Like I said before, why not just install a Comp Cams 4X4 cam or an RV cam. Low end grunt is what you want. Those graphs proved that the 351 Windsor is the better choice. Gearing can be used as a "torque multiplier", think of a granny gear on some of the standard transmissions. As a matter of fact, I know that there are threads somewhere on this sight about doubling up transfer cases for some real grunt.

 

The only reason the 300 feels torquey is because it makes NO horsepower, and there aren't many options available to help it produce more. The 5.8 outperforms it stock and will flat out embarrass it with a couple simple upgrades.. the Crane 444232 and a set of longtubes. Any one of you guys that's got an early flat tappet 5.8 that hasn't done this swap yet has no idea how much potential this motor has... so get on it already.

 

Dude,trust me 300s can provide HP as well as more torque if you build them correctly. If not, they wouldn't be used in drag racing.

 

Yeah, but at what cost? The 351w can be built on the cheap side and blow the 300 away at anything if both were built with the same $$$.

I think i spent around 2k for my motor. That includes a freshly rebuilt shortblock. I tell ya what... i'll never go back to a 300 or even a stock 351w.

 

How many do you see drag racing?

Approx 300 horse at the flywheel, 5700 rpms at 134 mph. Does this look like a good truck engine?

Front Engine Dragster with Six Cylinder Power rips 9.34! | MyRideisMe.com

Horsepower Calculator from 1/4 mile ET and Trap Speed - DragTimes.com

 

I can relate an experience which opened my eyes a little. I have an old (God Forbid) chevy C20 3/4 ton truck with the big eight lug rear end that I use as my "boat ramp truck". ie I can tow my boat to the ramp and leave the truck at the ramp for a week and not worry about some A-hole backing into it or breaking into it.
A few years back I rebuilt the automatic transmission to shift nice and crisply (is that a real word?). I also did something per the instructions to the servo or valvebody that would make it shift late into third gear, so it doesn't dump into third gear at 20 mph.
I built a stroker motor and put some 64cc Dart Iron Eagle heads that I had blended up nicely and tapered the valve guide bosses. I had a little too much compression so I put a Lunati cam in it to bleed some off. Turned out to be the biggest turd ever. The SOB would start knocking at the mere sight of a hill, bridge, or overpass coming up.
Recently I sold a little four door 70 Nova that I built a 305 for. I had spent a week at work on nights smooting out the intake and exhaust ports on those stock heads, and then put the smallest crane energizer cam they had in it. On top I had an old Weiand Stealth dual plane and a Carter AFB, and dynomax headers. Sucker had the smoothest idle and maniflold vacuum for days on end.
I got the idea to pull the POS stroker 383 out of the 3/4 ton truck and put the little 305 in but was worried that it would not be enough for the truck. Went ahead anyway a day and a half later I had one motor out and the other in. All I can say is wow. that little smooth idle non-lopey no overlap 305 bitch slaps that big truck around in any way it wants to. Towing a 20 foot center console up and down grades or flat out highway cruising and smokes the 383 in every aspect, including gas mileage and hot starting which is no longer an issue.

so thats a little long winded but my point is you can maximize efficiency and put power where you want it, let em breath, all they need is air and fuel.

I'm a big fan of the 300 six but I would think that a 302/351 or 400 allowed to breathe and built for torque would make for some happy days for you. If you have a carb and no computer its gonna be pretty easy in my opinion.

 

Check out the guys on www.fordsix.com

They got some drag cars with em.

But with any engine...you can make it a monster....if you have the time and money.



With a truck I rather have torque.....if you want HP just buy you a race car. HP is good too but Torque is where it is at for a truck.

 

how much of a difference will an RV cam make? I know little to nothing about building motors. Like, I dunno where the torque even comes from or why this curves high so late in the game when a motor like the 400 has so much more torque at the lowend, and the 400 is starving in stock form.

is it all in the cam? what upgrades should I be looking at? Like I said, i don't care about horsepower, I don't care about torque above 3000RPMs really. I just want the motor to get me moving and keep me moving at low RPMs. Should also really help my gas mileage.

I'm also not sure about flow. I increased 'flow' on my 400 and if anything, it made it feels worse.

Heck, I might even pass on a rebuild for the time being and try an RV cam and see if it helps me at all.

 

Get some headers, cam/lifter set (make sure they will work for your heads), flat top pistons, heads ported and polished, double roller timing chain, aftermarket intake and a good carb.

 

The 460 was not an option on the F150 after 1979.

 

Go to the Comp Cams website. Get their phone number, and give them a call. Tell them what you have, and what your needs are. They want customers, and they want customers to be HAPPY. They will help you.

 

Thanks guys.. gonna call comp cams and see what they have to say. I'm sure I wont be the only moron who has called asking basic questions.. Though, after some reading it seems as though cams can make pretty extreme changes in your curve. I was reading about more extreme cams for racing and stuff, but some were giving a stock motor 50+ torque at certain RPMs and dropping it a couple dozen horsepower. That's sorta what I'm wanting.

and Manfred, this is an EFI engine, speed density, gonna keep it that way. I'm going to look into a MAF swap or getting some tuning done so I can run the cam I want and possibly go for a bigger intake. I've read some first hand experiences where guys couldn't get their truck running right just after swapping an intake in a speed density setup. If it is going to be THAT limiting to me, especially if I can't use the exact cam I want, then I'm going MAF.

I'm also not a fan of headers. They're 'cool', they just seem to cause problems though. I already hate how close my plugs are too my manifold on this motor, I can't imagine how much I would hate headers. Don't really need it to open up that much for torque at low RPMs anyways.. a better intake, mainly for clearance (i have a lot of hood space, my intake could be taller) is definitely in my future.

 

i say go for an engine swap, but, BUY a donor truck, you get the engine you want, now you have drivetrain,wiring,ecm, dash everything for the price of the donor. I'm thinking about doing it with my project truck
An resell what you dont use

 

They feel torquey because they make a lot of torque.

 

Just not as much as a 351w....