My question is did many 390's come with a two barrel carb with three on the tree. This is in a fairlane . I know its not a truck but I have a chance to buy one. I know nothing about a 390.

 

I'm not sure about "many" or even how many vs. total production. But I knew a guy with a '67 390 2v automatic Fairlane. And I saw a Comet similarly equipped when car shopping. This was in '70-'71.

The Ford 390 2v was billed as the "Regular Fuel" engine, with 9.5:1 compression. The 4v was 10.5:1 and was a "Premium Fuel" engine. Mercury sold a "Premium Fuel" 390 2v which had the 10.5 compression. The 2v motors were down on power compared to the 4v, and usually were even more corked up than the usual FE as they were single exhaust. They also had a slightly simpler carb, and I'd bet it's 50-50 on fuel economy, depending greatly on the driver. 12 degree timing and 10.5 compression "should" use less fuel than the 6 degree/9.5 motor, but there are many other factors.



Anyway, that's all in CARS.
FE Series Engine Specification Chart

Going on to the 390 2v 3 speed manual or automatic combo: In the mid to late '60s, the 4bbl 4 speed was the combo to have. BUT, the insurance man wanted more to insure a 4bbl or a 4 speed, and more yet to insure both. Guys like my dad would take advantage of that and the regular fuel option and buy a car with the 2v motor. Guys like the fellow with the previously mentioned yellow Fairlane would note that you could burn rubber just as easily with the 2v motor as the 4v, and you could swap manifolds in the dead of the night if you wanted. Ditto the 3 speed. The Ford 3.03 all synchro 3 speed was advertised by Ford as a "3 1/2 speed" as you could downshift into 1st. (so they said...) anyway, in first and second you were about as good as many 4 speeds, depending on your axle ratio.

IN TRUCKS the 390 is a different animal. I think the cams might be different. Most else is the same, except for the pistons. Ford used the 1.66" compression height piston out of the Mercury 410 to drop the compression ratio down into the 8s for the pickups. IIRC there were no factory 390 4v motors in trucks until 1974.

BTW: Buy that Fairlane.

 

Seconded!

Also obligatory: pics?

 

Weren't a whole lotta Fairlanes built with 390's, same as with the 67-70 Mustangs, both shared the same size engine bay. It will have the GT heads (don't get excited though, they're the same heads as the rest of the std FE's aside from the exhaust bolt pattern) with the 14 bolt exhaust, IF it's not one someone swapped in the engine into a small block car. Check the VIN code for the fifth character (or was it seventh ?) Some of the 67-70 Stangs got the 2bbl 390 also.

 

Had a 69 Ford Country Squire (full size wagon) with a 390 2V and 3 speed manual on the tree from the factory...