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The camshaft in the Edsel 361engines would be the pre ’62 series that does not use the cam thrust plate but instead uses a spring to keep the camshaft pushed back against the block. The block itself can be easily tapped at the front for a cam thrust plate so that a later model camshaft can be used. Finding the earlier camshafts in the desired grinds tends to be a problem now while the thrust plate method of retention fixes other problems related to the earlier camshaft retention system. Ford had it right on the Y-Block and essentially cut some corners on the initial engineering aspects on the FE. Came 1963, the cam thrust plate was installed on the FE’s.

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The later model 360 pickup pistons do have the same wrist pin location as the 390 engines which puts the 360 pistons roughly 0.100” in the hole if using the original Edsel 360 crankshaft and connecting rods. The 360HP 352 engine had a wrist pin height of 1.866” which would be roughly what the Edsel 360 engine would require. The 390 wrist pin height is 1.776” as a matter of reference.

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If intent on maintaining the Edsel stroke and rod combination, then custom pistons using modern ring technology is always a viable option. These would allow the compression ratio be tailored specific to your needs while also improving the efficiency of the engine over its original design. Beyond that, FE options abound on bore and stroke combinations while still maintaining that original outside appearance that would allow the engine to look stock.