Ive got a '76 F250 Highboy with a 390 and a 4 speed the 390 came out of a '71 F250 2wd with a 3 speed that had been sitting for 2 years the engine runs great but its kinda tired its all stock except headers and a big air filter.
I have a chance to buy a running 85 F350 2wd 4 speed with a 460 for $400 and was thinking about swaping the 390 for the 460 after I rebuilt it.
My Question is, Is it worth buying and rebuilding the 460 and all the adapters to put it in the 76? or should I stick with the 390, rebuild it and make it higher performance? Which one is cheaper? I know all the adapters for the 460 are expensive and rebuilding it isnt cheap, but parts for the 390 are kinda expensive.
Secondly, my $.02... Buying the 460 will be costing you an additional $400 from the start, the cost to rebuild and then you will need all the goodies, which can be had from the salvage yard to install it in your truck. Both engines will cost just as much to rebuild. But then I have a 390 currently under construction
--Mike
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Mike G
1965 F100 LWB .060 over 390/beefed C6
1968 Cougar XR7 (wife's toy)
2002 Chev Avalanche
1992 GMC K1500 4x4
2001 Infiniti I30
2004 Honda CRF250R
2003 XR50 w/big bore 80cc kit
1990 Chaparral 2000SL 20ft bow-rider 5.7L Merc
Yes...there are only three licensed drivers in the household
I'm in the middle of a 460 swap in my 76 F-250 right now.it's something I've always wanted to do but i have to admit if i had it to do over again i would probably just rebuild the 360 into a stout 390 and call it done. that would leave a lot of money to do the body/paint and interior. maybe when it's done i''ll feel different but right now thats where I'm at.
I have a 73 F100 that is 2 wheel drive. It had a 240 and 4 speed in it when I got it. I went to a 302 and c6, then 390 and 4 speed. I pulled out the 390 and 4 speed for a 460 and c6. The 460 is nice, but I don't think it was worth the trouble and expense that it took to get it in. It doesn't have but maybe a little more guts than the 390. The 390 was very easy to work on next to the 460. The 390 got about 3 miles per gallon better fuel mileage. If I had it to do over, I would have over hauled my 390, added a little more cam, maybe some silvolite pistons, and a few other goodies. I would have been well under the cost of the 460 and probably had as good of an engine if not better. While the 390 was in my truck, I added an msd ignition module, headers, and aluminum intake. It made a lot of difference. I wish you luck in which ever route you choose to go.
'76 390 to '85 460
