I have a 352 in my '67 F100 and I'm debating on what I can do to get the best performance/mpg out of it.

I'm starting with a new carb since it's running really rich at the moment and I want to get that fixed.

What would you guys recommend to add to it? It's all stock at the moment.

 

RV type cam, overdrive or a 3:1 ish rear end ratio, 390 crank and rods.

 

Headers and a light foot, plus the taller gears.

352s and 360s have always been derided as gas hogs.

 

I can get 12 with my original 352 with well over 100,000 miles on it with 4.56's; if I drive 40 to 45.

 

Free flowing exhaust is usually the first and cheapest kick you can get. You will get a noticeable difference in power and economy going from a stock single system to headers and a dual exhaust. And a really good tune up, including dialing in the distributor. A rear ratio change should only be done once you have the engine where you want it because the ratio has to match the rpm range the engine is happiest at. Personally, I think it is a common misconception that long legged gears are always the answer. If your local driving is mostly 60 mph and it's lugging along at 1700 rpms when it would be happier at 2200, then you will have a miserable dog.

 

drive it as is and go find a donor 390 engine for a build up from there you're only limited by your budget .

 

If your still running stock ignition, i recommend buying a Pertronix ignitor kit for your dizzy, along with the pertronix flame thrower coil. You can get both for under $100 bucks compared to dumping money into an MSD system which can be expensive. You eliminate your condensor/points and you dont have to pull the dizzy. Plus the electonic ignition kit takes 20 minutes to install.

Headers are another cheap upgrade that will make a noticable difference as mentioned,

And another thing that i actually just installed, are one of those aluminum universal flex fans that you can replace your stock fan with. I put one on last week on my truck (same truck as yours) and my throttle response was increased now that my motor isnt just turning air with that heavy bulky fan. And best part is that my temp gauge hasnt gotten any higher than it did with the stock fan.. I found my flex fan in our shed full of my dads misc. GTO and Chevelle parts, but i believe you can pick them up anywhere for cheap

 

X4 on the headers, the stock manifolds are very restrictive, headers will offer the biggest bang for your buck.

Without a free flowing exhaust all the other mods will never realize their full potential.

 

avoid a full msd ignition.. just traded out for a dui, noticed a big difference, even w/ same timing curve and advance! msd distributors look way better, but thats all!!!
a 390 is easiest but a stroked out 352 would be cooler!!!
balancing, head work, port matching, better intake and exhaust, eletric fan, and a mild cam... but as w/ any fe you a wont gain much mpgs.
standard tranny and appropriate gearing. oh drive like your great great granny and may see up to 15 mpg!lol

fe's great on power but not the pocket!!!

 

i am building a 360fe '70 f 250. my g=question iscan i use pistons from a 406 fe in that block use ing 390 rods 360 crank?

 

Sure. If my calculations are correct, you will then have the most expensive slug of a motor possible.

With respect to the overbore, some blocks will go .080 over, but you need to have it sonic tested first. Safer to stay .030.

As for how those pistons would fit:

01.75 = 1/2 the 3.50 stroke
06.49 = the 390 rod
1.747 = the 406 piston compression height
9.987 = the height of your piston top
10.17 = FE deck height
0.183 = how far down the bore your piston will be.

There are no readily available pistons that fix the down the hole situation with the 360.

The only fix is to make it a 390 and use car 390 pistons (which are the same or very similar to 360 PU truck pistons) to get your motor into the 9's compression wise. This also brings the piston up enough to get some quench in the combustion chamber.