390 vs. 429/460
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,834
Likes: 26
From: Middle Tn.
That used to be absolutely true. Now a days you can get the same cubes, more torque and more horsepower out of the right small block with better mpg. Just depends if you want to go modern. Many wrecking yards have the complete package at reasonable prices. No debating, just stating facts. The small block will also be a couple of hundred pounds lighter and give more room in the engine bay to work and mount things.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
That used to be absolutely true. Now a days you can get the same cubes, more torque and more horsepower out of the right small block with better mpg. Just depends if you want to go modern. Many wrecking yards have the complete package at reasonable prices. No debating, just stating facts. The small block will also be a couple of hundred pounds lighter and give more room in the engine bay to work and mount things.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,287
Likes: 3
That used to be absolutely true. Now a days you can get the same cubes, more torque and more horsepower out of the right small block with better mpg. Just depends if you want to go modern. Many wrecking yards have the complete package at reasonable prices. No debating, just stating facts. The small block will also be a couple of hundred pounds lighter and give more room in the engine bay to work and mount things.
Aluminum block, heads, intake, all help.
It is a fact that with turbo's , some small blocks are making over 2,000 hp. More than our FE's can safely handle.
BUT I still prefer the FE over the 460 or small blocks just for the cool factor.
With 511ci. it could be argued that the 460 is a small block.... lol...
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Which is why I prefer multiple carb setups...………………. A single four is just...……….ho-hum...…………..Only exception would be a Boss 302. Still love to build one based on a 4.125 bore aftermarket block, but I'm getting old and have a large land purchase to retire on, looming in my immediate future.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,287
Likes: 3
Which is why I prefer multiple carb setups...………………. A single four is just...……….ho-hum...…………..Only exception would be a Boss 302. Still love to build one based on a 4.125 bore aftermarket block, but I'm getting old and have a large land purchase to retire on, looming in my immediate future.
It is a great experience to own a ranch, and is most guy's dream at one point or another in our lives.
Enjoy....
Ohhhh..... by the way,,, One carb with nitrous equals better times at the drag strip "most of the time".
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Just remember, large land creates large amount of time to keep it up. When we retired back in 1999 we purchased a 100 acre ranch that kept me busy from morning to night. Always something that needed attention. We sold the ranch and have a two acre parcel that sometimes is more than I want to maintain.
It is a great experience to own a ranch, and is most guy's dream at one point or another in our lives.
Enjoy....
Ohhhh..... by the way,,, One carb with nitrous equals better times at the drag strip "most of the time".
It is a great experience to own a ranch, and is most guy's dream at one point or another in our lives.
Enjoy....
Ohhhh..... by the way,,, One carb with nitrous equals better times at the drag strip "most of the time".
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,287
Likes: 3
This is 39 acres that's wooded. Gonna selective cut 30 of it. 9 acres is a creek bottom that's never been touched with some huge pines and Beech trees Gonna leave it as is. Gonna build on the 30 acres after logging's done. Gave up on the local drag strip. 6 hrs to make 3 passes ain't worth my time, 'specially after driving an hour each way to get there.
It is going to be 109 degrees this weekend, and this old guy is not going to the drag strip when it gets that warm.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,549
Likes: 331
From: Harned, Ky
I love the sound of a high winding small block, especially after it passes 8000 rpm, but I also love the looks of a triple carbed FE, major wow factor.
I'm pass the racing stage, now I just want to cruise. WITH old school racing power.
Sold my last semi in 05 and got back into farming a little, nothing big just a few cows and some chickens, retired from driving in 08 and farm full time now.
Today we're operating a 120 head cow/calf operation on 350 acres plus 96,000 chickens, the wife and I talked about cutting back some so I contracted another 60 acres of hay ground for next year.
I'm thinking maybe I did that wrong, I retired to have time to work on some of my projects, now I have even less time to work on them
I'm pass the racing stage, now I just want to cruise. WITH old school racing power.
Sold my last semi in 05 and got back into farming a little, nothing big just a few cows and some chickens, retired from driving in 08 and farm full time now.
Today we're operating a 120 head cow/calf operation on 350 acres plus 96,000 chickens, the wife and I talked about cutting back some so I contracted another 60 acres of hay ground for next year.
I'm thinking maybe I did that wrong, I retired to have time to work on some of my projects, now I have even less time to work on them
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Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 3
From: Joliet, Illinois
Quite a few years back before the crash I did seriously consider some forested land in Vermont so I would not have a "need to work the land", just the garden that was near the house.
A few ducks and chickens mostly for eggs in the summer, meat in the fall.
Maybe a few Spanish goats and Soay sheep.
A few ducks and chickens mostly for eggs in the summer, meat in the fall.
Maybe a few Spanish goats and Soay sheep.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
I have a 1975 F-100 4X4 w/NP435, 4.10, with 416 CI, basically stock with exception of a Crane cam. I run 2" duals through the largest glass pack mufflers I could find online at the time. Tailpipes exit the rear and it sounds sweet. I live near the dunes so there are plenty of lifted, high horsepower 4X4's everywhere. I still get a boat load of guys wanting to see what I'm running whenever I stop. It all depends on what your looking to do with your truck. Mine is just a cruiser, wouldn't have went any other way.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
But only if "he" knows what to choose in parts, how to assemble those parts and knows how to drive. I've beaten many just by out driving them.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 3
From: Joliet, Illinois
Had a 1970 mustang convertible with a 302 and C4 and nothing more than a 4 barrel and headers, blew away a guy with a brand new modern EFI 5.0 that was putting out a hell of a lot more power than I was just because he was short shifting right as the power was about to come on!
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