Hey fellas- I'm getting ready to build a 390.(It arrives Thur.) I have a few Ideas to run by you all while I ponder it's potential.
Initially- bore it to as needed with a blue print and balance job with trying to get crank 0-0 on balance job. Stock rods but dressed.Sealed power piston @63cc and 9.9:1. Oil mods with a high volume pump. Eld. perf rpm intake and per. rpm cam @ .572 lift. 750 elec. choke eld. carb. and a high volm. fuel pump. A fuel cooler, oil and trany cooler. Port matched(intake and exhaust) heads ported and 2.09 in./180 ex. A 1" swirl torque spacer on carb.Dual springs. Degree the cam. C-6 or a good 5 speed(undetermined)3.50 rear. dual exhaust 3" with a "x" crossover and flowmaster muffs.
Any pointers or ideas would be welcome with open arms and mind. thanks
P.S. petronix igniter 2 with ign.2 flame thrower/ splitfire plugs and splitfire wires with indexing plugs.

 

Welcome to FTE.COM

Now, for your project. Just what do you plan on doing with this motor. Drive to work, race, or both at the same time .

Overall it does not sound like too bad of a plan. I would do some oil galley modifications along the way. Enlarge the galleys coming from cam to mains. If you plan on turning any kind of rpm, this will help the bearing live.

As for HV oil pump, this will bring mixed reviews. Most say a stk pump will work for the most part, and a HV will suck a stock pan dry on any kind of long pull. I've never had a problem, but most all mine have big pans on them.

The carb spacer may help. I'm not big on those "BIG" dollar billet swirl fancy smacy things. Just too much snake oil for the money. A 1" spacer will help upper rpm, but maybe stick with a plain/heat resistant model. Just my .02

Tranny: Richmond 5spd
I'm kinda partial to the stick thing. Some people like those T-5's, but they are not my cup of tea. I run toploaders and Doug Nash's(pre-Richmond).

If you plan on running 3.50 gears, then making TORQUE is your game. This will not be enough gear to play hard. If you get an overdrive tranny, then I would step up a bit. With the big tires you can put on a truck, 3.73-3.90 may be a bit better. This will not make fuel mileage contests, but will accel better.

Just some thoughts
Larry

 

Thanks for the input. I had planned on the oil modifications shown in this site. I was thinking the Speed pro high performance main and rod bearings and Dura bond's cambearings. Do you think this and a deep sump oil pan for the hv pump will help solve the oil starvation factor of the fe's???The 3.50 is just a ball park figure, I know the ratio will be determined by tranny, however I had not contemplated the Richmond if you could elaborate on your choice please. I've met a couple of guy's that swear that the swirl torque spacer really helped in the lower rpm range while running th perf.rpm setup. My goal is to do what you stated at the beginning of your thread. Drive/haul/hunt/fish/make heads turn. This ought to be fun!!!!

 

With the torque output of a 390, the only choices for a 5 speed are the Richmond Freightrain advised or a Tremec 3550. Personally, Id rather a Toploader too.

 

I have wanted a Tremec TKO for a while now but if I do start bracket racing then the automatic will have to stay. I'm kinda having fun with the C6 anyways. Probably my next "do-it-myself" project.

 

Take a look in a Summit catalog(or online) and they have pictures and price. Not cheap, but I like them. A toploader would be my first choice, but if you want to make it more highway friendly and get a bit better mileage then a five speed would work. A Richmond would let you run a nice 3.25 gear (cause a Richmond has a 3.25 first gear in it) and it would accel like you have 4.10 out back. A Tremec has OD, so you can have 4.10 out back and still cruise at low rpm.

Bearing clearances are the issue with an FE. Then make enough oil pressure/volume to make it last.

Is the truck 2wd or 4wd. They do not make a deep sump for 2wd, no room under there. If you find a pan off a 391 truck motor, it will do the trick. That is what I have. It does take a bankers paycheck to change the oil, but it makes sure you have enough. The pan is basically a large box, front to back. I suggest if using one to weld a couple baffles to control oil slosh.

If the swirl gizmo works, go for it. I just do justify the outrageous cost they put on those things. To each his own.

Larry