I was looking for HP/torque curves for both engines, but some data in the official Ford service manual was revealing:

300 six develops 280-odd ft-lb torque at (get this) 14-2400 RPM

352 V8 develops 315 ft-lbs torque at 2400 rpm

In the list of engines, the 300 six and a couple of the diesels were the only ones to have a RANGE of rpm for the peak torque.

So it appears that the torque curve for the 300 is essentially FLAT from 1400-2400 rpm! That's the main reason this is an engine used in commercial and service vehicles.

The torque curve for the 352 peaks at 2400 rpm, but I still wonder what the curve LOOKS like. I mean, does it still deliver torque comparable to the 300 at lower-than-2400 rpm speed, and if so, what is that rpm?

I wonder this because I wonder what the attraction is for the 352 if that greater torque appears at significantly higher rpm? Obviously, this is better on the highway where that higher rpm translates into higher road speed, but what about the low-speed farm/service applications? If I'm hauling 3,000 lb of gravel (did it last weekend, almost ran a hidden stop sign with both feet stomping on the brake pedal due to the scary stock brakes) and I can creep along happily at low speed, what if I had a 352 under the hood with the same rear end? Would I be able to creep along as slowly without "lugging" the engine?

Maybe I'm trying to convince myself that I'm better off with the 300 than the 352, but when I was looking, I sure wanted that 352...

I actually owned a '65 F100 with a 352 and a Cruise-O-Matic about 15 years ago. Flat-towed a Toyota Landcruiser fully loaded with 2 motorcycles in the bed from LA to St. Louis over the Continental Divide at a VERY slow pace, but the engine and tranny never gave me a bit of trouble. Averaged about 6 mpg.

 

There are guys that like the 6s, I don't. For a daily driver and some work I suppose they are OK. Two more cylinders and and 50 more cubes or 90 more with a 390 the FE out shines the 6 big time. Comparing it to a 302 is a different matter. The FE is a real work horse.

From my reading here the 6 doesn't get much differece in mpg either. Don't know what gearing you had in your old truck but should have been getting more than 6 mpg.

John

 

Stock 352 numbers into Dyno-Sim results in over 300 lb.ft. of torque from 1500 to 3500 RPM. I do not have the stock cam specs, just used generic stock cam choice.

 

I'm not too sure what you were trying to accomplish, but somehting to think about. The 65+ trucks were produced with either the "small" or "big" blocks. If you were looking for a daily driver and nothing fancy, either would do the trick. If you want the worker, go big. If you want something that can be built or swapped for something more, go big... I am very pleased that my truck originally had the 352, but it was sidelined for a +.060 390 (very well disguised of course) and C6 combo that dropped right in.

--Mike

 

Well, I'm not looking to do any mods on my 300 six, just drive it as is, And BTW, remember that that 6 mpg in my '65 F100 352 was towing a 5000 lb loaded Landcruiser AND over 1000 lbs in the bed with an automatic. As I said, very slowly.

I like the 300 six, especially since I have a '97 F150 4x4 to do the highway and towing stuff with. The '66 F250 hauls gravel and wood (and my dog) just fine.

 

7 out of 10 dogs prefer the 6 over the 8

 

i love the 300 in my 82. I put clifford intake whith a holley 500 on it and im running clifford dual 33" headers. Those two things made it an entirely new engine. And it still lugs up hills at 400rpm just fine
Me personally unless your trying to go fast, i would stick whith the six.

 

At today's gas prices and your rear end ratio, stay with the 6 cyl. 300 in line 6's have decent torque, but you'll take longer to get there. It's a good engine with a long service life. Just keep the oil levels up there as they'll throw one of the 2 center rods thru the side if you let it low. I've changed a few in U-haul trucks back in the 70's as a mechanic at a Ford dealer for this reason. I love the 352-360-390 FE motors, but hated the gas mileage I used to get. I had a 75 F-250 4x4 that I built the 360 to a 68 390 Torino GT motor. It had big nuts, but at 5 MPG, it was very hungry. If I owned your truck, I'd leave the 6 cyl right where it is.
With that much weight in the truck, no wonder you had a hard time with stopping. That was seriously overloaded and unsafe! Those brakes were never meant to stop all that weight. Bet those drums were toasty when you did that!!

Barry

 

I didn't think I exceeded the GVWR of the truck, that's why I attempted it. I figured at 7,500 lb GVWR, 3,000 lb of gravel would put me right there (assuming 4,500 lb empty weight, and it's probably less than that). The springs weren't bottomed, and really the only issue was the alarming brakes. I have not yet delved into the braking system, but I KNOW it can stop better than it does. That's the next project.

Yes, I'm sticking with the six.