Need help ID'ing a 390

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Jul 24, 2003 | 01:57 PM

#46

markpratt

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Joined: Mar 2003

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From: Northern California

Need help ID'ing a 390

Ok... sorry to resurrect such an old post but I'm finally getting around to getting the bits to a machine shop. I just got the entire motor aprt this morning and finally have numbers for just about everything, so here goes...

Intake manifold - c7ae9425-f ('67-'68 428PI)

Carb - Holley 4010 750cfm dbl pumper mech sec/choke

Cam - this is debatable... I have two on hand the first is the one that came with the motor which is a Cal Cams HF30 254/264 dur with .450 lift, the second cam is a Comp Cams 268H 218 dur with .494 lift. The machine shop I'm taking it to specializes in FE's and the foreman there said he'd show me a couple of their grinds for low to mid range torque.

Rods - c7te-a (unsure about these)

Pistons - could not find a "C" code anywhere on them but there is an MT on the inside of the skirts and 381P on the outside of the skirts. There is also a .040 stamped on the top of them.

Block - I cannot find numbers anywhere on it

Crank - Ditto

As I mentioned, I'm taking it to the shop in the morning tomorrow so I should have a better idea of what I'm dealing with so I can submit numbers to the "virtual dyno".

Cheers!

Mark

Jul 25, 2003 | 07:19 PM

#47

baddad457

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Joined: May 2003

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From: south louisiana

Need help ID'ing a 390

If your block doesn't have any casting #'s on it, I would be leary of boring it more. I have two 390 blocks like it ( circa 1968) and both have extemely thin walls, .030 would be about the most I'd bore them, based on the drill bit test. Rods sound like 360 rods not 390's. That 428PI intake is really a little over kill on a 360 with an RV cam. You might want to consider selling it and stepping down to an original 427 low riser intake or an Edelbrock Performer ( not the RPM) if you want to maximize the bottom and mid range power.

Jul 25, 2003 | 08:05 PM

#48

markpratt

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Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 43

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From: Northern California

Need help ID'ing a 390

ok... here's the latest...

yes indeed it is a 390 bored 040 over with room to spare...
the heads have had CJ valves put in with HD springs...
the carb (holley 4010) turns out to be a marine carb...
and the amount it's going to cost to build the motor is now outside the realms of my pocket book... to the tune of about three grand not including a new clutch as well as a new flywheel I need...

At this moment in time, this project is on hold with the possibiility of being sold off in order to finance a newer Ford for work.

Anyone looking to pick up where I've left off? Let me know and I'll send all info and pics. I may even be able to send sound clips of it running as is.

Thanks for all your help guys,

Mark