429?
Junior User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 96
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From: Cheyenne, WY
ok but is there any way to really tell? i have a 77 f150 and im thinking about either building my 351M or doing the 400M or doing a big block like a 460 or 429. but if i do the 460 id like to do the zf 5 speed with it or an auto
Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2009
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If the heads are C8VE castings, you have either a 429 or a 460. The only difference (basically) is the stroke length. The block is the same in either case. The only accurate way to tell between 429 or 460 would be to pull a head off and measure the full stroke of the piston. The 460 will have a 3.85 inch stroke and the 429 will have a 3.59.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 129
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'68 was the first year for the 429. They started out as Thunderbird engines that year. Nice power, tons of torque, but beware, they're high compression engines. I had one in my previous '79, not my choice, previous owner did it. As I said, lots of power, but it was kind of a hassle to find parts for it. I didn't want to go to headers, because I wanted as close to a stock quiet exhaust as I could get, but there was only one exhaust manifold that would clear on the passenger side, and it was from some 70's full size, and was hard to find, and that engine went through a couple sets of manifolds in 20 years.
Mine also did not like cheap gas. I had to use premium in it, and it still knocked.
I'm much happier for my purposes with a "normal" engine. Easy and chape to get parts, and it runs on regular.
Mine also did not like cheap gas. I had to use premium in it, and it still knocked.
I'm much happier for my purposes with a "normal" engine. Easy and chape to get parts, and it runs on regular.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,779
Likes: 3
From: Waterloo IL
'68 was the first year for the 429. They started out as Thunderbird engines that year. Nice power, tons of torque, but beware, they're high compression engines. I had one in my previous '79, not my choice, previous owner did it. As I said, lots of power, but it was kind of a hassle to find parts for it. I didn't want to go to headers, because I wanted as close to a stock quiet exhaust as I could get, but there was only one exhaust manifold that would clear on the passenger side, and it was from some 70's full size, and was hard to find, and that engine went through a couple sets of manifolds in 20 years.
Mine also did not like cheap gas. I had to use premium in it, and it still knocked.
I'm much happier for my purposes with a "normal" engine. Easy and chape to get parts, and it runs on regular.
Mine also did not like cheap gas. I had to use premium in it, and it still knocked.
I'm much happier for my purposes with a "normal" engine. Easy and chape to get parts, and it runs on regular.
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Columbia Falls, Montana
Stick with the 351m and stick a 400 crank in it, with better pistons. 400 is a true truck motor. The hassel of putting a big block in and the money it would cost, is more than it would cost to build a real 400 for a truck. There are lots of parts for them now too.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 28
Likes: 1
From: Utah
429
I curently have a 400 in my 77 F150 4x4 that I built. I put a 255 INT/ 263 EXH Comp cam in it, shaved the block to encrease compression {I couldnt find high compression pistons} Edlebrock manifold, and its just not enough power.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2008
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That and the gas. It was really expensive to run on premium at about 8 mpg.
I don't need all that horsepower, either. Whatever my current truck has is fine by me. As long as it can haul what I need it to haul, I'm happy.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 156
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From: Columbia Falls, Montana
The reason is the amount of torque it produces, and the rpm at which it produces it. The 400 is a better truck motor than a 429. There isn't enough cubes between the two to justify using the bigger 429. A stock detuned 400 produce more torque than a 429 does. Now here are the stock stats for a 429 208hp@ 4400 326tq@ 2800. Now a 400 with its detuning made 169hp, but more tq than a 429. Now just uping the compression to 9.0 or better, and installing a holley 500 and headers will produce 265hp and 419lbs of tq. A pretty good start for a truck motor if you ask me, and with a 4 barrel intake and 600 carb, it goes to over 300 hp and 429lbs of tq. So with a few aftermarket parts, a 400 ford can make plenty of power, and it was in the design that it may be used to move 2 ton trucks and all their weight. It was in the design of this motor, that ford wanted to phase out the FE motor in trucks, while they just flat out replaced the car motors with the 400 early. Sure you allready knewn this though. LOL
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2010
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Well, certainly I had trouble finding those exhaust manifolds. Also, any time it needed anything, I'd go into an auto parts store, and they want to look everything up by vehicle. Obviously I couldn't say "79 Ford truck". It didn't really come up often, but when it did it was a pain. Mostly it was the exhaust manifolds that caused me trouble, I guess.