Thread: Recommended FE to purchase

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I have the opportunity to purchase a 390 2V from '61, '63, '64 or '67. I have read and heard of differences among years for quality of block for boring and material used for crankshafts. Does anyone have a recommendation as to which would be best? I plan to put it in a '64 Falcon, mostly street and show but would like opportunity to race. Modifications would be limited to stock parts where possible, cam, compression, intake and headers, looking for a stock type appearance.

go with an 65-up engine.for 2 reasons they have bosses for both types of motor mounts(early and late,early beening 61-64) and the cams,timing gears are different. all the cams in the catalogs are for 65 and up.all cranks are cast with the exception of the 427's and a few late 406's.most parts interchange,the best heads for the 390 are the 390 gt and 428 cj heads.and the oiling system needs to be modified so the engine will live at higher rpm.be careful when pulling heads off of 390 fairlanes there heads have the same exhaust bolt pattern as the 428 cj heads,except the 2-barrel heads have very small intake ports don't breath well. good luck