so I could just do a small bore and go max on the stroke?

 

IMHO, yes. Go .030 over or whatever the block needs. Then go for stroke. The reason 390's pull so hard even though they are less than 400 CU. is because of stroke. As a matter of fact if you check the bore and stroke numbers on a FACTORY 390 and those of the Bow Tie Boy's 383 CU they brag so much about they are almost identical. Their 383 is a little bored and Stroked 350.

 

doesnt do too much good for you since your in kentucky and i am in kansas but i do have a stock 4 bbl cast iron intake i would let go of but it about wouldnt be worth your drive and would cost more to ship than what it is worth best bet is a junk yard.... IMO its all about how well you can move air through the motor with the least amount of restrictions.... i have found that most 4 bbl intakes get you better gas mileage than 2 bbl intakes and better performance.... as stated before get a spacer under that carb (i use a 2" aluminum) and if you can find a screen/gasket combo they help alot and keep people from being able to throw stuff in your motor.... headers are where these motors gain the most from and are just bolt on (remember you get what you pay for).... heat shields save starters without a doubt invest in a good one.... the better heads you can find the better of you will be.... stock cams work but aren't the best for fuel mileage or power....and if you do all this it will perform so much better than just boring and stroking ....shorter strokes will wrap faster than longer ones but longer strokes make more power ....the worst thing about FE's is crappy oiling on the top end of rpm range, keep rpms lower for a longer engine life and mileage.....and final part of my rant after intake, heads,headers,heatshield,carb spacer,and good carb throw some 2.78-3.00-3.53 gears in the rearend and a 435 np (it has a low 1st gear (6.68 to 1) that allows you to use higher gears with less clutch slippage) and you have a great truck for power, performance, and gas mileage to boot

 

thank you very much! I got the old 352 from the boneyard so im going to start tearing it down in a day or so.

 

If I may, I will toss out a few tips, on top of everything that everyone else has already posted. All of which is valuable information....

Take lots of pictures during tear down.
Take your time.
Do it right the first time.
Budget around $700 for head machining, and $500-$600 for the block machining.
Pay the extra money for forged pistons over cast.
Get high quality Rings, and nothing that AutoZone, NAPA, O'Rilleys will have would I recommend.
Using a reconditioned OE FE Crankshaft is a solid way to save money, But only get one from a machine shop. DON'T buy one that has been welded on. If the shop your dealing with tells you that you can't get one that hasn't been welded on......... stop dealing with that shop.
Replace every nut and bolt for that engine, or at least the Head, Rod and Main bolts.
Discard the OE oil pump and oil pan in favor for high volume pump, and at least a 7 quart oil pan.
Replace the bulky OE starter for a reduction starter. More pricey, but come in a much smaller package.
Exhaust Manifold vs Headers? Headers by far. Here again, you can get all kinds of headers online and will do a lot for performance, but I am going as far as getting Tuned headers for my RPM Range for maximum benefits.

I am sure I will think of a few more along the way, but this is a good start.....

 

thank you, I will start tear down very soon. I appreciate everything you all have told me. how much horse power does a 352FE with 2bbl carb and HEI dizzy get? I was told by the previous owner that he built it to a 390 and it sure seems like it due to the test that I have administered and the power that it has. how can I know for sure without pulling the heads and measuring the bore? if it is a stock 352 then how far can I bore it without any risk ?

 

Measure the stroke. 352 has a 3.50" stroke, and a 390 has a 3.78" Stroke. You can do this with a wooden dowel and pull the plugs out from #1 and #4 cylinder. With #1 at TDC, #4 will be at BDCmeasure the difference and that will be your stroke.

As far as a pat answer on how far you can bore out your cylinders we can't give that to you. It is possible to bore a 352's 4.00 bore up to a 4.05 bore, but you have to have the block tested like someone else stated to find wall thickness. You have to consider what someone else has done to the block before you got it.

Until you have the heads off and get your bore and stroke measurements, you have no idea what size engine your dealing with other then what you were told. The "352" on the front of the block means nothing. Ford built 6 engines sizes using the same block casting, so all the FE engines have "352" on the front.......