First post here at FTE. Also, my first Ford. And first big block, or V8 for that matter.

Recently got my hands on a 65 F100 cab and longbox on an F250 chassis, 390 under the hood. Has an edelbrock manifold and a double pumper, but stock exhaust manifolds (makes tons of sense...). Slowly beginning to solve her issues because it sat for a long time. I have no real desire to restore it to original. Rather, I'd like to customize it. Until I can afford to do so, I need to at least improve the performance and troubleshoot some of the issues in this old beast.

For some reason, it will occasionally burp oil out of the filler tube at the front of the block. I have no idea really where to begin on this one. I know these oldies were equipped with a draft tube, but that system seems to be/is completely useless at low speeds or idle, so if it has no PCV perhaps this could cause the issue? Only other thing that appears to be a likely cause would be a bad head gasket. No milkshaked oil or skunky/oily coolant. Any advice?

Is there any sort of comprehensive list or good location of service manuals or work packages? I have access to Chilton's, but I find their manuals to be lackluster.

Also, can anyone tell me which transmissions will meet the bellhousing pattern on the 390? 3 speed granny low is a difficult beast to drive long distance. I believe what's currently up there is a New Process something or other, but it doesn't appear to be very long and may just be a Toploader. Haven't tried to find the case stamp yet.

And, finally, at some point, I'll be hocking the bed for a flatbed. Planning to fab my own with wood, or maybe frame it out with angle iron. I know all of this was a long read and I appreciate whatever help anyone is willing to provide. Thanks!

 

Your truck should have a PVC in the right rocker cover. Are you using points? Much improvement can be achieved by using a Ford Duraspark, pertronix or HEI GM knockoff. I use Davis Unified Ignition. Spendy but bullet proof. Need to check the CFM on the Holly. More than 650 CFM is a waste. On the transmission, I use C6. There are some here that use 5 speed but I don't have any info on that you would need to look in the tech article section here. Aftermarket flat beds are available and not to spendy. Personally if you are going to work the truck I'd just buy a bed and install it. These beds are fairly universal and you might get lucky finding one in a bone yard. True dual exhaust with an H pipe and stock manifolds are way good for a stock street driven truck. IMHO!

 

Yep, still running points. I was considering electronic ignition anyway since points aren't low maintenance. Never much cared for points anyways.

Last owner has two breathers on the rocker covers, one on either side. Waiting for payday to roll around so I can rig up a PCV.

I'll check out some local scrapyards and see what is hanging around. Wanted to swap the brakes to power with discs up front anyways since drums are such a pain (besides, the wife can't drive it because she can't stop it; at least we discovered that without her smashing into something). Any idea if the frame size is the same through a certain year-group?

 

Drum brakes are fine as long as they are in good condition. I used Boosted drums for years in everyday commuter traffic around Atlanta without any issues. I would just add a booster with dual chamber master cylinder and call it good. Hard unresponsive pedal is indicative of a wrong sized master cylinder piston. Likely someone changed it in the past and you have the wrong one on your truck. Manifold should be Edelbrock Performer with a 1 inch 4 hole spacer under it. Need to verify the CFM on the carb if it is too big that 390 will guzzel gas. Besides the ignition improvements a simple tuneup will increase performance.

 

FC Im a little confused by what you are saying about oil comming out of a filler tube at the front of the block. If it is an FE and has and aftermarket intake manifold you should be putting oil in it through a servicing cap on the drivers or passanger side valve cover. I believe there were some FE motors in cars before 65 that had stock intake manifolds that had a tube to service oil through. Thunderbird or Galaxie come to mind. PCV valve is usually on the passanger side at the rear of the valve cover. Road draft tube would be there too. Can you post pics of this setup you have for the motor. Might help figure out what you have going on there with the oil belching problem.

 

Engine was taken from a 64 thunderbird. I'd love to post pics but currently my camera is dead.

Oil filler neck that I mentioned appears to be press fit into the intake manifold. Pardon my mistake. You can take the filler cap off, shine a light down the hole, and see one of the pushrods for cylinder one.

 

Is your data plate still attached to your driver side door? If so, post the information here and someone will be able to decode it for you and tell you lots of stuff about how your truck left the factory, when and where it was built, etc. The fourth position of your VIN is the engine code. An FE V8 could have been had from the factory in your truck, but it would have been a 352 2bbl engine. In that case the letter would have been a "D". If I remember correctly, 1964 (maybe 1965) would have been at the last year a 390 used the road draft tube, and an oil filler at the front of the intake manifold. The motor mount system on the block changed in 1965 so some "adjustment" must have been performed to install the '64 block. As far as helpful tech data goes, probably the biggest help as an illustrated parts breakdown and part number source is the 1964-72 Ford Truck Master Parts and Accessories Catalog available on CD-ROM from several vendors like NPD for somewhere in the low $20 range. Also available is the Factory Workshop Manual which can be quite helpful, a Body Assembly Manual, and the owner's manual (may have to be for a '66 but there's not much difference between them). If you have a New Process transmission it is probably the 435. You may well have something like a 4.10 axle ratio in that F250. Converting to power disc or power drums is not difficult. Lots of help available here. Good luck with your new truck.

 

VIN as titled and on the door plate is F10DK601735.

Any idea if I can just pull the filler tube and plug that hole with a freeze plug or some such? Seems perfectly acceptable that oil could be serviced from the valve cover, since that's what I've seen on every other '60s era V8.

I appreciate the info about the manuals; I'll have to pick a few up at some point. It's a shame that someone hasn't posted them. Was able to find all of the factory service manuals for my '85 RX7 (which was the bargaining chip for this old slick) on the RX7 forums.

I know it's definitely geared low, which is something I intend to change. Would also like to get a transmission with some sort of overdriven top gear.

Fundamentally, it's a big, long-term project, at least for me.

 

I agree on ''too much carb''...that double pumper is way too much carb for a stock 390
unless it's built for performance? I would suggest replace with a 600/650cfm, vacuum secondary! better mpg's and just as much performance! I have a Holley Street avenger on my 351w and great performer and good mpg's for a 4 barrel...

 

Your VIN decodes as F10 = F100 2 wheel drive truck, D = 352 cubic inch 2 bbl V8, K = built in Kansas City, 601735 = built in October, 1964. Or at least the cab was. If the chassis is F250 (does it have 8 lug wheels?) it will have a completely different VIN. You can find that in 2 different places on the TOP of the passenger side frame rail. One should start approx. 30 inches (or so) back from the front bumper mount point. The other will be further back along the top of the same rail, under the cab. They may take some crud removing and sanding to find, but they're there. You can find the first one out in the open. The second one requires removing the cab. If you're lucky, there may be a tag attached to your differential with what it is. If not, there are ways of finding out without having to count teeth on the ring and pinion. Since your cab and its chassis were not married at the factory, I can see why learning the rest of your data plate codes might not be of interest as they may or may not apply. I'm no great engineer, but I don't see why you shouldn't be able plug the front filler tube and add oil through a valve cover breather, and add a PCV valve if there is a place to hook it to on the carb or the spacer below it (if there is one). My '66 352 came with PCV, a breather cap/oil fill cap, and no road draft tube. Come to think of it, your valve covers may be the old round top ones and may not have holes for breathers or PCV. Later model pentaroof valve covers do. I am surprised your Edelbrock manifold has a provision for the front oil fill tube. I just put a new Edelbrock manifold on my 352 and it doesn't. Maybe older ones or a different part number did. Fitting an overdrive transmission to your 390 can be done, but will probably be 'spensive. Ford offered a Warner 3 on the tree manual trans with O/D but they are pretty rare. Hope this helps.

 

It's one of the old school Edelbrock F 427 manifolds.

Not the original valve covers, so there are ports on both for PCV grommets. There is a capped PCV port at the back of the carb, so come payday I'll go on a part shopping spree and get the necessary equipment to rig up a system.

There is no sticker on the differential, but while I was back there I discovered that I have leaky rear brake cylinders. Fortunately I have two new ones to install at some point. I'd love to pull the hubcaps and have a look at the lug pattern, but I'm apparently too weak to get one off with a screwdriver, unless there is a trick to this . So, I'll just laugh at myself in the meantime.