All of Barry's YouTube videos show basic numbers. I agree though, seeing a full sheet of numbers would be cool, as I personally use other builds to influence my own.

 

That's a heck of a motor... would i be better off looking for a stroker kit or not?

 

Stroke equals torque. Below are my rear wheel dyno numbers for a 410 with 390 GT heads and intake, ported and intake matched, running a mild cam. I'm going to put more cam in this spring. Remember, those are the rear wheel numbers, but not in Barry's league.

 

Yellow Truck, those numbers are decent to good. Rear wheel dynos can be 10 to 30% lower than engine dynos depending on a large variety of factors. Simply put, the engine dyno does not have to spin the weight and friction of the tranny parts, the driveshaft, the ring and pinion, the axles, the wheels and tires, if an auto, then the lack of a direct connection with a torque converter, even tire pressure can make a difference.

 

It certainly makes decent torque. It runs out of steam at about 4,500 rpm and is flat dead by 5,000. I'd like longer legs, so I'm hoping a better cam will deliver power out past 5,000. This is particularly noticeable in my truck since it is an NP435 box with a 6.68 to 1 first gear. You really only use 2-3-4, and the splits are not great, so the truck is always in the wrong gear. I also run bigger tires on it. I may replace the tranny and transfer case, but that is a more expensive proposition than a cam, so I'll start with the cam this year.

You can make plenty of power out of a 390, more out of a 410, with fairly ordinary parts and still have a drivable vehicle. If you get too crazy about the cam you lose vacuum, and your stall speed gets so high it is tedious to drive in traffic, and god help you with a load.

The information about cam sizing in Barry's article was really helpful to me in thinking about the kind of cam I want to put in to my engine. A 445 will let you use more cam because the bigger displacement is more forgiving.

 

Steve,

I just re-read your original post - the last 360 came off the line in the 70's, are you really putting one into an '87?

 

Yes I am. My buddys dad has an old 70 something ford (I forget the exact year) but it has a 360 in it with I believe a t 19 tranny that I am also putting in the 87. Something different and I think it will be interesting. I really like the fe's for there simplicity and reliability and the power they can make. And I have a 360 in the farm truck and absolutely love it so I'd like another one in place of my 302 EFI (I'm also trying to stay away from most of the electronic stuff by going to a carbed motor)

 

I'll give you the magic trick to get 400HP out of a 360, most of all one for your 87. It comes down to your instructions to your machinist when you take it in.


Here's exactly what you tell him ......


























































I'll trade you all my 360 stuff for a 460.
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Biggest challenge to making power with a 360 is that it was meant to be a low compression, moderate power truck engine in an era where performance was for cars.

From what I've read, it is easier to make power from a 352. If you want to go down this path, you need to change change a lot of things to get the compression up and once you start doing that you might as well replace the rotating assembly. If you are going to do that you can get a junkyard 390 and check to see if it is worth machining (typically you won't find out until after you have done a lot of work), or you can buy one. If you are going to buy one, you might as well go for as much stroke as you can pay for.

And I have no opinion on what it will take to get an FE block and T19 into an 87.

 

Probably won't trade but Its worth a try

 

I'd make it a 390 before a 352

 

I agree, I'm only pointing out that, all things equal, I'd make a 352 before I'd make a 360. And while you are at it, if you are going to buy a new crank, buy the longest stroke you can.

 

Would you suggest a new crank or try to find one used? I was going to start looking at swap meets and craigslist for a 428 crank but if buying a different one with a longer stroke is the way to go then I'd do that instead

 

There are not a lot of original 428 cranks out there. There were not a lot of 428s made compared to 390s and 360s. Not quite as rare as a 427. The other advantage of buying a stroker crank is you can get it internally balanced so you don't have to get a flex plate or flywheel with external balancing. I paid $500 to get a McLeod externally balanced flywheel when I swapped in my 410. If original 428 cranks are rare, it is about impossible to find a flywheel or flex plate. You pretty much have to pony up for a new one.

No doubt someone will post here about their good luck finding one of each, but it was just that, luck. If you enjoy the hunt, by all means, but if you want to get on with the build I'd buy a new one.

 

I wasn't to sure how rare the 428s are. I was gonna go to like 1 or 2 swap meets and see what all I can find and anything else I need that I can't find either get new or try craigslist... o you recommend a certain brand crank?