Well my engine went down, lost oil pressure started knocking etc...have not torn down and won’t have time to tear down until I am home in late fall.
time for a rebuild anyway, it’s a 352, and I’m looking to keep it at that, I got rid of my 390 rotating assembly because I decided to keep it a 352.

wanting to do a mild build around thanksgiving or Christmas so this gives me time to plan. Want to do fairly mild, and I need recommendations.

Head work: what valve size? Or stay stock and have the machine shop refresh.
will new valves be needed (if so I would order ahead of time so it’s all here)
DEPENDING on quote from the machine shop I may end up going pre assembled aluminum.
If I turn to go aluminum who should I go with?
Really need help on what direction to go with the heads!

Valve springs: what rating should I go for? It’s a truck at almost stock height with a 3 on the column, most of y’all can probably assume how it will be driven with that trans, not fast but still some high rpm on occasion.

Crank: polish or different size, this is all not clear to me, but since it was knocking I assume there’s more work needed to do with the crank, what bearings, turning it down or polish etc....what bearings to get?

Pistons: since I am staying 352 I am thinking of using 340 mopar pistons and having my machinist do the work for the wrist pin to make it fit. (Wishing to avoid Turning the engine into a 360)
i assume pistons will dictate which rings, so recommend any please.

Intake: simple stock 4bbl

Carb: probably a Holley 650 4v

Dist: stock but with pertronix

I am trying to get a better idea of what to do since I will be home for a short time and don’t want to spend most of that time waiting for parts, I would rather use it up measuring and checking torque making sure everything is correct.
I have very little time because I attend college in New York, while the truck and my home is in Texas

 

That's a lot to think about. I suggest you buy this book and make it your bedside reader while you get a budget and a plan together. (600) Ford Performance by Pat Ganahl small & big block engines Illust. PB 1981 | eBay This book was written back in the day when these engine were still being raced and a lot of the parts are no longer available, but it is still relevant.
Cubic inches are you friend except at the gas pump. You can count on gaining a ft. lb. of torque for every cubic inch you add. And it's torque that moves the car not the horsepower.
If you stay with a 4 inch bore you cannot increase the valve size there isn't enough room for bigger valves. Besides the stock valves are plenty big for a 352 or 360.

 

Thanks for that! I’ll be getting it.

thanks as well for the advice on the valves as I had no idea, and currently can’t measure anything. I take it a healthy motor can still be produced without much head work, it’ll be a 4.03bore when finished

 

This is an interesting article, 352 budget stroker. This is where the torque comes from.
FE squared (352 budget stroker) part 1

 

You can get a 352 up to 300HP, using commonly available parts without any fancy machine work. And If you stay with a reasonable compression ratio like 9-1 cast pistons are just fine and cheap. The most powerful 352 built by Ford was the 1960 R code, 360 HP @ 6000 rpm 10.6-1 compression. After that the HP wars were going full tilt and the engines kept getting bigger and bader to the point that they completely overpowered the chassis they were put in. But damn it was fun.

 

Look into Sanderson shorty headers. FE manifolds are proven power killers.

 

Has a set of hedman long tubes already

 

Times two on the headers. Original logs really clog up the exhale!

 

As far as pistons, can't you still get oversized 352 pistons with decent compression?

 

yes however they are quite expensive at the moment, hence the thought of using the mopar Pistons and resizing, so if any advice on this please let me hear it

 

Lets see how much cheaper they are after you pay a machine shop to. Re-bore and re-bush the rods because there isn't enough meat on a FE rod bushing to open it up to Mopar size, the Mopar wrist pin is .984 the Ford is .912. Then you are going to have to have everything balanced because not only is the gram weight of the pistons different you have just changed the weight of the small end of the rod. Actually there is more to it than that. And all you do will totally depend on what no oil pressure and knocking did to the crank and block. It's possible your block and crank are scrap iron now. It's needs to come apart and be inspected before you get to far into buying parts.

 

Okay thank you for that.
I was under the impression that mopar Pistons could work because I have read a bit on these forums as well as the forums on the FE enthusiast site.

i think I have a good starting point currently of what direction to go. I just know that while doing this type of thing there are a lot of “might as wells”

 

Cost of 352 oversize pistons has been high for many years. For me it was a no brainer to go 390 crank and rods, it was a long time ago but IIRC is was actually less than the 352 pistons. Everything was widely available and the power difference is definitely noticeable. Your crank maybe toast so your are 1/2 way there, too bad you got rid of that stuff. I can't understand the reasoning behind keeping a 352 a 352 (in reality it would be a 357 @ .030 over), but you are certainly entitled embrace that path. Once it's together no-one will know what you have other than an FE.
If you have chosen a competent machine shop familiar with FE's, consult with them about what you want and they will probably make good recommendations.

I hadn't rebuilt an engine in 30 years. Back then I dreamt, ate, and breathed Ford performance. I still have stacks and stacks of books, magazines and the like. But last summer I needed to rebuild the 350 chevy in our inboard ski boat. Guess what? I was out to lunch, had no idea what brands to use or any of the same you are asking here. Found Sanderson Cylinder Head in Abilene and they fixed me right up. I think he gave me a better deal because I sent my 16 y/o daughter up there to deliver the engine and she told him what we needed. I went to pick it up and Mark sat me down and told me we need more ladies like that. Gearheads, that is... But, just like you, I told my girls their primary focus is school first and foremost. This old iron can wait.

 

Of course school always comes first, especially coming from a family of educators.

my machinist is familiar with FE engines and has been around them for many years. It’s a one man shop, has been reliable for other stuff I have had him do.

thanks for the advice, I suppose I won’t know about most until I dig into breaking down the engine and inspecting the crank.

I would have kept the rotating assembly had j not needed to get rid of it before I left for school.

 

When I looked at 352 pistons earlier (post 10) I noticed they seem to end up .064 or so down the hole. That and a head gasket makes for a lot of volume. Low compression and lack or quench perhaps. I didn't go beyond the usual stock cast options. Looks like the 1960s specs were a little tigher on 4V engines at least: 1.816 show for the compression height on the current cast offerings, the specs here show 1.836 to 1.842, which figures closer to .040 +/-

FE Series Engine Specification Chart