The title of this sub-forum is, "Ford Inline Six, 200, 250, 4.9/300." Of course, this leaves out some others, but the 240, the first "Big Six," maybe ought to have been mentioned in the title, because (my opinion) it was Ford's best-ever inline six.

As compared with the 300, which was basically a stroked 240, the smaller engine had better rod angularity (better rod-length-to-stroke ratio) so it was a little more mechanically-efficient, a little quieter, and had less tendency to break pistons. The small valves that limit power in the Big Sixes are slightly less restrictive to the 240. Being a pre-smog-era engine, the 240 had a better combustion chamber, although the swirl head of the EFI 300s can be good for a street car that needs good fuel efficiency (seems to be some controversy as to whether the swirl head is prone to cracking, however).

In short, if all you need is 240 inches, and I found that was plenty for my early van, the 240 should be your first choice (okay, unless you have the cash to get an Aussie 250 or the aftermarket aluminum head for an American 250). Add a modern ignition, upgrade the intake and exhaust, and you have the Chev 327 of inline sixes, a happy little engine.

 

The 240 was a good engine, just not as torquey as the 300. Plus, it only had about a 9-10 year total production run. The lower torque made it less desired in a truck than the 300, but it was still more than capable in it's own right.