I have a 1973 ford F-100 4x4. ive been looking into a bigger cams and i didnt realize how much things contribute to picking the right camshaft. I have a stock 390. with stock heads, and stock exhaust manifolds, i will probably be running 33 or 35 inch tires. it has a 9 inch rear end, and i just want a cam that will help with hp and torque.

 

Welcome to FTE.

I think yer putting the cart before the horse. In order to get max benefits of a cam, ya gotta start with improving the exhaust - it is the foundation on which to build on. Go with long tubes for max HP and TQ, 2.5-inch mandrel bent tubing, and free flowing mufflers. A marked improvement in throttle response and power will already be evident.

Want more? nowz the time for a 4V intake and around a 600cfm to 650 cfm carb and maybe do the cam since it will be apart already. Your call. For the street, opt to vacuum secondaries rather than a double pumper. The latter gives ya braggin rights cuz it sounds good when ya say it but be ready for even suckier mileage if it's gonna matter to your wallet.

Cam...Shoot for around .500 lift at a range suitable for the tranny.. generally starting at 1500 RPM for a manual trans and idle with an automatic. 'might want to match the valve springs to the cam depending on how much lift you choose.

Candidates for an intake include the Edelbrock Performer 2105, Edelbrock Performer RPM 7105, or even a vintage Edelbrock Streetmaster. A stock 4V FE manifold is OK too and can be had for low bucks.

Btw, here's what you have to look forward to when changing the manifold. An aluminum manifold is about 22 lbs...... a cast iron FE manifold?....OY/



Here are few links for yer edukashun..

How to ID a 360FE vs 390FE
Rebuilding the Ford FE Engine
CarCraft Magazine: Build a Low-Buck Street/Strip FE
Ford FE.com: 332-428 FE Engine Forum
Sanderson Shorty Headers FF427 Reference Pics

 

im not trying to build a race truck by anymeans.. i just wanna make it faster and have more power.... so i wanna do intake, carb, cam, maybe headers, from what ive heard they give you better airflow and horsepower, but they cause problems.what else should i do ? and where should this leave me with horsepower roughly?

 

I'm not building a race truck either. The articles are there for background since they do describe engine combos to achieve their HP goal. So, you don't need a .600 lift cam right?

The simple bolt-ons above will improve on what's already there... right now it's just corked and choked with less efficient, OEM manifolds, a puny intake, and tiny exhaust pipe(s).

Gains? Depends... as a rule of thumb, figure up to 20 percent with the exhaust improvements alone. Add another 10 to 15 percent with an intake and carb. Prolly from 200 net HP to 250 net HP.

Btw, beware of HP claims from manufacturer's cuz they usually cite HP at the crank from a dyno run. HP and TQ only count if it reaches the wheels... automatics have more parasitic drag than manual trannies.

What kind of "problems" are you referring to?

What else to do? IMO, even before thinking of engine upgrades, work on the suspension, steering, and brakes and get them up to snuff and focus on on reliability.

My 73 wears 35s with 3.50 rear gears and is kinda doggy. With 33s and 3.50s it should be just fine. What rear gears do you have?

 

honestly i havent looked at the gears yet i will do that tomoro, well whats your opinion
with headers?

 

What do you mean?

Fitment can be an issue but they're worth installing in my opinion due to the HP/TQ gains coupled with improved exhaust. MPG can actually improve just with exhaust work because of increased efficiency.

 

I'd go with something from Comp Cam's Xtreme Energy line.

They have a camquest cam finder on their website which is plenty useful for what you are doing. I'd definitely do a 4-barrel carb/intake, headers and good exhaust also.

Cheap headers are what cause people problems. I'd go with Hedman Elite myself or Hookers

 

Like others, I would suggest opening up the exhaust as well as the intake to get the most out of a cam swap. You may notice a slight gain with just a cam swap, but it doesn't make much sense to keep the valves open to let more air in and more exhaust out if it can't actually get in the motor or out of it.

I would suggest using Hooker Competition Headers part number 6906HKR. I used these on my 428 in my '76 F-100 4x4 and they fit great. Not too hard to install if you read the instructions and follow them.

I would use an Edelbrock Performer or Performer RPM intake manifold. I've used both and probably prefer the Edelbrock Performer unless you are going with a large cam.

As for cams, that is something you will have to decide what you want out of the motor before anyone can help you make a choice. Do you want low-end torque? Top-end power?

I had bad luck with an Edelbrock cam that I put in my motor. I used the Performer RPM and completely destroyed it as well as the lifters even after following their break-in instructions exactly.

Currently I have a Comp Cams 280H in my 428 and it runs great. Makes power up to 6000RPM, a little overkill for the old 4x4 truck that it is in. If I was going to do it again, I would use a smaller cam. Anything over .500 lift will more than likely require adjustable rockers on these FE motors. So keep that in mind as they are quite pricey in my opinion.

Good luck.

 

I noticed a dramatic difference on a 73 I had with the 360 by adding headers and true duals. Still kept the 2bbl. The stock "logs" don't flow worth a darn.

Exhaust.htm

 

ok so im planning on getting the edelbrock performer 4 barrel intake.. what would be a good carburator to go with it?

 

For the street, a carb with vacuum secondaries like an Edelbrock 1405/1406, a Holley 4160, or Summit's house-branded clone of the Holley 3310... 600 cfm will do'er fine.

Choke? Your call.

 

i really appreciate the feed back!