[Check6]

What does the FE stand for as in 428 FE?
Thanks,
Fred

 

[Leon B]

I've heard several theories with one of them being FE is the symbol for Iron. Another that it stands for "Ford-Edsel"

 

[Blackshadow]

Here another one Ford Engine :bigthumbsup

 

[rodbender]

Here another one Ford Engine :bigthumbsup

According to Ford Hi-po guide, this is correct. Not Ford-Edsel or Ford Engineering.

 

[Cracker289]

FE stood for Ford-Edsel; it was the new modern hi-tech engine to power the Edsel which was the new hi-tech unibody car. With minor changes for the engine to be used in trucks, the designation changes to FT which of course stood for Ford-Truck.

Of course you can hit wikipedia and read all the FE & FT history your heart desires.

 

[66Sprint200]

Cracker, there is no way on earth that the Edsel is a unibody. I know, I used to have a 1959 Ranger, and I've driven several 1958 Edsels. They are full seperate frame cars.

And FE started out meaning Ford-Edsel, but it's possible they changed it to Ford Engines sometime after the Edsel failed in 3 years.

 

[Tbirdtony]

Hi everyone. When the 332 cu. in. V-8 came out in 1958 the casting of this block and subsequent engines of that family (352, 390, 406, 427, 428, etc.) were called FE engines. FE stood for Ford-Edsel. There is a possiblilty that Ford changed what FE stood for after Edsel production was stopped in 1960, but I have never heard of any other name for FE. FE has always meant Ford-Edsel.

 

[Ivy66GT]

...it's possible they changed it to Ford Engines sometime after the Edsel failed in 3 years.

That sounds likely since after 1960 Ford didn't want to admit there ever had been an Edsel.

As I recall Edsel, the man, had a 10-car garage built as a huge turntable so that no matter which car was to driven it could be the one at the front of the garage next to the door. Now THAT is an Edsel Idea I could use. I think he was also the one with a 2/3 scale house in the back yard built as a play house for the kids which was also kinda interesting.

 

[v8only]

FE=Fuel Efficient

 

[Ivy66GT]

FE=Fuel Efficient

Did you miss the part where he said '428'? :gringreen

 

[v8only]

of course...I was just being funny

 

[David Suesz]

Oddly, the 390 was pretty good on gas, if you kept your foot out of it.

The FE engine was intended as the all new powerplant designed for the all new Ford Edsel, the car Ford was planning to use as the flagship for a whole new line of cars. They didn't plan on introducing a fancy new car with all sorts of Motorama car show gimmicks during a recession, but that's what they got. They did plan on using a butt-ugly horse collar in the middle of the grille, though. And yeah, they tried to forget the whole thing ever happened a few years later. I suspect if you asked them, they'd claim the E stood for "anything but Edsel". Shows a certain hubris, naming a car after a person. At least the Fairlane was named after a house.

 

[66Sprint200]

The Fairlane was named after a motel. And I LOVE the Edsel. I miss my 1959 Ranger. It was a 2 door sedan, gold & white, with a green & white interior.

 

[David Suesz]

No, it was named after the Ford estate, Fair Lane.

Fair Lane history Henry Clara Ford Dearborn Estate Story Ford Motor University Michigan Model T

 

[Cracker289]

Cracker, there is no way on earth that the Edsel is a unibody. I know, I used to have a 1959 Ranger, and I've driven several 1958 Edsels. They are full seperate frame cars.

And FE started out meaning Ford-Edsel, but it's possible they changed it to Ford Engines sometime after the Edsel failed in 3 years.

I stand corrected! Although now I am totally lost as to what the big deal behind the Edsel, if it wasn't a unibody, then what where all the high tech advances that Ford spent millions of dollars engineering, before dumping them into an "aesthetically unpleasing" package?

 

[6T6Coupe]

Jay Leno has one of them turntables to get his rides out of the garage/airport hanger he keeps them in. I know its true because i seen it on TV.

 

[CMS289]

Ford-Edsel. But in your case, I would call it Fred's Engine!

 

[Chuck M]

At the risk of opening up a whole new can of worms, I think the Edsels were good looking cars introduced at exactly the wrong time.

 

[Willystyle21]

In a article several years old now, I read that it stood for "Foundry Error"; but who knows anymore.....

 

[66Sprint200]

I stand corrected! Although now I am totally lost as to what the big deal behind the Edsel, if it wasn't a unibody, then what where all the high tech advances that Ford spent millions of dollars engineering, before dumping them into an "aesthetically unpleasing" package?

The Edsels came with a couple features that other car companies laughed at the time (hood safety latch, transmission locked in park until key was turned, head rests tipped forward for comfort, distributor & coil at front of the engine, and of course the rotating speedometer that would light up when you hit the speed limit).

The Edsel was just released at the wrong time. I think they are a pretty car, I miss my 1959 Ranger.