I have a 65 FORD f100 it has a 72 fe 390 bored .030 over mild cam I believe my dad rebuilt an I want to go through it put a bigger cam in it new intake an carb an maybe headers but my question is what pistons do I go with an valve train an head gaskets being bored I'm not sure what gaskets to use ?

 

Pstroke04 Welcome to and the Slicks Forum.

What are you wanting to end up with? Unless you are gonna be racing the truck you might be over reaching a bit. A 600 cfm 4 barrel and headers will do a lot for a daily user.


John

 

Im just looking to refresh it it been in the truck for 12 or more years an still had break in oil in it it NEVER got drove but from my dads shop to my grandpa's an got parked in the field i t has a 2 brl carb an intake I want a 4 on it an I really would like a little bigger cam an some headers

 

Do you know the current specks of the engine?


John

 

I know its been bored .030 over but besides that I'm not sure my dad said it has a mild cam in it

 

So you want to rebuild a rebuilt engine?

Stock that engine makes plenty of power, more than any sane person would use. Simply changing the intake to a 4bbl iron or aluminum, installing a new Holley 1850 (600cfm with manual choke), going to duals with iron manifolds, making sure the valves, are properly adjusted, tuning the carburetor and making sure the ignition is right, you'll have a sweet sounding truck with more power than you can imagine. Do the simple things first.

It's been sitting for 12 years get it running first and fix the truck I'm sure there's plenty to do. If there's a problem, then get into it. Like I said, a 4bbl and duals on a stock FE tuned right is a sweet running vehicle. Let that be your base, then go from there if you must.

 

Don't **** away a lot of money to have it end up in the field again. Adding headers and a small 4 barrel should do what you want. The FEs are torque monsters not fire breathing hi rpm engines.

Get it going 1st then see what direction you want to go.



John

 

I don't want a fire breather in it I just want to make sure the motor is ok to do what I want I still have the 3 on the tree trans in it an I plan on changing it to the c6 but I would like to leave it in for awhile but the only thing the truck is gonna pull is a trailer every now an then but I would like to show out every now an then as well

 

My 1966 F250 4x4 with original FE 352 bored .040 and just the 2 bbl carb and manifold and stock cast iron exhaust running out dual thru cherry bombs can hit 90+ MPH and I'm geared 4.56 in the rear and an NP435 4-speed. Points ignition, too. Old crappy stock coil. If you get the old vacuum pump tuned right it can do wonders.


Exact same truck with a 300-6 1V can barely hit 55MPH on a downhill run.


They are both torque motors but the 300 needs more gas than the little 1V can provide.


If you get the 390 running good it should be plenty for most anything.


If the hood has been down and the engine was sealed up with valve covers, oil pan, air cleaner and everything installed then I would see if it will crank over by hand like it should and go from there. Drain the break-in fluid and change to new or maybe go to regular oil if you feel they put enough miles on it.


Odd, though, that they would park a truck with a freshly rebuilt 390. Did you get a feel for why that was?


.

 

As you proceed to getting it running. More than likely the fuel in the tank is a healthy varnish by now. Don't use in cab tank at this point. Use a fuel can and a safe length of hose to the fuel pump. Disconnect the line at the carb and get fresh fuel up to that point and hook line back up to carb. You should empty the tank of old fuel before using it. I keep electric fuel pump on hand to pump tanks out and for other uses