I am very new to building any kind of engines so I need some help. I have been reading through some 4x4 magazines, and have decided to purchase a 78/79 Ford F-150 with the square front lights. I have looked at some trannies, and decided to get the NV4500, for the overdrive and power. I am pondering over wheather to get a 428/429 or 460. Here is my problem. A manual transmission is a must, which is the NV 4500. I have heard that a 428/429 was either a standard or an automatic, but I know that a 460 was an automatic only. So here are my questions:

1. Is it possible to mate or get aftermarket parts so that I can put a NV 4500 onto a 428/429

2. Is it possible to mate a NV 4500 to a 460? If any of these are true, please tell me how.

3. I was thinking of putting 3.73 gears in my differentials for the speed and some power. But I am wondering with the overdrive in the NV 4500, if I could put in 4.10 gears, and still go above highway speeds, but have that great power.

4. I was thinking of 38" tires for the axle clearance, but want an all around tire that will not wear on highway and will be good for off roading. Are there any all terrain tires after 35"?

5. And lastly, I have heard that the only way to have more ground clearance is to get bigger tires, is this true?

Thanks greatly for your help!

 

I don't know any details about your truck plans except you need to quit pairing the 428 and 429 together. They are different engines and you will find out by simply going to the lobby of this board and look at the engine forums. Here they are grouped properly for you. 428=FE, 429/460=385 series.

 

Cody, I will agree with franklin you need to spend some time here and learn a few things. I haven't heard of your NV tranny either.

Some oof the mags are publishing stories that have been untested or so overly priced, no one can afford the parts.

Spend some time reading the archives and different forums and you will have a better idea of where you need to go.

Good luck

John
jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quite of night you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

Cody, yes the the FE series (390s and 428s and others) will fit a NV4500, as will the 429/460, it is simply a matter of purchasing the right bellhousing. The NV4500 is originally a dodge tranny and is very similar to a NP435 with the addition of overdrive. They are very ex$pen$ive, and the gear spacing is to wide for many people's tastes, with a big drop in RPM between gears. While considering gears and trannys, you could chose a more freeway friendly axle ratio and a manual trans with 5 gears, the 5th being direct. The Clark 280 series is available in big-truck salvage yards for a lot less $$ than a new NV4500. I got one with all the nessasary trimmings for 250$. One of my trucks has 4.56 gears and has enough power to pull a house, it will also go well over 100 if you think you must. All this power comes at a price however, that truck has never gotten better than 7 mpg :-( . The 38 inch tires are alittle big for your proposed F150. The truck you have in mind has a D44 and 9" axles which really should have 35" tires or less. Yes big tires are the only way to get the axles farther of the ground. Lift kits are sometimes needed to allow the big tires. Some of the bigger tires have poor highway manners however. You might want to consider starting with a set of 35" tires on an F150 with a 4" spring kit, for power 390s will fit and are easy to fit at a good price. Keep reading about what the rest of us are up to and you should get lots of ideas. DF

 

DF, I guess you cleared up the NV4500 thing for me. :-)

John
jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quite of night you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

In reference to the question number 5. Basically bigger tires is the only way to get more ground clearance. The benifit of say a lift kit is that it allows you to get bigger tires by providing more clearance between the body and the axle. A lift kit alone provides no benifit in clearance. Your axles and frame are still just as close to the ground as they would be without a lift kit. So the next time you see someone with a big lift kit on a truck and tires that don't take up all the space provided the only thing they've done is made it easier to roll over there truck. Hope that helps.

 

why not try a 70's Ford truck stock to see how you like it first before taking out a second mortgage to finance the project you've proposed VH. You may find that the transmission/engine that a 78 or 79 F-150 comes with is perfect for what you want to use it for. See how you like it stock.

Adam

 

 

>I don't know any details about
>your truck plans except you
>need to quit pairing the
>428 and 429 together.
>They are different engines and
>you will find out by
>simply going to the lobby
>of this board and look
>at the engine forums.
>Here they are grouped properly
>for you. 428=FE,
>429/460=385 series.

quit being mean to the new guy. He is new to building engines so give him a break. We all had to learn the hard way. Oh, and thaks for grouping them "PROPERLY".

 

Stanley, we're not being mean to the new guy, we are trying to save him from him self. Too many kids come here and have been listening to their buds that don't know anything either, and we try to set them straight. He needs more good information, and that he can get here. :-)

John
jowilker
[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker|Club FTE since 01 01] My FTE Page

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NC Truck Owners] NC Ford Truck owners group

66F100s Rule
In the cool still quite of night you can hear chevies rusting away.