Hot Rods 59-63 Thunderbird exhaust.

So confused! I got a FE motor, stroke is 3.50, I got '68 GT heads, '63 Thunderbird ex manifolds, and a '72 2bl intake. Block date says it's a '62. Yes a 360, but why an old block date? How a 360?

 

Are your sure it isn't just a 352? The 390 had a slightly larger bore compared to the 352 (4.08 vs 4.0), drop a 352 crank into a 390 block and you get a 360... which is what Ford did in '68 when they finally realized it was stupid to build two blocks for 8 cubic inches difference...

And don't put a ton of faith in casting numbers, particularly with a FE. Ford mixed block/head casting numbers on these pretty good, sometimes a casting number can appear on multiple motors for multiple years with the only difference if any in how it was machined.

 

Yes, it is almost certainly a 352, with the later parts bolted on.

 

Some of those “GT heads” had odd exhaust bolt hole location, in order to use the GT exhaust manifolds that cleared the shock towers in the smaller cars. Your 68 model heads may have the regular bolt pattern, tho.





Bones

 

Easy way to verify if you have a 352 or a 360. Look on the side of the block the pre 65 engines only have two bolt castings for the engine mounts. starting in 65 the FE,s all have 4 engine mount bossed cast in the side of the block. A 360 will have 4 bolt holes.

 

to second what Old Wolf said 2 vs 4 bolt motor mount casting provision. Are you sure it's 1962? If there are 2 dots under the 2 it's a 1972 casting date.

Movin/on

 

Remember fellows, the 360 started production in 1968.