Sometimes a man can get lucky, last yr I found a 390 block that had never been worked on, along with a 10/10 crank, at a local machine shop just sitting on the floor. So with some extra machining here and there I ended up with a very sweet motor. Any extras that could be done, were done and all new parts were bolted on, right down to a new engine bolt kit. I spent more on this project than I had planned on, but I'm glad I did, Quality is remembered long after the Cost of something is long forgotten.

 

We picked up a 390 yesterday that had been rebuilt, the who;e block looks good, the heads were nice new valves guides and seals but the wanted more bones then I had, bummer... well the rest looks good but I have three (3) pistons they are new but they have hot spots on them, will this hurt running them like they are or should I replace them? it looks to me that they have new rings on them. will the hot spot take from my compression?
any hoot I will keep you all posted on the progress of this and hope I have found a winner.
James and Donna

 

Hey fireman I just thought of a small tip to pass on. If you will be installing the intake after the water pump, saw about a half an inch off the bypass pipe coming out of the back of the water pump. This will give you enough room to put that hose on later and you won't have to fight it while setting the intake on.

 

thank you willowbilly you have been an enormous help with this hog, fought the trans for about 2 hours today, damn thing wouldn't go in for nothing lol, anyway have another Q for you, got this 390 from my friend strech at the wrecking yard and it looked as if it had been rebuilt,the heads were sweet, new valves ...the whole works but couldn't afford the bones for the heads but gusse I should have ponied out the dough cause know he wants 200 bones for both, when I could have got it all for 200,on this motor I have a piston that has some rough edges, looks like pre ignition burns , will it affect the compression in that cylinder?

 

fireman it kind of depends on how you intend to use the truck. I think the integrity of the piston is more of a worry than the compression loss. If it is just going to be a weekend rock climber or mild street duty you should be ok to go with it until you can afford a rebuild. If you are going to do banzia stuff like mud bogging it may not make it long. If you can you should pull that piston and check the ring lands and give it a better looking over. If you have a 2wd and have already stabbed the engine, then this will be a chore. If you have the pan off, take a look at one of the main bearings too. I have got by with some pretty shakey set ups over the years, things that most people would say to avoid, like mismatching used ring and pinion gears. I had a 65 F-100 2wd that was so tired that whenever you pushed in the clutch it would loose oil pressure and knock. I hauled both my Harleys and my tools all the way from the Black Hills in S.Dak. to Memphis and back with that old truck. Then I loaned it to my brother who got it stuck in the mud and promptly killed it trying to get unstuck. At any rate you should keep looking for a healthy engine or start a build up that you can take your time with and mean while judiciously enjoy your truck with what you have. You may find a doner car for little or nothing. 65 or newer passenger cars have the right motor mount casting pads on the block. I had a guy give me a 66 galaxie that I never did go get so those deals are out there. Just keep an eye out when you are driving around and if you see an old Ford that looks like it hasn't moved in a while go knock on the door. I have a friend that gets all his demolition derby cars that way. He cruises the trailer courts and alleys and knocks on doors. Don't shy away from a good 352, or even an early 360. For some reason a lot of the post 72 360s had oil consumption problems and other problems. I know Ford had to replace some of the 73-74 blocks because they had cast them with too much nickel and the rings wouldn't seat. Well I kind of got off track, but hopefully my 30 years of owning these trucks and wrenching on them can help some one avoid the pitfalls I have encountered and enjoy these great old trucks

 

thank you willowbilly, you have been a great help. on the piston that has benn pre dent on the bearing looks new and the mains as well, but now I have it all together my batt seems weak...
got it on a charger but not sure that will save it lol just hope this monster will fire for me. also now that everything is together the carb is burbing gas out the sides , I know that i need to get another one but can't figger out why after all this time it wants to bleed know that I have everything new?
I will let you know how it runs when it fires up.
crossing my fingers and hoping this will give me at least a good 100,000 miles before it dies.
let you know how it runs.
your friends
James and Donna
PortersSalvage
porterssalvage(No Email Addresses In Posts!)
Igo, Calif
96047

 

Well we got together and it sounds great, just have to get a good set of pipes any sugestions? please let me know.
thanks
James and Donna

 

El cheapo pipes are easy if you can weld a little. End them in front of the axle and put turn downs on. I usually go to the muffler shop at that point and have tailpipes made. I don't like them sticking out the back because you will back into stuff with them. Run them out behind the tire like the factory does, then cut them off a little if they tend to collect mud and stuff cause you don't need all that extra weight twisting on your pipes. You can run them out in front of the tire but if you have much tone to it you will probably get tired of hearing it after the novelty wears off. Shop around and you can get a complete set of duals installed for under 200. But most shops won't touch the part where the pipe bolts to the manifold, they will just scab onto whatever is already there, so make sure the studs and manifolds are servicable and if you can, take it in with just manifolds and no old pipe or rusty studs for them to deal with. I like to move the mufflers foreward from their original position to get a better sound. They get kind of a goofy moaning resonance if you put them back where Ford had them.

 

cool, I will shop around, I think auto tsores have pipe just have to find a place to bend them. your a big help thanks
James and Donna

 

You can go right to the muffler shop for the pipe which will be best if they are going to bend it anyway. I have found that shops like Midas have a heavier guage of pipe than the parts stores like NAPA.