For the scope of this project where I don't want to rebuild the bottom end (except to swap cam), the 240 head swap is ideal I think. Just the figures you gave will help CR a bit.

No plans at this point to shave the head more than it needs to be flat, altho I don't yet know how much that will take. But, I believe the 240 engine is as the factory made it, so hopefully shave will be minimum.

Anyone have cam grind suggestions? Maybe something like a Comp 260H?

 

When you go to the wrecking yard to find the EFI manifolds just grab as much of the exhaust as you think you'll need with them. I'd stop before the cat unless you need it, though. It's twin pipe to the cat so you could run dual exhaust back or Y it into a single 2.5" or 3" pipe.

Or you can do like I did and have a muffler shop bend up a replacement set of head pipes and Y it into a 2.5" pipe.

Either way it's much more durable than that Walker pipe and I'll wager flows better to boot.

 

I already have 2 sets of efi manis picked up via craigslist over the past couple of yrs. I do know what you're talking about as one them had a cut off portion of the two individual pipes. Those are long gone as were unusable, but, I do have to hit the junkyards for some AC brackets for a "new" truck coming my way in a couple of weeks. I'll take a look for those pipes while I'm right there.

I was working on a GMC tbi and needed some parts for that. The JY pulled the part I needed, but while I was right there went back and looked at the Ford section. Several Bullnose and a Dentside. Two of them were 300s and had intact DSII parts, and one had York AC mounts, so I'll be back for the DSII at the least. I'm still hoping to find the later (but pre-serpentine) rotary AC mounts, but know I can use the York if it comes to it.

Tomorrow might be a good day for the other 2 local JYs and see what they have and will add the exhaust pipes to the wish list.

 

Nice, check to see if any of the vans have a 300 - you might stumble onto a Saginaw steering pump and bracket.

 

Great idea. I did look at the vans the other day, but all were later w/mod motors.

I've been wanting a van for some time to be able to take wifey and the critters here and there, but of course I want one with a 300 in it! Much harder to find in any kind of shape these days it seems, altho I only sporadically look for them when I think about it. Oh, well, I'm getting sidetracked yet again............

 

You think it's hard finding a van with a 300? You should try finding a E250 or E350 with a 300 & NP435 manual 4spd!! Add to that I also wanted the extended van! I couldn't find one with what I wanted. That's why I'm having to build my own.

 

Well, as long as I'm dreaming, why not a 300 with a ZF in a van? Now that would be cool and plenty of oomph and gearing to get'r'done.

I scored a 4x4 zf/1356 combo for my '85 F150. It had both driveshafts and the trans crossmember. It was from a '88 F250 w/small block. I built a dolly for it so it's stashed away right now. I want to pull the cab off that truck to do some other things and will fool with it then.

I do see 2wd ZFs from time to time on craigslist. I love that trans.

Hey, what the heck, what's ONE more project??? lol.....

 

I prefer the NP435 over the ZF's. The NP435 is a tougher and easier to work on transmission. And also when you have an issue with slave cylinder and there will be issues. You have to pull the whole transmission out to change it. With the external slave cylinder on the NP435. If there is an issue you slide under the van, pop off one clip and the slave cylinder comes right out.


When funds permit it I will be adding an Advance Adapters Ranger OD or a Spicer/Brownie auxiliary transmission and some steeper rear end gears.

 

Having just typed out what's below, I wonder if I should post it. It sounds like a blowhard giving unsolicited advice.

fljab, if you are not going to shave the block deck to get the right squish, you might want to re-think just how much compression the engine will take without requiring higher octane gas.

Squish isn't just a buzz-word for the in-crowd or an obscure racer's trick. I didn't learn about squish until the mid/late-Sixties, maybe seven years after I started building engines, from two of the smartest two-stroke race engine tuners in the country. Yet this is a real old (1920s) technology. Engine manufacturers could never take full advantage of it because doing so required a degree of precision in the making of many parts which was inappropriate to the realities of mass production. But any of us, doing a full engine rebuild, can easily (though with patience and a little extra expense) size-match parts and do some machining to achieve the precise results we want.

When you get the squish right, it enables other good things in the realm of optimizing static compression and ultimately dynamic compression while still being able to use standard pump gas with no drama over a long service life. Squish is one of the win-wins in engine building, a procedure with no downside, only good effects (as an anti-detonant and an A/F charge-homogenizer). If you are building a keeper, the ideal van for a couple of decades of good performance and fuel efficiency, you might want to build the whole engine now, and be able to forget it and do other projects later. I have done this both right and wrong, and generally regret the jobs I did cheap and quick, thinking I'd get back to them later. I have come to hate having to re-do anything or even think about having to.

 

Smitty, all good points and I'm sure you're right, but the focus of my question was basically how can I take a good short block and improve it w/o a full on rebuild. No prob on sounding like a blowhard, it's all good info and why I come to this forum.

I already have the efi exhaust manifolds, Offy C + 2100 1.14 2 barrel, and 240 head. The head would be the biggest expense as it needs machining. Oh, and I would also need an appropriate but as yet unidentified cam for this combo.

Correct me if I'm wrong please, but if doing a full rebuild and paying attention to parts to get the right squish, I could take static compression to a higher thresh hold and still be able to use regular fuel. It would be more efficient and have more power. All good stuff for sure.

In my (theoretical) build, using the 240 head with minimum shave to get the surface straight + the Fel-Pro 1024 head gasket, the CR would be less than optimal in a full on rebuild with best squish, but still better than stock and better power. All for less $$$, but admit it would be a compromise. I think AB came up with 8.66 CR for this combo, so that should still keep it in reg fuel territory, yes?

This is of course assuming the stock short block is in good condition; I'm not suggesting to take a well worn but running engine.

It may be all moot anyway as I'm having difficulty securing this engine so it may not happen. I do have the 240 engine the head would come off of (I wouldn't use 240 displacement for a build like this), and 2 well thrashed 80's 300s ('88 efi, and '85). All of these would need a full rebuild, so if that happens, I'll look at what you say closely.

I have been following AbandonedBronco's build and glad he's doing all the math!

 

I have a NP435 in my '85 4x4 now. I agree on your point about if you have problems it's much more of a job to pull and correct, but I wouldn't install one w/o using new, OEM parts. I had a '96 F250 4x4 with a ZF (that I wish I had never sold!) and didn't have any issues.

On my old '85 F150, the torque ratings are kinda moot as I'd still use a 300, and while they put out excellent torque stock and esp built, it's still within the 420 ft.lb rating of a ZF. This truck will never be an everyday, high mile truck again - not to mention I'm retired and don't have to drive every day. I have a 2wd F100 soon to appear in my driveway that will be the main DD when needed.

I looked up the spicer/brownie; here's one a Ebay:

Spicer 7041 Auxiliary Transmission | eBay

This is a full on reman example so realize a good used would be less; is this the one of which you speak? I'm sure it's the ultimate, but I think the ZF is still pretty good in regards to cost, torque rating, and fitting it all in a truck/van.

The Advance Adapters Ranger aux gearbox is less:

760010M-27 : Ford Ranger Torque Splitter Overdrive 27% with a 5.125 retainer index | Advance Adapters

Still pricey but for sure a good unit. Plus it would be cool having an extra lever!

I am wondering, is there a way to convert the ZF internal hyd throwout to a mechanical with external hyd slave? Food for thought I guess; I have not tried to research but will look into it.

There is a good argument for using a NP435 and a low numeric rear end. The low granny 1st would make up for the ratio, and 4th is 1:1 so would have highway crusing like an OD. Maybe something like a 2.79 to 3.00 rear end would work.

I see used 435s somewhat regular on craigslist for cheap; hard to kill those things for sure.

Thanks for your input FM, all good stuff! We did sway a bit off the build thread into dreaming about a van build lol.......

 

I've owned many NP435 and ZF 5spd's. The NP435's have their own issues but I've never had one fail on me to the point I couldn't make it home. I can't say that about the ZF. With the ZF you can loose gears, the housings have been known to break and they are a whole lot more difficult to rebuild. And using OEM parts doesn't guarantee anything anymore. I've seen more & more Motorcraft parts with the "made in china" on the box. I've dealt with that stupid slave cylinder in the past.

I don't see any good or easy way to convert the Zf over to the external slave. Without swapping over to big block( 385 series ) V8 or the Diesel. They are the external slave set up.

That being said for the money the ZF is still the best option if you must have a 5 spd.


That spicer box you listed is a 7,000 series. The one that is more useable in smaller( 1 ton and smaller ) trucks/vans is the 5,000 series. They are an older one. I believe they were made from the 50's-70's. Used they usually sell for $700-$1000. But I have seen them as cheap as $400. I really wish I would of had the spare cash for that deal!

The AA Ranger unit is a much smaller unit that is easier to install. And it weighs quite a bit less. But it is over $1600. And I've never found a used one for sale. And I have been looking.

I'm guessing my van is going to weigh in at right around 8,000 pounds. And that's before I add a load or hook up the trailer. And I do haul some heavy loads with my vans/trucks. Right now my van has 3.55 gears. So for me right now OD isn't really needed. But I would like to eventually swap out the rear end gears to 4.11's or steeper. When that happens then one of the OD options will be needed. For me the gas mileage is secondary. The mileage will only be so good when it's as large and heavy as my van is. I need it to be able to work and work hard. Now if mine was a E150 who's main purpose was just driving then the gearing set up you mentioned would be a good choice. I've done that in the past on a lighter truck. One of my favorite trucks in the past had a NP435 with 3.08 rear end gears.


Yep I think the NP435's fall into the dirt cheap category. I find them all the time For $50-$100. And with a little searching I've bought them cheaper then that. And I can completely rebuild one for under $400. And the ZF's in my area are usually $400-$600 used depending on if it's a 2wd or 4wd version. So when you add the cost, toughness and how easy they are to work on that's my reason for preferring the 435's.

Sorry about the . Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

I'm reading that it's the Spicer 5831. Used in 50s to 70s GM trucks. I can find them rebuilt, but the price is similar to what the Advance Adapters Ranger unit is.

You're right about OEM quality; no guarantee of quality anymore.

What about dual NP435s? Go the other direction. Low numeric rear end and just put one of the NPs in a lower gear as appropriate, and go to 4th in both on the highway. It's an old setup altho not sure that there's any adapters available, but I wouldn't think it's too hard to do with some ingenuity and good parts scrounging. And, it's not new ground; just need to dig up the info.

You said it, NP435s are cheap, available, and not that expensive to rebuild. The ultimate 8 sp gear splitter.

Maybe we need to start a new thread, altho I am the OP of this one.

 

Yep the 5831 is the one you want. I believe it was used in some medium duty Ford trucks too.


The problem with doing that is, when pulling a heavy load, the 300 needs the most help in 4th gear. So the second transmission wouldn't really give much help. Because putting the first one in 4th and the second one in 3rd. That would be the same as just down shifting a single transmission into third gear. And since I don't have the equipment to machine the adapters. The cost might be way out of line for little gain.

The transmission I'm using just happens to be a 4x4 NP435 with a married NP 205 transfer case hanging off the back. So if I need to pull a mountain or a house or a loaded semi truck at very low speeds, I'll have the 205's low range. Seriously though it's mainly going to be used for backing trailers up inclines.

 

Talking about squish, what would it be with this setup? I know .075 or so was thrown out, but not clear if that was the stock setup, or with the 240 head and 1024 gasket.