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Well it’s about that time, instead of asking questions I’m finally starting a build forum, gonna be a slow process in the next couple weeks while I start my new job and get funds to complete engine. Finally got my army bonus so what better way to spend it than on my pickup?
Shooting for 350-400 hp
Will be picking up a standard 390 short block Saturday for a cheap $300 dollars
Price doesn't sound bad to me. You're looking at about 3-4 hours of work there. Should add hot tanking, line boring of the crank and cam, rod reconditioning, lifter bore hone, and head work. Might as well get to them to install oil, and freeze plugs while you're at it.
Have you ever done a rear main seal on an FE? If you don't have the patience let them do the short block too.
Price doesn't sound bad to me. You're looking at about 3-4 hours of work there. Should add hot tanking, line boring of the crank and cam, rod reconditioning, lifter bore hone, and head work. Might as well get to them to install oil, and freeze plugs while you're at it.
Have you ever done a rear main seal on an FE? If you don't have the patience let them do the short block too.
Engine block is clean and not very gunked up and doesn’t have many miles on it. I got lucky and I’m getting the block from a big FE guy so the engines in good shape according to him. But I’ll see what also needs to be done when I get it.
New heads are one of the parts that I’ll be waiting for my paychecks to come in on and freeze plugs I’ll have installed also. I’m willing to be patient with the rear main seal on the engine also
Earlier in the week I had taking apart my interior to install sound deadening material and I was met with a awesome surprise after I pulled off the floor mat.
I vacuumed up about a pound of rust off the floor boards and the metal is pitted so bad and has several holes. So I ordered new floor panels from TabCo and will be installing them soon also
looking at parts ordered
you should have about 10;1 CR
and with that cam you should be in the 400Hp at crank range
what intake you going to run ? Performer RPM would be great with parts above
Well it’s about that time, instead of asking questions I’m finally starting a build forum, gonna be a slow process in the next couple weeks while I start my new job and get funds to complete engine. Finally got my army bonus so what better way to spend it than on my pickup?
Shooting for 350-400 hp
Will be picking up a standard 390 short block Saturday for a cheap $300 dollars
.
OE heads are borderline to achieve 400 HP... think about going aluminum because massaging OEs will take $$$ and perhaps enough to justify Edelbrock heads... 2x on a Performer RPM intake.
Just picked up the short block about 15 minutes ago, definitely needs a cleaning. I was getting the edelbrock due to having head work to do anyways and to just avoid having to worry about it. I also already have the rpm and a 750 carb to go with it
OK, so that engine has a lot of miles on it. That timing chain has a fair amount of stretch and the lower gear shows a lot of wear. Absolutely have the block hot tanked and measured to see what you have. Also verify that it really is a 390! The crank should be labeled as 2U or 2UA. If it has a 2T or 2TA it is a 360.
OK, so that engine has a lot of miles on it. That timing chain has a fair amount of stretch and the lower gear shows a lot of wear. Absolutely have the block hot tanked and measured to see what you have. Also verify that it really is a 390! The crank should be labeled as 2U or 2UA. If it has a 2T or 2TA it is a 360.
The guy that I bought it off of told me it was in decent condition, so noticing when I got it that it was barely decent condition I did check the crank and it is indeed a 390, and it rotates partially by hand (slight cylinder rust is stopping me from spinning it more. Sometime this week the block will be dropped off and bored, honed and cleaned up. Gonna have him install core plugs and cam bearings for me and also inspect the crank. Unfortunately I work 7-5:30 and his shop is open 8-5:30 so I need to find a way to get it to him.
My new cam, timing gear and pistons etc will all be coming in tomorrow and Tuesday thankfully
Upon use of my eye and finger micrometer, the crank itself is very smooth and shiny still. Obviously it will be miked properly at the shop this week however. Upper (which ever bearing is inside the cap) is also smooth but is copper in the middle so the engine has clearly put some miles onto it, however looks like I might have gotten lucky
And to reply to your comment about the cab mount, yes the driver side front is definitely rusted out. What is your guys recommendations on where I should order new driver and passenger cab mounts? I just ordered floor pans from TabCo
Something to watch for. There is a plug at the rear side of the block end of the cam Make sure it is installed from inside to the outside. Some shops will press it in like a regular frost plug. That is wrong. This what it should look like:
Get the cab mount from Dennis Carpenter as it will closely match the original. The Tabco units are not strong enough. There have been many on here that have used the one piece stamped units and had them crack.
