Ford muscle cars powered by the iconic FE big block were on full display at the 2025 FE Race & Reunion. The event took place at Muncie Dragway in Muncie, Indiana—the perfect setting for classic and historical machines to flex their muscles.

2 men standing near a pair of vintage ford drag cars
(Image/Evan Smith)

Built from 1958 to 1976, the Ford FE engine powered passenger cars, trucks and factory race cars. The FE was the successor to the Ford Y-block engine and manufactured in a wide range of displacements and high-performance variants, the most popular being 427 R-Code models and 428 Cobra Jets. FE displacement ranged between 332ci (5.4L) and 428ci (7.0L) and there were versions used in medium- and heavy-duty trucks, along with school buses too.

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Ford FE Cylinder head on a swap meet table
The swap meet was rich with all types of FE parts.(Image/Evan Smith)

Most popular are the 390, 406, 427 and 428s used in Fairlanes, Galaxies, the Le Mans-winning Ford GT, plus Shelby Cobras, Torinos, Cyclones, and Mustangs to name a few. And let’s not forget the SOHC 427 “Cammer” that never made regular production but earned its stripes in drag strip competition.

The FE Race & Reunion was a celebration of everything FE with drag racing, car show, swap meet and a fun beverage and brats’ night at the track. As a bonus, the FE Race & Reunion staff donated to Camp Light for $20,000. Camp Light is a summer day camp program for kids with special needs and at-risk youths. (Learn more at CreativeWorksFarm.org).

side view of a 1950s Ford crown vic drag car
We spotted 12 “Cammers” at the FE Race & Reunion. This was a neat Gasser with a 427 Cammer and a 4-speed. (Image/Evan Smith)

Drag racing was the main theme of the gathering. The FE contingent was strong with icons including Jim Van Cleve, Ray and Jim Paquet, Robert Pond, Horace and Stephen Johnson, Dan Parson Jr. with his 427 Comet, and Kurt Neighbor who had two Cammers. In addition, there were many 1966-67 427 and 390 Fairlanes, 428 Cobra Jets, 427 Thunderbolts, Galaxies, and all kinds of FE-swapped machines on the grounds. In addition, the swap meet was filled with factory and aftermarket parts for sale.

The event was such a hit that the 2026 FE Race & Reunion is already in the works!

Close up of 390 sticker on a Ford FE valve cover
Not just 427s and 428s, the FE Race & Reunion was a celebration of everything FE. (Image/Evan Smith)
Ford Galaxie Drag Car doing a burnout
Drag racing was the theme with a simple and fun bracket format. (Image/Evan Smith)
Ford Fairlane 427 Thunderbolt Drag Car Doing Burnout
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford torino GT at car show
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford fairlane GT launching at dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Super Cobra Jet on track
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford fairlane drag car doing a burnout
(Image/Evan Smith)
1969 Ford Mustang Drag Car
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford Fairlane Drag Car at Track
(Image/Evan Smith)
Vintage 1967 Shelby Mustang Drag Car on track
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vintage ford fairlane smoking tires at a dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford torino drag car running down track
(Image/Evan Smith)
Vintage ford thunderbird doing wheelstand at dragstrip
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Vintage 1960s Ford running down dragstrip
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vintage ford mustang drag car doing wheelstand
(Image/Evan Smith)
a pair of vintage ford Fairlanes in a drag race
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford fairlane nostalgia drag car on dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
vintage ford drag race car doing wheelstand
(Image/Evan Smith)
red ford fairlane drag car running down the track
(Image/Evan Smith)
White Ford drag car launching at dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford fairlane drag car running down the track
(Image/Evan Smith)
vintage mercury drag car doing a burnout at the track
(Image/Evan Smith)
vintage ford muscle cars in dragway staging lanes
(Image/Evan Smith)
red ford drag car doing wheelstand at launch
(Image/Evan Smith)
blurred shot of Ford musclecar going down dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
vintage Mercury Cougar launching at dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford fairlane drag car doing wheelstand at launch
(Image/Evan Smith)
FE powered Ford hotrod coupe at drag strip
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford maverick drag car launching at track
(Image/Evan Smith)
Vintage Ford fairlane drag car doing a burnout
(Image/Evan Smith)
Vintage Ford fairlane drag car launching at track
(Image/Evan Smith)
Vintage Ford nostalgia drag car launching at track
(Image/Evan Smith)
man doing a burnout in a vintage Ford mustang
(Image/Evan Smith)
black ford convertible muscle car
(Image/Evan Smith)
vintage ford station wagon drag car
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nostalgia ford galaxie drag car
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Ford custom drag car in car show
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford Fairlane race car in staging lane
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vintage blue ford passenger car
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1966 Ford Fairlane 427
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Ford fairlane 500 drag car on display
(Image/Evan Smith)
1969 Cale Yarborough special Mercury Cyclone
(Image/Evan Smith)
black ford gasser doing a burnout at dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
Ford torino drag car launching at dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
a blue 1969 Ford Mustang launching at dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
a pair of ford cars lined up on dragstrip
(Image/Evan Smith)
Keywords
Cammer , Ford , Ford FE , Ford FE engines
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Author: Evan Smith

Evan is the former editor of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords magazine/Mustang-360.com and regularly competes in drag racing and open track road race events. A diehard Blue Oval guy, Evan is also a factory test driver for The Ford Motor Company.