260 2V
1962–1964Passenger-car tune
High-volume compact V8 application.
Ford 260 Windsor V8 enginePhoto: Herranderssvensson · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ford · Windsor Small-Block
Ford 260 Windsor V8
The small Ford V8 that put Windsor architecture into early Mustangs, Falcons and Cobras.
260
Cubic inches
The 260 bridged Ford's new compact V8 from ordinary passenger cars into performance history through the Falcon, early Mustang and Cobra.
Key variants
All variants260 2VCobra 260
Displacement
260 ci
Bore
3.8"
Stroke
2.87"
Years
1962–1964
Key Takeaway
The 260 kept the 221's 2.87-in stroke and enlarged the bore to 3.80 inches, becoming Ford's first small-block with major sports-car visibility.
Technical Specifications
- Compression
- 8.8:1 (standard 260 Challenger 2-barrel specification)
- Horsepower
- Common passenger-car versions around 164 hp gross; performance applications varied
- Torque
- Varied by application
- Architecture
- 90° OHV pushrod V8 · Windsor small-block
- Block
- Cast iron
- Cylinder heads
- Cast iron
- Valvetrain
- OHV · 2 valves per cylinder
- Aspiration
- Naturally aspirated
- Fuel delivery
- Carbureted
- Firing order
- 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
- Main bearings
- 5 main bearings
The 260 kept the 221's 2.87-in stroke and enlarged the bore to 3.80 inches, becoming Ford's first small-block with major sports-car visibility.
Internal Specifications
Variant-specific values are labeled. Engine families that span multiple years or RPOs can have different heads, cams, induction and rotating parts, so the exact code/year always takes priority.
Identification & Output
- Engine codes / RPO
- F (standard 260 CID 2-barrel V8 application code), XHP (special high-performance 260 competition/Cobra specification)
- Casting numbers
- C3OE-B / C3OE-C (1963 260 Windsor block references), C4OE-B / C4OE-D / C4OE-E (1964 260 Windsor block references)
- Power rating
- SAE gross (period factory rating)
- Horsepower RPM
- 164 hp @ 4400 rpm standard 2-barrel; special XHP competition version rated 260 hp @ 5800 rpm
- Torque RPM
- 258 lb-ft @ 2200 rpm standard 2-barrel; special XHP competition version rated 269 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
Rotating Assembly
- Rod length
- 5.155 in
- Balance
- Internally balanced production architecture
- Rear main seal
- 2-piece rear main seal
- Deck height
- 8.206 in
- Main journal
- 2.249 in
- Rod journal
- 2.123 in
Operating Specs
- Production notes
- The 260 enlarged the 221's bore to 3.80 inches while retaining the 2.87-inch stroke. It expanded from Fairlane/Meteor use into Falcon, Comet and early Mustang applications before standard production ended after 1964.
Compatibility Notes
- Do not assume a 260 can simply be bored to 289 dimensions; Ford specifically notes reduced material around the early 221/260 bores.
Notable Applications
Ford FalconFord FairlaneEarly Ford MustangSunbeam TigerAC/Shelby Cobra 260
Strengths
- Compact and light
- Historically important Cobra connection
- Shares core Windsor architecture
Weaknesses / Watch-outs
- Small bore restricts valve and head choices
- Not ideal for aggressive overboring
Common Upgrades
- Four-barrel induction
- Dual exhaust
- Modern ignition
Racing History & Legacy
Ford-powered 260 Cobras established the small-block Cobra concept before the larger-bore 289 became the primary competition version.
The engine that introduced Ford's compact V8 to the Cobra and early Mustang era.
References & Image Credit
Engine image: Herranderssvensson · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Ford Performance — Basic Engine Dimensions
manufacturer specification
Ford Performance — Engine History
manufacturer history
Over-Drive Magazine — 1962–1973 Ford Windsor and Cleveland V-8 engines
historical specification
Wikimedia Commons — Sunbeam Tiger Ford 260 engine
licensed media
EngineLabs — Ford V8 block casting-number guide
technical reference
Key Factory / Build Variants
Cobra 260
1962–1963Competition-tuned versions varied
Helped establish the Ford-powered Cobra formula before the 289 took over.
Engineering Notes Worth Knowing
01
Ford Performance lists a 3.800-in bore, 2.870-in stroke, 5.155-in rod length and 8.206-in deck height.
02
Like the 221, the 260 has less bore material than later 289/302 blocks.
History · context · related reading
The Story Behind Ford 260 Windsor V8
The 260 was the moment the Windsor family stopped being just a compact-car V8 and started becoming a performance engine.
Cobra history
01Why Shelby started with the 260
The 260's compact size and Ford backing made it a natural first V8 for the early Cobra program.
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