable to the hot rodder and swap meet/eBay shopper. Whether building a stroker Cleveland or a hopped-up Windsor, this book is an essential guide.

The Ford FE (Ford Edsel) engine is one of the most popular engines Ford ever produced, and it powered most Ford and Mercury cars and trucks from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s. For many of the later years, FE engines were used primarily in truck applications. However, the FE engine is experiencing a renaissance; it is now popular in high-performance street, strip, muscle cars, and even high-performance trucks. While high-performance build-up principles and techniques are discussed for all engines, author Barry Rabotnick focuses on the max-performance build-up for the most popular engines: the 390 and 428. With the high-performance revival for FE engines, a variety of builds are being performed from stock blocks with mild head and cam work to complete aftermarket engines with aluminum blocks, high-flow heads, and aggressive roller cams. How to Build Max-Performance Ford FE Engines shows you how to select the ideal pistons, connecting rods, and crankshafts to achieve horsepower requirements for all applications. The chapter on blocks discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each particular block considered. The book also examines head, valvetrain, and cam options that are best suited for individual performance goals. Also covered are the best-flowing heads, rocker-arm options, lifters, and pushrods. In addition, this volume covers port sizing, cam lift, and the best rocker-arm geometry. The FE engines are an excellent platform for stroking, and this book provides an insightful, easy-to-follow approach for selecting the right crank, connecting rods, pistons, and making the necessary block modifications. This is the book that Ford FE fans have been looking for.

In How to Rebuild and Modify Ford C4 and C6 Automatic Transmissions, author George Reid walks readers through the process step-by-step, from removing the transmission, to complete overhaul, to proper re-installation and road testing.