I have a 1970 F250 with 390 and automatic, it's got a 2 barrel. I can get a cast iron 4 barrel manifold w/motorcraft carburetor from one of the junkyards I do business with, from an F250 with a 360, another yard has an F350 Camper chassis with a 390 and a set of headers I can get. I know I'm going to put the headers on, what's the best mufflers to go with it? Or is that dependent on the carburetion? I just haul parts with the truck. Would I be better off to keep my stock 2 barrel, or switch to a different 2 barrel carb? Put the cast iron 4 barrel with the motorcraft carb (after having it rebuilt), or change to a different 4 barrel? I'm not planning on racing the truck, but a lil more go would be nice. Heck, the gas mileage can't be much worse than it already is. Appreciate any help. Totally off the subject, but since my brother just called to tell me, did anyone here bid on the NOS Delco battery on Ebay? Can you believe an OLD battery went for 1,524.99?
Intake and carb are going to cost me $75, headers $50, so it's not breaking the bank, gaskets what... $50 max? Mufflers cost will be dependent on what I put on it. The truck is a hobby as well as a work truck, I don't mind spending a day on it. It's got 186,000 on it, the family that owned it since new took good care of it mechanically, it doesn't smoke, use oil, have any leaks, so I'm not into rebuilding it yet, that's somewhere down the road, right now I'd just like to get a little better driveability out of it.
I'm not looking for a major 'boost' per se; just better driveability, and hopefully an improvement in the gas mileage. I know 390s willl never be fuel mileage champs, but I'm sure someone on this forum has done some mild non-racing mods to raise the mileage and somewhat better, smoother acceleration, etc. That's what I'm hoping to find out, I didn't say I was going to put the 4v on, I'm trying to find out what would be the best combination of components for what I'm trying to acheive
Last edited by rogueinla; 10-25-2009 at 07:40 PM.
Reason: typo
every little bit helps. for a 40 year old truck she moves pretty good and gets 16 mpg. i just did another trip down to florida last week from jersey for bike week. i have intake, phenolic spacer, 4 barrel 600 cfm, new timing chain and gears, headers and performance distributors dui ignition. jowilker is right, i dunno if the juice is worth the squeeze, but its my only 4 wheel vehicle and i use it 45 minutes to and from work everyday so i figure all the work will pay off sooner or later if not already has.
Danger, thanks for the input, what ignition did you use? What intake do you have? The intake I'm getting is a stock cast iron one, it has a motorcraft 4barrel on it, I didn't have time to get the #s off it. My brother has a built 390 PI motor in a 63 Galaxie, and he said he had good luck with the stock motorcraft carbs when he was using them. Anyone used the pertonix module?
The Petronix is an excellent upgrade. That is the first place that you need to spend your money. That and dual exhaust.
Ol Dave has a miracle truck, there aint 10 on this whole site that make that claim.
About 13.5 is all I have been able to squeeze out of mine, and that was with about 25,000 miles on the engine, not one worn out, with Edelbrock Performer intake & cam, 390 cfm carb. on a 1" phenolic spacer, headers, electronic ign. C6 tranny driving 3.00 rears. The problem is wind resistance, you are pushing a brick bat down the road that is like a Caterpillar pushing dirt.
I have been where you are wanting to go with a different truck.
John
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In the cool still quiet hours of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.
If you are going to remove the intake, spend a few extra bucks and buy an aluminum intake. You will dump 40 or 50 pounds right there. And you wont kill yourself trying to put it back on.
Pertronix is a great upgrade. I have heard lots of problems with the Pertronix II. And I always go with the Pertronix coil also.
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