Hey everyone, I've got a 71 250 with a 360 in it and I'm looking to make more power. I know one thing to do is the crank rods and pistons out of a 390, but I'm not looking to tear into the engine just yet.

Right now it's got longtube headers, edelbrock intake manifold and carb, and a kickdown kit for the C6 tranny.

I would love to do a cam, but again, not looking to rip into the engine just yet (In the next couple years I plan to do a full rebuild). How effective would a set of heads be and where would I be able to find some performance heads?

 

You realy should just go get a 390 short block from a junkyard and rebuild that and thow that in. Your looking at $1000 for the heads and that's just impractical on a 360. Just a waist if you ask me.

 

That's honestly the route I'll probably go. I figure I can buy a shortblock build it up and paint it outside of the truck, and once I'm ready I can just swap them out. Perhaps get the truck painted while the engine is out of it...

Trust me, I won't be spending a thousand bucks on heads unless I can incorporate them into the full rebuild which would include the increase up to the 390.

 

not to but in on ur thread or anything but i was wondering if you had an idea of how much
the 390 short block would go for..that seems like something i should be able to do to my 69 f100.

 

another option is a 428 and you would have power to spare ! might be hard to find

 

Verry hard to find. The 427 and 428 were staight up performance motors and are hard to find and are big bucks. All the comon big block cars got 390s or the other big block. The 385 series 429 or 460. A totaly different motor.

 

Oh yea... I can't imagine an old 390 long block woud run you more than $200. Start checking craigs list on a regular bassis. I got my 71 460 for $250. It needs a total rebuild so I'll be into it about $1500 when it's done but I'll have about 500hp. I passed up on running 390s for around $500.

 

i remember some older ford trucks that had the 428 in them and would run circles around
a 360 ! but that was 30 years ago .

 

I'm pretty shure the 428 only ever came in performance edition cars.
360 and 390 were 1968-1976
400 and 351M were1970-1979
460 was 1973- 1998

 

The 3 Bore Spacings of Ford Engines in the last half of the 20th century --- SBF MBF BBF Small Block Medium Block Big Block
Spacing Displacement AKA Spacing Displacement AKA Spacing Displacement AKA
4.38" 239 in³ Y-Block 4.63" 317 in³ Lincoln 4.90" 383 in³ MEL
4.38" 256 in³ Mercury 4.63" 341 in³ Lincoln 4.90" 410 in³ MEL
4.38" 272 in³ Y-Block 4.63" 368 in³ Lincoln 4.90" 430 in³ MEL
4.38" 292 in³ Y-Block 4.63" 332 in³ FE 4.90" 462 in³ MEL
4.38" 312 in³ Y-Block 4.63" 352 in³ FE 4.90" 429 in³ 385-series
4.38" 221 in³ Windsor 4.63" 360 in³ FE 4.90" 460 in³ 385-series
4.38" 260 in³ Windsor 4.63" 390 in³ FE
4.38" 289 in³ Windsor 4.63" 406 in³ FE
4.38" 302 in³ Windsor 4.63" 410 in³ FE
4.38" 351 in³ Windsor 4.63" 427 in³ FE
4.38" 351 in³ Cleveland 4.63" 428 in³ FE
4.38" 351 in³ Cleveland M 4.63" 361 in³ FT
4.38" 400 in³ Cleveland M 4.63" 391 in³ FT

428
428 engine configurations and applications [show]

* 4V, 10.5:1
o 345 horsepower (257 kW) at 4600 rpm and 462 lb·ft (626 N·m) at 2800 rpm
+ 1966–1967 Ford
+ 1966–1967 Ford Thunderbird
+ 1966–1967 Mercury
+ 1967 S-55
o 360 horsepower (270 kW) at 5400 rpm and 459 lb·ft (622 N·m) at 3200 rpm
+ 1966–1968 Ford Police Interceptor
+ 1966–1968 Mercury Police Interceptor
o 340 horsepower (250 kW) at 4600 rpm and 462 lb·ft (626 N·m) at 2800 rpm
+ 1968 Ford
+ 1968 Mercury
o 360 horsepower (270 kW) at 5400 rpm and 420 lb·ft (570 N·m) at 3200 rpm
+ 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500
* Cobra-Jet 4V, 10.8:1 — 335 horsepower (250 kW) at 5200 rpm and 440 lb·ft (600 N·m) at 3400 rpm
o 1968 Ford Mustang
o 1968 Mercury Cougar
o 1968 Shelby GT500KR
* Cobra-Jet and Super Cobra-Jet 4V, 10.6:1 — 335 horsepower (250 kW) at 5200 rpm and 440 lb·ft (600 N·m) at 3400 rpm
o 1969–1970 Ford Mustang
o 1969–1970 Mercury Cougar
o 1969 Ford Fairlane
o 1969 Ford Torino
o 1969 Mercury Cyclone
* 2x4V, 10.5:1 — 355 horsepower (265 kW) at 5400 rpm and 420 lb·ft (570 N·m) at 3200 rpm
o 1967 Shelby GT500

Ford FE 428 Police Interceptor engine from a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500

Due to its 4.235" bore size, the 427 block was impractical to manufacture economically for street use; it required tighter tolerances during casting than Ford's regular engine plants could deliver at that time. Therefore, Ford combined attributes that had worked well in previous incarnations of the FE: a 3.985 inches (101.22 mm) stroke and a 4.135 inches (105.03 mm) bore, creating an easier-to-make engine with nearly identical displacement. The 428 cu in (7 L) engine used a cast nodular iron crankshaft and was externally balanced.

428 FE engines were fitted to Galaxies (badged simply as '7 Litre') and Thunderbirds in the 1966 and 1967 model years. It was also found in Mustangs, Mercury Cougars, some AC(Shelby)Cobras and various other Fords. This engine was also available as standard equipment in 1966 and 1967 in the Mercury S-55

The 428 Engine is said to be more tractable and usable than its more famous and noted brother, the 427. This is due to the smaller bore size in ratio to compression stroke.

 

the trucks that they were in had them put in as i dont remember it was a factory option .
the info above came from WIKIPIDIA ?

 

The 428 is by far one of my favorite motors. Just not a truck motor. 460+ cubes is the way to go.. Lol

 

that 428 should bolt up with out much trouble as it is a FE block , same block style as the 360 . witch means he can use the same trany !
the 460 would be a good choice but it is more involved to transplant it in , and it would need its own transmission !

 

You just need to swap the bell.
I'm not trying to convince him to go 460. It's a hastle. New headers, assesories, all the expensive crap.

A 390 is the easyest. Only diff is the stroke.

The 428 uses different heads. The ports are different so the exaust and intake won't swap over.

It comes down to how much he wants to spend. Your deffinatly right about it being the beter engine. But Hp=$

 

i dont even think you could find a 428 these days !