Hello all and welcome to my first posting! I'm doing a ground up on a 48 F1 and hoped to find some useable info that you not only recomend but have tried. I'm not going for stock, more of a custom.

To start I've purchased a TCI Mustang II IFS with power rack and 2" drop spindals(a little woried I may have went too low).

I little torn on what to do for the rear suspension? I want to go with the 4 ways and coil overs. Yet I'm worried about the ride(it won't be a trailer queen, but driven regularly)that it may be a little ruff. My Mopar friend told me he just modified his leafs on his 10sec 1/4ml car, he's a little stubborn tho.

I'm going to stick with Ford in a Ford(just my preference not wanting to debate that)and have a few options of motors. First a 351w for a 100 bucks that ran, unsure of numers just found out and haven't seen it yet, complete except carb. Next 390fe ford race engine from what I'm told it was never installed in any car or truck but was at the local college from the factory for the auto shop class then stored, unsure on price as of now. And lastly 460 out of a mid 80s f250 complete rebuild but won't smog(great for me)and has been sitting for about 2 years but started monthly. he's a good friend and my personal mechanic for my wifes Audi. Not sure what to offer or if I should go that route. Like the title says looking for what would fit best for my f1.

Hope that I didn't bore ya, but I need some advice from some Ford owners. I seem to be outnumbered here in the mountains where I live.

Thanks in advance, Troy

 

Welcome to FTE, Troy. Glad to have ya.

Where in CA do you live? If you go to "user CP", then "personal Profile", then page way down to "Location" and add where you live, it will show up in your post header, and we won't be wondering anymore.

The 2" drop spindles will be fine. You'll like the ride height. A 4-bar rear won't ride any harder than any other style. The ride will depend on the coilovers you select. You'll probably wind up C-notching the rear frame rails to get the rear end down enough to balance the front.

I vote for the 460 for (2) reasons: 1) it is the biggest displacement and most power of the options listed, (there's no replacement for displacement) and 2) it comes recommended by someone you know and trust. That really beats a statement like "ran when parked" (like the 351W).

Welcome aboard!!!

 

What about the 390fe, found out it has GT heads and all it would need is a cam to bump it up over 400hp, just waiting on the price.

I do agree and have been told "there's no replacement for displacement"

 

If you already prefer the 390, then the question must have been rhetorical.

I'd still get the 460 referred by a friend mechanic. Silly me.

Just my 2 cents.

 

You need to decide what the truck is for. Racing or driving? I love 390's but I don't spend any time at the track - at least driving. So I'd pass on the 390.

If the 390 is race ready, you'll need to change a few things to make it streetable. This is probably too simple, but a race engine is designed for WOT only where most street driving is done in the lower rpm ranges. Intake is probably single/open plenum. A dual plenum would be better for every day driving.

Same with cams - there are race cams and street cams.

Fuel-wise they're both about the same, you don't get power for nothing.

 

You guys are right about the 460 but what I'm asking is, as far as fit which one is more feasable. I popped the hood on my friends 40 will. with a lt4 350 and it was 10 pounds of sand in a 5 pond bag. Please keep in mind I'm new to this aspect of customizing and my questions are sencere. I would like to keep it somewhat on the easier side so I don't ruin a good truck with too much inexperience and not enough research.

 

Welcome aboard, congratulations on the F1.
While I have nothing against a 460 I`m an FE fan so that`s where my preference lay. That may change as FE parts become even more scarce and expensive.

 

no flatty ? then we must go with the 390 !! of course you'd have to get the 460 too then find the appropriate truck in which to install it !

 

Troy, welcome to the board!!
You managed to stumbel into the best Ford truck resource on the internet.

Like Randy said, there's no substitute for cubic inches!!! Basically all the engines will fit. The engien bay on the 48 is very roomy and basically opens upward from the frame rails. Given a choice between the 460 and the 390 I'd probably go with the 390, I've always had good luck with a 390 but thats just me, they are both great engines. Come to think of it, one of the best trucks I ever owned was powered by a 351W. Its a great engine as well.

After you get settled in, sit back and read through the stickied thread at the top of the forum and try your hand at setting up a gallery so we can see your project (we love pics around here)

Bobby

 

Welcome to the FTE, It's a good place to learn just about anything you want to know. I had a 63 short bed back a few years ago that had a 460 in it, just over 400hp. I couldn't keep drive shafts in it went through 3 the first month. But I had a 390 in a 65 Falcon that run circles around the 460. They were both strong engines. Good Luck which ever way you go.

 

Welcome to the board. What trans do you have or have in mind? Each engine you wrote has a different bellhousing pattern from each other. That may or may not be your deciding factor.

 

Be realistic,


How much cash do you have????

both big blocks are too heavy for that light duty MII front end...go the cheap Windsor...off the shelf exhaust manifolds etc as well

an extra 100hp will only spin the tyres HARDER

and with the Windsor you can use the money you save for airbags!

as for rear....when I wanted to put a Jag IRS in mine, the experienced chassis builder asked me, "what weight will be over the rear to make the suspension work?????"

so we just kicked up the chassis 6 inches in the back with leaf springs...look at "flip kits" to put the diff ON TOP of the rear leaves.

check out my rear end (in the gallery)

 

welcome to the site,i have a 49 f1, take alot of picture's and post them so we can watch your progress.it might get me off my can and get busy on mine.

 

Living in Japan but from the land of Oz?
What did you do with the front end on your truck. It looks too low for a Jag IFS.

 

Some hack PO in the states had butchered in a Volare clip twisted in 3 planes, so by the time we cut that crap out, there were not enough frame rails left to attach the planned Jag front end to......so when the Certified Registration Engineer saw it he demanded that we cut off the rails at the firewall and graft an appropriate front end.
We used an Aussie RHD Holden front graft....essentially a Camaro clip....but we also Zeed it a coupla inches just to be sure

In the era of airbags, there is no "too low"....only "not quite low enough"!