What motors you all have in your trucks? I will be looking to get a 48-50 and my heart tell me to go with a flathead v8, but my brain tells me to go with one of the 351W's or the 429 that I have stashed away. I will be runing a standerd trans. Any input frome you guys that drive these old trucks?

 

there is no replacement for displacement 4 2 9 !!!

and welcome to the fTE

john cool dude with a 460 in a '53



with a big block... you smoke 'em CAUSE you got 'em

 

Paul

I brought the mother of all threads on this subject up to the top. Titled "Power plant and suspension statistics." Included at no additional charge is a complementary sample off all the 48-60 Forum Psychos at their worst.

Everyone else, please note at Exhibit A, December 7, 2002, RMF first uttered the phrase "Girly 302". It seems more like 6 years than 6 months ago.

 

I left the flathead V8 in my '48, figuring I could always swap it out later. After 2 years of driving it daily, I don't want to drive anything else - it'll always be flat. Something about the sound, the history, the nostalgia, the classic combination - try a flatty and I bet you get hooked.

My 429 is going in the 70 'stang.

 

John,

I'm disappointed. It took you 18 minutes to lock on to this question and provide the inevitable "more cubes" answer.

Paul,

Question #1 is: What are you planning on doing with your truck?

1. Trophy winning trailer queen
2. Occasional cruise-in
3. Long-distance touring
4. Work truck
5. Heavy hauling or towing
6. Other

With enough effort and money, you can MAKE just about any engine and drivetrain do any or all of the above. From a practical point of view, however, some engines and drivetrains are just better suited to some of the uses.

A Y-Block could look great in a trailer queen, at a cruise-in, and maybe in a work truck depending on the exact use. As far as long-distance cruising, you would probably have to do a fair amount of work on most Y's to get really good gas mileage. For heavy hauling, if you are willing to work with more gears and a high rear axle ratio, you could probably use a Y-Block as well. After all, that's what they were used for originally in the bigger trucks.

Having said that, it probably would be a lot more convenient and useful to go with a big-block and a heavy-duty drivetrain if you like to pull a good-sized boat or trailer a fair distance. You can make the big-block look great for shows too, if you want. On the other hand, your gas mileage will probably suck if you have a lot of displacement and don't REALLY need it.

In between, there are lots of choices like the 302, 351, etc. They each have their strengths. I don't think you can make a good choice, though, until you decide what your truck will be doing.

By the way, John REALLY needs all 429 cubic inches for his truck. I think he has two IFS units installed or something like that. Probably adds a lot of weight.

'fenders,

Forum psycho? I resemble that remark!

 

"By the way, John REALLY needs all 429 cubic inches for his truck. I think he has two IFS units installed or something like that. Probably adds a lot of weight."

Oh Contraire, (Thats French George, and that's how they spell it here in Iowa in the event I screwed that up)

John is cured of his dual suspension disorder. The extra Mopar suspension has moved to it's new happy home in Yankee Land. (The parts free of double torch tracks anyway.) Proudly displayed on my shop wall, hermetically sealed for it's protection, awaiting a good coat of IH red on a slow day.

Yes, I have possession of the Volare. Not just any Volare, THE Niolon Volare of FTE fame. There is only one.

Accept no cheap salvage yard reproductions.

BTW, the 351W is the perfect F1/F100 engine. And it's not just because I don't have one.


'fenders
2 Cool for a regular Volare

 

I believe the language has been officially renamed "Freedom". As in "Oh contraire ..." - that's Freedom, George.

 

to fit a 429 would will need to modify the firewall. Tisk Tisk 'fenders you broke my TRADEMARK AGAIN! I religate you to fly Lobo 2 anywhere he wants.

 

Whilst it is true -

- Everyone else, please note at Exhibit A, December 7, 2002, RMF first uttered the phrase "Girly 302". It seems more like 6 years than 6 months ago.

- it's not like I invented the phrase, I simply was the first to put in print, a view commonly held throughout the truckin/roddin world. A view quietly whispered in bars and garages throughout North America and most of europe excluding Germany for years....

It's a CAR MOTOUR. Not only do they put them in CARS!, but they call 'em "5 liters" like it's supposed to make 'em sound BIG & POWERFULL!


To quote our resident "posting guru" -

"....the 351W is the perfect F1/F100 engine... "

 

Now heres one for you. I am planing on a HD truck. How well will a flathead 8 pull? If I find a compleat V8/4speed I will probably keep it, and work with that.

If I find a 6, or a truck with no motor I would probably go with a 351w, or the 429. Of corse eather would have the HD grannylow 4speed[ie T-18] No autos for me.

 

Paul

Whatever you decide, be assured your choice will be applauded and laughed at to the end of time. All right here in one convenient location.

Just so you know. Indepth discussion of non-Ford drivetrains is not allowed on FTE. Just letting you know before some fruitcake whacks out on you.

 

Is it true that some folks actually do put in non-ford drivetrains?


Why? Inquiring minds want...you know the rest!

HAnds

 

Just so you know. Indepth discussion of non-Ford drivetrains is not allowed on FTE. Just letting you know before some fruitcake whacks out on you.



I will let it out now. I am a Ford man at heart. Yes I do have that Dodge, but in a Ford, no other motor will find its way into the engine compartment of any one I own.

 

Until not very long ago, it was against the law here to use a Dodge engine in a Ford, for example.
If you wanted to have another engine in your Ford, it had to be from something built by Ford...

I'm a Ford man too, from tractors to cars. But, please don't laugh, I do have a '75 VW Beetle with about 52000 original miles in my garage...

By the way Paul, I have a 1973 F100 with a 272, Clark 3spd on the column and a Dana 44 rear end with 3.50 gears. I don't think you'll be able to find another 73 with this setup!

Regards,
Lobo

 

So Paul...


has the dysfunctionality of this group starting to make you ask yourself... "is this place worth a bookmark ???"

well, disregard your first impression... we grow on you... mostly like some funky nail fungus, but you get used to us and tend to ignore it... then something happens and you start to enjoy it...and you can't go all day without checking in... !!!!!

that's when you should take stock of your mental health situation and consider counseling... My son is a registered clinical psychologist... I can give you his number later if you need it... BTW he won't treat me... he says there is only so much that can be done with medical expertise .

The amount of 'good' information is staggering here, as well as compost... use what you can... and try to step around the rest... you'll fit in just fine

just between you and me ??? watch out for 'fenders and 'rage' they're strange

oh and BTW ignore my previous post about using the 429... go with a 4 6 0 !!!

later

john