Challenge "76 HIGHBOY" started
Junior User
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Numbers....
Your block is a 66 vintage 390, but was used till 76, the crank is a 390 only spec 3.78 stroke. Rods are 66 vintage 390 spec long rods, not 360 rods. The heads are 68 vintage standard 390 heads 68-71cc's, used on 360, 390, 428's non hardened seats, but that's not what the H stand for though. All parts add up to a 390 in your truck, I'm going to say transplanted in the past. With the .040 overbore, you are looking at about 396.8 cubic inches. Very cool truck too!
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Thanks a lot for the input guys ! ford_pickup /grubbworm / Kuch73 !
Hey Kuch ! where did you find the info on the vintage of these heads and block? which casting number will give that info ?
Machine shop tells me heads pressure test ok and have hardened seats already installed, crank has been turned 10 under and should only need a polish and rods look good with no cracks.
Hey Kuch ! where did you find the info on the vintage of these heads and block? which casting number will give that info ?
Machine shop tells me heads pressure test ok and have hardened seats already installed, crank has been turned 10 under and should only need a polish and rods look good with no cracks.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2006
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Numbers....
I'm a big FE fan and learned my Ford part numbers years ago. All ford parts will start with a letter, this series starts in the 50's with a B, 60's are a C, 70's D, etc.... The second number such as your heads C8AE-H means 1968, The third such as the A in your heads generally means fullsize Ford cars, trucks generally have a T after the number of year, Thunderbird parts were generally Z. I also have a great book, "How to rebuild Big Block Ford Engines", by Steve Christ, great book for reference, another great book on FE's is "How to build max performance Ford FE engines" by Barry Robotnick, also check out the forum FordFE.com, some very knowledgeable people over there, including Barry Robotnick. Your heads are basic Ford FE heads, you could put some bigger 428CJ sized Valves in it to improve the flow, the hard seats were installed by a previous owner, good for you, much better with today's gas. Most standard FE rods are good for most applications, including some hard racing, give them a good shot peening and some better bolts and they are good.
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Senior User
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Thanks Kuch !
Great info. can those cylinders safely go .060 over ? and if the crank has to go another .010 (which would make it .020 under) is that a problem ?
The engine wont be workin hard generally unless I'm towing or somethin.
Great info. can those cylinders safely go .060 over ? and if the crank has to go another .010 (which would make it .020 under) is that a problem ?
The engine wont be workin hard generally unless I'm towing or somethin.
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Before I move on with the T-case , I forgot to show you the top end of transmission which contains the shift forks and shift fork guide rails.
There are plastic bushings on the end of the forks which wear out and cause sloppy shift action. The rails have spring and ball retainers which hold the
selected gear, in gear. the springs weaken over time and allow the tranny
to slip out of gear. very easy to replace these components which are contained in the tranny overhaul kit.
There are plastic bushings on the end of the forks which wear out and cause sloppy shift action. The rails have spring and ball retainers which hold the
selected gear, in gear. the springs weaken over time and allow the tranny
to slip out of gear. very easy to replace these components which are contained in the tranny overhaul kit.
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Senior User
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Replaced the cab mounts while I was waiting for the T-case kit to get here!
After nearly forty years , those suckers gotta go , but those bolts aren't gonna budge. so just cut the old rubber donut away first so you can get a
hack saw or highspeed to the bolt and bushing.
After nearly forty years , those suckers gotta go , but those bolts aren't gonna budge. so just cut the old rubber donut away first so you can get a
hack saw or highspeed to the bolt and bushing.