I'm looking for Opinions with some reason on which Powerplant would be most useful in a highboy 250.

Here's my choices.

300 I6 bulletproof & decent Mpgs & easy to work on but lacks the Awesome force we call Power.

360 V8 potential to be get bigger Cubes is easy as 390 & 427 are all as 1 (What I've Heard), Mpgs gonna totally blow but & most say FE is hard to work on? (Why?)

351M/400M V8 Can make Decent torque, Has Cleveland 2V Heads Its easier to work on then FE series & may get slightly better MPGs.

460 V8 Big Power & parts are easy to get. Problem What's Miles Per Gallon?

Diesel. All Mechincal can make sufficent power & Get respectable mpgs even for todays Trucks

But Might be hard to Swap stuff in

 

the one that came with it

 

Well lets say it didnt have a Powerplant. Which of those would you chose?

 

It depends on what your going to use the truck for most of the time .. Daily driver?

 

Daily driver/frequent use: 300 with an NP435 for MPG and torque

Occasional Use: 390FE

Scares small children and women run away screaming: 445FE

Bang for the buck: 460 with goodies (4V carb, intake, mild cam, & headers/dual exhaust)

 

LMAO on the 445FE

Reminded me of the old Monty Python movie

 

Depends on what you are doing with it, if you're driving it a lot, go with the 300, want a good street rod motor go with either the 460, 429, or a 351c in my opinion, it's all preference but when I get the money to build my motor it's going to be a 514 stroker, but that's WAY in the future, but if you could be a little more specific about your intent with the motor

 

"Running away, eh? Come back here! I'll bite your legs off!"

...

 

1973/77 F250 4WD (High Boys).

1973/74: 240, 300 or 360.

1975/76: 300 or 360.

1977: 300, 351M or 400.

But, it really doesn't matter what V8 the OP chooses, because the MPG will be about the same.

These trucks have the aerodynamics of a brick, were designed in the late 1960's when a gallon of 105 octane was 37 cents and no one gave a damn about MPG!

The scenario changed during the first Arab Oil Embargo of 1973/74. For the first time since WWII, people were concerned about MPG.

 

I'm goin with a 1993-94 7.3L IDI turbo diesel with a ZF5. The swap it pretty cheap and simple. This setup is capable of around 20 MPGs with decent power.

 

That's a sweet setup .. It's going to need some suspension work for the added weight of the motor though .

 

460 done deal, easy to get, easy to put in, they sale kits now days. Easy to get HP parts, with gobs of power.

If you are worrying about MPG, why are you wanting to fix up and drive a Highboy.....

I would rather get a 78/79 F250 with disk front brakes and the better p/s design. No in the cab gas tank, you can get OEM duels tanks with gas flaps...

You can get HB front 6pk leaf springs and put on it you want, but there are better lift kits out there.

The 460 will not have to work no where as hard as a 300/6. Plus with the 460 you get the "hell ya", gas pedal reaction and a big **** chit eating grin along with the V-8 roar of headers and flowmasters 40's.

My very biased $.02

 

Forgot to mention that my truck is a 75 f350 supercab that I am converting to 4wd. It had a 460 in it stock. I believe, don't quote me, that a 460 and 7.3 weigh about the same. The 460 is actually a little bigger.

 

I vote for an FE, any FE.

 

I run a 429 stroked to a 460 in my 76 f250 4x4, use it for pulling a 6800lb box trailer; good power, good all around truck. MPG with the trailer 6-8, and about 10MPG without the trailer. I run a 390FE in my 66 F100, better MPG; but being a F100; does not pull as well. Plus parts are more money. I also have a 80 Bronco with a 460; also pulls the trailer well and gets about the same MPG as the 76.
FE is good for hot rod, 460 better for work and power, My 2 cents worth from what I use them for.