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Technical fe 427 into 1957 ford

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by rustymetal, Feb 11, 2018.

  1. rustymetal
    Joined: Feb 18, 2003
    Posts: 557

    rustymetal
    Member

    hi could someone tell what headers or manifolds work for a fe 427 in a 1957 ford.
    it is a nice car and don,t want to cut it up and don,t want to waste my money buying stuff that doesn,t work.
    like to hear from somebody that got one.
    any help would be appreciated thanks ggk0569.jpg
     
    IronFord, slim38, LOU WELLS and 6 others like this.
  2. Can't help you but what a sleeper.Love it.
     
  3. loudbang likes this.
  4. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,029

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

    Don't know what he used, but a friend did that swap MANY years ago (1969ish).
    An interesting car it was.

    Mike
     

  5. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,802

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Seems like a 58-59 stock FE's would work. I don't believe there were any major frame/inner body changes made for those 3 yrs.
     
    JoeyBulldog, warbird1 and loudbang like this.
  6. Mark T
    Joined: Feb 19, 2007
    Posts: 2,033

    Mark T
    Member

  7. rustymetal
    Joined: Feb 18, 2003
    Posts: 557

    rustymetal
    Member

    hi 57 300
    do you have one of those in your 57
    called crites a few days ago they are 6 weeks behind.
    some one said they repop cast manifolds but don,t know who it is.
    thanks for the help
     
    loudbang likes this.
  8. PoTaToTrUcK
    Joined: Oct 5, 2013
    Posts: 418

    PoTaToTrUcK

    LH Header.jpg
    I am running Tri-Y from Ford Powertrain Applications, no cutting at all. I can bolt the 272 back right back with no changes.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Feb 12, 2018
  9. LM14
    Joined: Dec 18, 2009
    Posts: 1,936

    LM14
    Member Emeritus
    from Iowa

    Have a friend with a set of the stock factory cast iron headers for the early 60's that he was going to sell if you are interested. Not cheap. Drop me a PM if they interest you.
    SPark
     
  10. mammyjammer
    Joined: May 23, 2009
    Posts: 512

    mammyjammer
    Member
    from Area 51

    It will never work, I will come by and take that 427 off of your hands and save you a ton of grief! :)

    Tons of info on this swap at 57 Fords Forever and FE sites.
    I have seen a 57 Ranchero with the FPA tri Y headers and it looked great. Saw 57 with Hookers meant for a 67 Mustang? that looked good as well. I have never seen the Crites headers on this combo.
    The 58 has a different steering box, so I don't know if 58 manifolds would work. I have a 58 with a cracked drivers side manifold and the only manifolds I can find are crazy expensive.
    I am looking at the FPA headers when the time comes. They are pretty spendy tho....
    NICE 57 BTW!
     
  11. Weld that cracked manifold. Place it in the BBQ grill and heat it up. Weld with nickel rod and have a helper peen on it while your welding. And then let it cool down over a long period. afterward take it to a surface mill to get the mating surface perfectly flat.
     
  12. rustymetal
    Joined: Feb 18, 2003
    Posts: 557

    rustymetal
    Member

    hi popa
    what make of headers are those did you change your steering box to a 58
     
    OLDSMAN likes this.
  13. You don't want to use the stock 58-59 on anything with H.P. they choke it up. 1960 was a wider chassis so the rear corner of the Cast manifold no longer needed the step to clear the steering box. The cast shortie header manifold will NOT fit 57-59 Chassis. Crites headers are a Joke but will get the job done more or less. I've heard and tried the Mustang/Cougar headers fit but to this day I haven't been able to make them go in. I ended up building my own because I can but really would have perfered to have bought a good set of quality performance headers but learned they just don't seem to exist, at least if you have Horse Power you want to use.
    The Wizzard
    Ready to coat Headers 002.jpg Ready to coat Headers 003.jpg
     
  14. rustymetal
    Joined: Feb 18, 2003
    Posts: 557

    rustymetal
    Member

    hi wizard
    holy shit I get dizzy just looking at all those elbows , nice job
    would you like to make another set
     
  15. Thanks for the nice comment rustymetal and Yes I would like to but sad to say these Old Bones don't get as much done in a day as I'd like to anymore. I have however thought long and hard about taking what I have being they are out of the 57 now and talking to someone about copying each tube and bending them up solo and see where that goes. There is a local shop that has a new style bender that can do that but I have no idea what cost would be. My headers have not yet been coated so cutting them apart is still an option. That way each tube can be handled and copied exact to what I have. My headers clear stock clutch linkage as well as column shift arms and a stock full size starter. It's all about time and money of witch I only seem to have one of at a time. Maybe come spring time, we'll see. The big down side is they will only fit 57-8-9 Ford FE with the 58-59 Bell housing. Pretty limited market. That's why you can't just order a set today.
    The Wizzard
     
    kadillackid likes this.
  16. deathrowdave
    Joined: May 27, 2014
    Posts: 3,519

    deathrowdave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from NKy

    I had a buddy did this swap years ago . Not sure what he used , I know it was all OEM Ford stuff . Bolted in with a Top Loader 4 speed . Most FE manifolds look similar to a 2x4 bolted to the head . Not real good flow for a HP engine as a 427 .
     
  17. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I think we all had at least one buddy who put an FE (390) in my case in a 57. Friend of mine did one in 1966 and used all stock parts from the Ford Parts counter. Only other thing I remember about the swap was that he was the first person I ever knew who bought a brand new four speed over the counter at the dealer parts counter.
     
  18. The stock passenger car bread and butter manifolds on a FE are very restrictive. If you have room a set of 33o-361 F600 manifolds flow much better. you have to weld the extra opening for the crossover that is on truck heads. you might be able to use truck manifold turned upside down and then snake a 3 inch pipe down under the vehicle?
     
  19. I like your car. I learned to drive on one similar back in 62. Here is a pic of a model I made of it. Doeskin tan and white similar color as yours. It had a 312 / 4bbl and was fast enough for me. UntitledMA29622981-0001.jpg
     
    MO_JUNK likes this.
  20. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,809

    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    I used a set of vintage Hedman Headers... kinda hard to find, but I bought them here in the classifieds //Made directly for an FE swap into a 57-58-59 Ford or Merc. Fit very well. They are a 2 -piece unit.

    You can use a set of early 390-406 Factory Headers...90% of folks say they won't work... but you can make them work without butchering your upper A arms or frame..... You will have to fuss with you Z bar..... unless you go with a Hydraulic clutch pedal set up.
    OR....

    Call Crites or FPA.....



    The Hedmans......

    IMG_5542.jpg IMG_5543.jpg




    FORD 390-406


    s-l225.jpg s-l1600.jpg s-l1600A.jpg
     
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  21. BAD ROD
    Joined: Dec 16, 2004
    Posts: 1,532

    BAD ROD
    Member

    I picked up a set of stock long tube cast iron headers modified to fit a 1957-59 for my FE 1959. The mounting flanges are cut down at an angle to allow them to fit between the narrower frame rails on the tri-5’s. They were on a 1959 Ford with a 427. I have not put them on yet. Still need to clean them up. The guy I bought them from used them for many years. He mentioned that they are close to the starter and should run a heat shield.
     
  22. twvandy
    Joined: Jan 11, 2009
    Posts: 384

    twvandy
    Member

    I asked a man that had a 57 Custom 300 on the HAMB earlier this week the same question. His car has a 428 in it. He said he got his headers at Stans and that cleared everything great. They even cleared the Borgesen power steering sector. The crites headers will work but two of the tubes on each side go in front and under the lower control arms and you would be able to see them from the front of the car. The headers from Stans exit behind the control arms. Hope this helps.
     
    loudbang likes this.
  23. BAD ROD
    Joined: Dec 16, 2004
    Posts: 1,532

    BAD ROD
    Member

  24. LM14
    Joined: Dec 18, 2009
    Posts: 1,936

    LM14
    Member Emeritus
    from Iowa

    Will these clear?
    SPark

    28052704_10204680656374073_488493449_n.jpg 28054096_10204680656254070_1708649913_n.jpg
     
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  25. BAD ROD
    Joined: Dec 16, 2004
    Posts: 1,532

    BAD ROD
    Member

    SPark, not without modification. Those are what I have. I’m assured they fit with modification (milled angled flanges) which mine have. I haven’t bolted them on yet.
     
    LM14 likes this.
  26. Jeff; I would like to see a Photo of those bolted in your Car. I actually thought about building a set of Two into One times Three using Two into One Merge collectors from S.P.D. but after talking to Chris there we jointly decided what I was building would perform better with what I built. Sure made a much bigger Job of it. 57 is a pretty tight space and what you show makes me wonder. They must tuck down more than they look.
    The Wizzard
     
  27. They won't bolt to 427 heads. What may work is around '69 390 Mustang headers. They used heads with 427 bolt pattern for a clearance issue with the normal FE exhaust bolts.

    I could be off on the year.
     
  28. CNC-Dude
    Joined: Nov 23, 2007
    Posts: 1,031

    CNC-Dude
    Member

    Depends on which head you actually have on the engine. There were 4 different style of heads offered on the 427, and all had different port shapes and possible bolt patterns on both the intake and exhaust sides. The heads were the LR(low riser), MR(medium riser), HR(high riser) and Tunnel Port. Just verify before purchasing any thing.
     
  29. wicarnut
    Joined: Oct 29, 2009
    Posts: 9,052

    wicarnut
    Member

    Back in the day, mid 60's, had a kid in our area,(North side, Milwaukee Wi.) was told his Dad was a Hot Rodder, he and son put a 427, 2x4 engine, 4 speed, Detroit locker rear, street slicks in a 57 2 door sedan, remember it was Red/White. The word was he was coming for all of us,(local street racers) have cash ready, saw the car race a few times, it Was Fast, never raced him as my 57 210 2 door, 348 tri-power, 3 speed,4:11 posi, street slicks would not match up, when challenged, I said, I concede, your car is faster, no point in racing. I only raced for cash, cars that I had a chance of winning, knew my place and stayed in my class so to speak. Heard the story after a short time, car was off the street, the frame twisted badly, doors/hood would not open anymore, Story was they were building bigger and badder street racer, then they disappeared, never heard what happened, maybe drafted ? moved ? Street Racing was huge in Milwaukee, tons of cars and lots of muscle cars, great memories I have.
     
  30. There where these older guys one had a 63 galaxie with three twos and a 4 speed. The other had a 64 impala he bought new it was a 300 hp 327 three speed and open rear. But by 1966 he had a 4 speed and 411 posi. Well they where racing and that ford easily beat the chevy. My dad had bought a new 66 galaxie 428 crusomatic 300 rear gears. And that hose connection the fuel line to the carb has ruptured and sprayed gas and it caught on fire. So I cleaned it up and painted that gold engine blue. got a blue single snorkel air cleaner with 352 sticker and a pair of 352 fender badges. So I raced the impala and made certain I barely beat him. I had to race him three times before he lost enough money to admit a doggy 352 beat him. Then the guy with the 63 wanted to race. And I put it to the galaxie and really beat him bad. He made excuses like he missed a gear ect. But he paid up and didn't want to try again. I never staged that ford just set and idled and mashed the pedal to the floor on takeoff. It would barely squeal the tires. But that crusomatic never held up. I rebuilt it twice. and then replaced it with a C6. That 428 ran over 300,000 miles never had the valve covers off. I still have the 428.
     

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