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RE: Detuned MEL, and Chevrolet 409 By Mike McQuesten - 10/16/2001 4:31:19 PM; IP 206.193.0.122 Excellent information, P, Kevin and Barry. I've enjoyed reading all of this mighty MEL stuff. Your facts and speculation seem to be right on from what I remember too P. Ford apparently saw the potential of the FE induction system being what they wanted for the future vs. the head design of the 430. There were a lot of guys who ran 430s in dragsters with the blower you mentioned as necessary. In the late '50s to early '60s. As I've mentioned one other time, I got to drive my uncle's '58, and it might have been a '59. I was just twelve in 1962. But I could stab and steer that thing with him laughing over in the passenger bucket. It was the 430. Nothing special, just a cruisomatic luxury laden 'bird. But it had a ton of torque. He towed his boat a lot with it. Again I preferred his '50 cause it was a stick. That meant a lot in '62. Automatics = slushbox. I have a local friend here who has a business, Drew Marine. Drew Backlund specializes in engine building for marine app but does some circle race engine building too. He has been at this for years. In the late fifties or 1960, he had a '57 Ford with a 430 installed with stick shift. It was screamer. A few years ago he was thinking about doing something a little nostalgic after he'd built a 430 for a guy's old Lincoln. So he installed a semi built 462(specially ground Schneider cam) into his early '70s F250 4X4. It's his all around work horse. Still is. Was a 360/4 speed. He kept the heavy duty truck 4 speed and had to do some adapting to make the FE bellhousing work. Something about the starter location? This truck is big and semi gloss black. It's downright ugly and it's mean. It sounds wild. It's a classic case of a real off road torquer. He pulls huge 40' boats over to Coeur d'Alene (ID) lake with this thing with no problems. Climbs the hills/mountains around Spokane hunting for deer, elk, bear, and pheasant. Everything he drives is spotless and clean and built. This thing is his beater which most of us would be pleased to have as a spare. It's great to see some guys keeping these MELS running. Hey P, I loved your take & description on the "legendary" 409.....the stats went nothing but downhill on that engine for sure. I've taken way too much space again, but I will say that one of the best moments I've had drag racing was about ten years ago. At that time my then '61 Starliner was running a 428CJ (I ran this same engine in three vehicles) with R servo /C6, 3.50 trac-lock rear. My second son and I ran consistent high 13s. Total driver to the drags. Open the dump outs and let the R-C6 shift itself. So I get into the bracket finals against a young man's beautiful '64 Impala SS 409. His license plate read and still does: TOPMY09. It's red, 4 speed and the original 409 has been mildly built. He also runs 4.11s. I pulled him all the way through the quarter from start to finish. It was close. He ran a 13.9 to my 13.7. I've got a picture of us at mid quarter thanks to his mother snapping that shot. She was kind enough to make me a print and it's stuck proudly on the my shop wall. "She's real fine......." ya right.

This thread, so far...

Skip Navigation Links.  '58 fe - hp? -- Mike McQuesten, 10/09/2001  RE: '58 fe - hp? -- Mel Clark, 10/09/2001  RE: '58 fe - hp? -- Travis Miller, 10/09/2001  There was a H&M built 350HP FE back in 1958. -- Dave Shoe, 10/09/2001  RE: There was a H&M built 350HP FE back in 1958. -- Travis Miller, 10/10/2001  Hot Diggity! You found one doozy of an FE misprint. -- Dave Shoe, 10/10/2001  Craft's a freelance automotive writer/editor..... -- Mr F, 10/10/2001  I just realized... -- Dave Shoe, 10/16/2001  In 1958 it wasn't called the FE... -- Dave Shoe, 10/09/2001  And also... -- Dave Shoe, 10/09/2001  RE: Interceptor Special it is... -- Mike McQuesten, 10/09/2001  The full names Ford used in 1958... -- Dave Shoe, 10/10/2001  RE:Holley 4V/Carter AFB/Autolite 4100? -- Mike McQuesten, 10/10/2001  RE:Holley & 430 MEL -- Mel Clark, 10/10/2001  RE:Holley & 430 MEL -- kevin, 10/12/2001  RE: The full names Ford used in 1958... -- Paul M, 10/10/2001  RE: I really enjoy those vintage FE ads, Shoe! n/m -- mikeb, 10/10/2001  RE: '58 fe - hp? -- Barry B, 10/10/2001  RE: '58 fe - hp? -- Mike McQuesten, 10/10/2001  Great thread guys -- P, 10/11/2001  Now I'm thinking... -- Dave Shoe, 10/11/2001  RE:duals standard on 4V? -- Mike McQuesten, 10/11/2001  Here's what I remembered... -- Dave Shoe, 10/11/2001  Note the use of "Police Interceptor". -- Dave Shoe, 10/11/2001  RE: Note the use of "Police Interceptor". -- Barry B, 10/11/2001  Yup. -- Dave Shoe, 10/12/2001  Cool! -- Barry B, 10/12/2001  RE: Cool! -- Bob, 10/15/2001  dual exhaust -- P, 10/11/2001  RE: dual exhaust -- Lou, 10/11/2001  RE: '59 Ford Special -- Mel Clark, 10/11/2001  RE: 58 NASCAR T-Bird 350 H.P. -- Mel Clark, 10/12/2001  RE: 58 NASCAR T-Bird 350 H.P. -- Mike McQuesten, 10/12/2001  RE: 58 NASCAR T-Bird 350 H.P. -- Barry B, 10/12/2001  RE:383 Super -- Mike McQuesten, 10/12/2001  RE: 58 NASCAR T-Bird 350 H.P. bellhousing?? -- BOB HOPKINS, 10/12/2001  RE: 58 NASCAR T-Bird 350 H.P. bellhousing?? -- Mel Clark, 10/12/2001  Mel tri-power -- KULTULZ, 10/15/2001  And As A Matter of Fact... -- KULTULZ, 10/15/2001  Another Attempt -- KULTULZ, 10/15/2001  I heard it didn't make it past the prototype stage -- Dave Shoe, 10/15/2001  MEL Web site, If anyone's interested. -- Skip C., 10/15/2001  Motor Trend 9/58 -- Barry B, 10/15/2001  Here's another pic -- Barry B, 10/15/2001  RE: Here's another pic -- Mel Clark, 10/15/2001  RE: Here's another pic -- kevin, 10/16/2001  On subject: -- kevin, 10/16/2001  Detuned MEL, and Chevrolet 409 -- P, 10/16/2001 RE: Detuned MEL, and Chevrolet 409 -- Mike McQuesten, 10/16/2001  RE: Chevrolet 409 -- Mel Clark, 10/16/2001  RE: Here's another pic -- Barry B, 10/16/2001  409 rip -- Lou, 10/16/2001

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