Ford launched its FE big-block for 1958, and over the next decade the Ford FE displacements grew from 332 to 428 cubic inches. The same basic block carried family sedans, an Edsel, Thunderbirds, NASCAR racers and the Cobra Jet Mustang. In fact, most of those engines share one bore or one stroke with a sibling.

Below are eight Ford FE displacements in the order Ford introduced them. Each year comes from the sources linked in its section. Also, where a source gives a horsepower rating, the year it applies to comes with it.

1. 1958 Ford FE 332, the First of the FE Displacements

The family started small, because the FE made its 1958 debut at 332 cubic inches, with a 4.00-inch bore and a 3.30-inch stroke. Its exact size works out to 331.8 cubic inches, according to the Auto History Preservation Society’s FE overview.

That 4.00-inch bore set the pattern for the next engine, too. The DIY Ford FE guide notes that Ford offered the 332 as an option in its passenger cars until 1959. After that, larger versions took over the lineup.

2. 1958 Ford FE 352

Ford did not wait long for a bigger version. A 352 followed later in the 1958 model year, as DIY Ford tells it. It kept the 332’s 4.00-inch bore but stretched the stroke to 3.50 inches, for a true 351.9 cubic inches.

The Auto History Preservation Society says Ford sold it as part of its “Interceptor” performance line. Then, for 1960, Ford built its first dedicated high-performance FE on the 352. That engine had a special block, a solid-lifter cam and a Holley four-barrel on an aluminum intake. DIY Ford lists its rating at 360 horsepower.

3. 1958–1959 Ford FE 361

Ford’s new Edsel brand got an FE of its own. The 361 combined a wider 4.046-inch bore with the 352’s 3.500-inch stroke. Both sources tie it to the 1958 and 1959 Edsel, and DIY Ford lists it as an Edsel-only engine in that period.

However, the size did not disappear with the Edsel. According to the FE overview, the 361 later returned in Ford trucks starting in 1968. As a result, the 361 had a second career well after the Edsel years.

4. 1961 Ford FE 390

The 390 arrived for 1961 in Ford passenger cars. Its 4.05-inch bore and 3.785-inch stroke give an exact 390.06 cubic inches, per the Auto History Preservation Society. As a result, it became the base for several later sizes.

Ford also built two high-performance versions that first year. DIY Ford rates the single four-barrel engine at 375 horsepower. Meanwhile, the version with three Holley two-barrels made 401 horsepower. When the 1962 season opened, that 401-horsepower 390 was still Ford’s top engine, as the DIY Ford history puts it.

5. 1962 Ford FE 406

Ford answered its rivals with a mid-year engine for 1962. The 406 used its own dedicated performance block. It paired a 4.13-inch bore with the 390’s 3.785-inch stroke, for an exact 405.7 cubic inches.

The Auto History Preservation Society says the 406 replaced the high-performance 390. In four-barrel form, DIY Ford rates it at 385 horsepower. Even so, its run proved short, because a bigger bore was already on the way.

6. 1963 Ford FE 427

Ford introduced the 427 in 1963 as the replacement for the 406. It kept the 3.78-inch stroke but opened the bore to 4.23 inches. Like the 406, Ford offered it only in high-performance form, according to the FE overview.

DIY Ford lists 410 horsepower with one four-barrel and 425 horsepower with two four-barrels. That second setup came straight off the showroom floor. On NASCAR’s high banks, the DIY Ford guide credits the 427 with helping Ford dominate the series. It also notes 427-powered wins at Le Mans.

7. 1966–1967 Ford FE 410 (Mercury)

The 410 belonged to Mercury, but Ford built it by stroking the 390 to 3.98 inches while keeping the 4.05-inch bore. That combination produced 410 cubic inches.

According to the Auto History Preservation Society, it went only into Mercury vehicles, for 1966 and 1967. Its 3.98-inch stroke is also the link to the last engine on this list. DIY Ford points out that the 428 shared that same stroke.

8. 1966 Ford FE 428

Of all the Ford FE displacements, the 428 was the largest. Ford stroked the 406 to make it, with a 4.13-inch bore and a 3.98-inch stroke. It first arrived in 1966 to give Thunderbirds and full-size Galaxies smooth power, says DIY Ford.

Car Life tested a 1966 Galaxie 7-Litre with “the new Thunderbird 428 engine,” rated at 345 gross horsepower. Curbside Classic has reprinted that January 1966 road test. Later, Ford turned the 428 into the Cobra Jet, built from 1968 to 1970. Fitted to a Mustang or Torino, DIY Ford notes, the Cobra Jet carried a conservative rating of 335 horsepower.

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This article was created with the help of AI and was reviewed and edited by Fast Lane Only editors before publication.