Here's what I have: A guy gave me a fairly complete 390 engine, completely disassembled, to use in the '70 F100 I also got for free.

Right now I have the truck running on the 360 it came with, and want to build up the 390 on a stand in the garage, so I can just swap it one afternoon and hot-rod out the truck. (Other actual hotrod plans are underway for the truck, i.e. lowering, paint, bodywork, etc ... it's a 70 which isn't a typical rodded vehicle, so it should be pretty unique.)

I was thinking, one of those racing master rebuild kits from PAW with custom .060 overbore forged pistons, etc with custom balancing, hydraulic lifter conversion, .....

So far the only thing I have for it is an Edelbrock 750cfm carb.

I'll put an Ebrock performer RPM intake on it, beyond that I'm open to suggestions. Naturally headers will be installed.

My goal is as much street-usable power as I can get. Can I port/polish/machine the stock heads with oversize valves or will putting on something like the Ebrock aluminum ones net me a major improvement over that?

How about stroking it? someone mentioned a 428 crank I thought. What can I do here? I already have the stock 390 crank but I can probably get a new one cheap or have a different one put in with the master rebuild kit.

I have a blank virgin 390 block here, to which I can do anything, so I really want to do it right. If I need to buy the stuff anyway, I'm going to get the best I can. I want to assemble my collection of parts completely, then have the block machined and assemble it all within a short timeframe and just drop it in the truck, hopefully by that time I will have the rest of the work done on it.

C'mon guys, help me build a smokin FE...

 

What a great way to do it. A little time searching old posts etc here should get you loads of info, I wouldn't do .060 over unless it had bad cylinders, due to over heating concerns. And not all headers are the same, (I only reccomend Ford Powertrain Applications), longer stroke means more $$ for rods, etc, and unless you are serious drag racer and going to use a 4 link rear more torque than you can hook up, and IMO a waste of $$$. You should search through GTex's posts he laid out some real good build up info. Good Luck and welcome to FTE.

 

Don't like the Dyno headers, huh?

I'm not even sure I can use dyno headers (I need to figure out if they'll work with my truck - it's a custom special model) but they're also half the cost of FPA. We shall see however. Either way I think I'm going to have to get dual exhaust custom fab'd for it since I have the mid-frame aux fuel tank. That's ok, I will just have the dual run side by side in the same area and side-exit in front of the rear wheel. Probably put a balancer pipe on there as well. It's all custom fabricaton at that point...

So what would a resonable overbore be? The cylinders will need to be honed at a minimum anyway, so I'm thinking .030 at a minimum just to bump the CID a bit.

My plans don't include drag racing, but significant street power (usable power too) is the plan. What fun is building a hot rod if you can't scare people once in a while with it...

 

"but they're also half the cost of FPA." Well - depends on if they work or not ... Even ones you send back (as I did the Sandersons) you pay the freight both ways, I did finally sell the DynoJunk ones for $75.00 recently. Good Parts cost more than Crap Parts, the problem is not all Expensive Parts are Good Parts. However usually Cheap Parts are Crap Parts (not always-my cast aluminum valve covers were like $50). But if you want to pound it you should have Good Parts. And yes you have to have a custom exhaust, and the crossover is needed, my complete custom dual exhaust with Magna Flows was $300.00. And 30 over seems to be the norm.
Do lots of research. I pounded on mine a lot with cast pistons and stock rods, and really cheap headers (Blackjacks I think-looked bad after two weeks and then got worse) but eventually it caught up with me, like after 20,000 miles. So this build up was with forged pistons and H beam rods, EBrok heads, and better headers, etc. I'm not saying you have to spend $4K but it ain't very hard to do. Much of mine is meant to impress with hood up. I do intend to take it to strip- not a lot, but when I do, I definitely don't want to come home on a tow truck. My engine now has 3700 miles, and is just getting broke in good, and can wind to 6G w/o straining. The strain is on my stock (weakened to lower) rear suspension, it hops like the easter bunny. I now know I shoulda got a 4 link when it was all apart. I guess if doing things for 1/2 the cost was my goal I'd have a 200 hp VW. Could even get to 300 hp for a fraction of what a 450hp FE motor cost. Oh well -maybe thats the next project.

 

Try this link: http://www.hotrod.com/webonly_january/index.html Crane does have roller rockers for the ford FE. This is the setup I went with:
Part #
Item
Price
Qty
Line Total
Select
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ARP-154-7902
Ford: 360-428, chromemoly steel, black oxide finished, oil pump driveshaft...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$16.95
1
$16.95
_
Add to Cart
_
ARP-155-6002
Ford: 390-428, 3/8 in. diameter, high performance, connecting rod bolts...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$49.95
1
$49.95
_
Add to Cart
_
CRN-34645-16
Ford: 332-428 FE, stock length, hydraulic lifters and adjustable rockers, 3/8 in. diameter, 9.234 in...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$89.50
1
$89.50
_
Add to Cart
_
CRN-34772-16
Ford: 352-428 FE, 1.76 ratio, shaft mount, hardened steel, Ductile Iron rocker arm kit...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$199.95
1
$199.95
_
Add to Cart
_
EDL-1407
Manual choke, 750 cfm, carburetor...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$239.95
1
$239.95
_
Add to Cart
_
EDL-5767
Ford: 1961-up 390, 428, high performance, Performer RPM/Torker, valve springs...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$89.99
1
$89.99
_
Add to Cart
_
EDL-7105
Ford: 390-428, with low or medium rise heads, dual plane, non-EGR, 1,500 to 6,500 rpm, aluminum, Per...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$289.95
1
$289.95
_
Add to Cart
_
EDL-7106
Camshaft Kit, Performer RPM, Ford 390-428, w/ Camshaft/Lifters/Lube...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$156.95
1
$156.95
_
Add to Cart
_
MSD-6420
MSD-6AL Ignition Control with Soft Touch Rev Control ...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$195.95
1
$195.95
_
Add to Cart
_
MSD-8205
Ford: Blaster 2F coil for MSD ignitions/late model applications ...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$36.95
1
$36.95
_
Add to Cart
_
MSD-8594
Ford: 390, 427, 428 FE engines, Pro-Billet FE distributor...

Assigned to:
Mighty 390!
$237.95
1
$237.95
_
Add to Cart
__
Sub Total:
$1,604.04
I got a set of 390 heads with new cj valves, hardened seats from Larry's performamce for 625, had the throats cut and blended. The forged TRW pistons 9.6:1, sealed power rings gasket set and bearings cost me another 514.00. and 169.00 for hedman headers. This should get me 400-430hp. with the forged pistons I should be able to run a two stage 425Hp NOS system! For around 850hp! I was considering a blower but the NOS is alot cheaper.

 

Throw in some balancing, decking, align boring, and you have the real deal. Good Job.

 

Thanks for the input!

Randy those heads are the stock Ford ones right? That's good to know since I have a set of them I could just get reground. Ebrock heads are nice, but pricey.

Now I just need to find the money for all of these projects... Rebuilding a truck and restoring an old Yamaha 750 motorcycle, plus trying to start motorcycle roadracing next season (the truck is destined for a hotrod racebike hauler). May sell my streetbike for the money though... Who knows.

 

Your welcome. Those heads have 2.09 intake and 1.66 exhaust valves. and had the throats opened up and blended. Not quite stock.