Engine Part Sources?

[JohnG]

hi
I am planning to rebuild the motor on my '58 hardtop (352) this
winter. I am looking for experience from you on this site that have rebuilt motors in the way of good (and bad) part sources. I would separate this into two areas: quality of the parts and quality of the service.

While I have yet to take the motor apart to see what I will need, I am assuming the major items are: valves, guides, seats and pistons (and rings). I have no idea how the camshaft will be although there is no noise of any kind from the valve train. The machine shop I will work with has alot of experience with the cranks and bearings of these motors so that does not seem to be a problem.

thanks!

John

[Guest]

RE: Engine Part Sources?

Kanter Auto Supply has "kits" for FE engines .......as well as individual engine parts.

[JohnG]

RE: Engine Part Sources?

OK... any particular reason you recommend them? Quality of parts?
price (they seem high)?

Anyone used Egge??

John

[Guest]

RE: Engine Part Sources?

I rebuilt my front end from parts they sell and got new shocks from them........I just remember the engine kits from their cataloge. High quality stuff.

[partsetal]

RE: Engine Part Sources?

I have searched for rebuild parts for the 352 and find that they are relatively easy to obtain. A lot of suppliers offer an "engine kit" that include pistons, rings, bearings, cam, cam bearings, lifters, freeze plugs, oil pump and gaskets. You can usually add or delete items. My best pricing came from the automotive machine shop that did my engine machine work. I had also tried the non chain auto supply stores and the Kanter catalog. The parts were all from Federal Mogul, Melling, Fel-pro and other well known manufacturers.

[Guest]

RE: Engine Part Sources?

Hi,
When doing my rebuild, I purchased from PAW (Calif). They sell rebuild kits of various levels (complete overhaul or rings and gearings). Their prices are hard to beat and service was good. The parts were (in many cases) brand names (Clevite bearings, Badger pistons, Fel-pro gaskets). Note that FE parts are not necessarily interchangeable with a squarebird vintage engine. I had no trouble finding a mechanic familiar with the FE. My choice was an older gentleman who'd lost count of rebuilds he'd performed but was still very fluent in what makes the FE tic.

Good luck.

[Guest]

RE: Engine Part Sources?

I don't know of anything that is really unique or different on FE squarebird engines than any other FE engine. Buy brand name engine parts that are readily available from Sealed Power etc. There is no need to go to Egge for custom made parts. A NAPA store or any machine shop can get everything you need, it's not a big deal at all. Just make sure the FE parts are for your model year car, because some early FE's had mechanical lifters, most have hydraulics.
Remember, 430 engines are not FE's. Now they are different!

Tom

[Guest]

RE: Engine Part Sources?

Several differences I recall:
1)The squarebird FE cam shaft is different from later vintage FE engines,
2)valve seat angles are different between my 59 and later FEs (thus valves are not interchangeable),
3)Pistons (deck height) vary between engines dependent on compression ratio (1960 HO piston is different from any 1965 FE-352 era piston).

Just need to be specific when ordering parts - my advice: don't assume everything is interchanegable