I am assuming the engine in the truck is a stock FE - but it will need extensive repairs. Right now the pan is off and the story is that it overheated with some piston damage.

I have a 390 block we can use - it will need careful inspection but looks good to me. There is no ridge in the cylinders and the bearings were tight.

I also have a 300 efi six extra - I was not able to get it started before I pulled it from the truck so am assuming it also will need a careful rebuild.

TigerDan has a 460 spotted we may be able to buy right.

It may be cheaper in the long run to spend a few hundred dollars on a good used engine than to fix those we have available.

Is there another engine we should consider? Anyone have a known good one they would like to donate or sell cheap?

Also, anyone want to build the engine? Time-wise you would have all of January and most of February to do the work.

Anything else we should consider? Lets have a engine/tranny discussion.

 

If you guys go with the 460, I have a set of L&L engine swap headers that I will donate to your project, they are 1 3/4" primary, fenderwell exit headers, they should fit in your project truck,

I also have a 280H competition cams camshaft that I will donate, you will have to supply the lifters,

 

I was told (I'm not 100% on this) that all 4x4's got 360's. The blocks are the same, but if it is a 360, then it should be made into a 390 with a 390 crank (and pistons? and rods?).

I would say that a 460 is going to be much more expensive to build up than an FE.

 

Ya, should keep with the FE for cost reasons. I'm up for the "engine"eering. I'll have time to do some port hogging. I've also heard that all the 4X4's got a 360. But that's not that big of a deal. Bone yard parts & donations can get this thing running pretty well. I can get a stock 390GT 4V intake(iron) to add to the mix. I can help do a rebuild on the tranny too. I used to have ASE certs in heavy truck drive train, and automotive electrical.

 

Andy, I should have been more careeful what I wrote. The 360 and 390 block is the same, same bore (4.05") and likely the same deck height. The 428 block has a bigger bore (4.13"), and the 352 a smaller one (4"), otherwise they are also the same.

The 360 and 390 use different pistons with the wrist pin in different locations. The crank of the 390 has a longer stroke, and I would have to look up the rods to be sure, but I think the 360 rods are identical to the 352 ones. I know the 360 and the 390 rods are different. There were two different rod lengths used in the FEs - the long and short rods.

What I should have said is that I have a FE block with the stock 390 stuff in it. And while you would be right is saying that the 360 was standard, those years Ford would do about anything a customer wanted in a special order. In the 68/72 forum there is one F100 that was delivered with the 428 in it - the owner's dad had ordered it new, and he posted the paperwork.

I also don't think the 460 would be any more expensive than the FE to rebuild using stock parts. However, the idea would be to buy a good used 460 that didn't need rebuilding.

 

Looks like I should be the one taking notes!

 

Gashog is the expert on FEs, just wish he would check in!

 

I have a set of stock heads of my 428 that I didn't use that I will donate.

 

I cast my vote for the 460. Find a good running one, and build from there. Already got a cam and headers donated for it from Skipped_Link , just need intake and carb. Unless you are thinking of rebuilding bottom end. Those extra cubes would come in handy in the mud. ) As for the tranny, are we going to stick with the manual? or try and get a C6 to live in the mud?

 

Does anyone have or know of a 460/C6? Perhaps one in a truck that is for sale?

 

When I swapped out my C-6 for a 4 speed in my 73 ( with a 460), I left the C-6 (rebuilt but barfing fluid) at the yard where I did the job. That was a number of years ago, but you never know, it might still be there. I'll check. I do still have some of the accessories, like the flywheel in my garage. Not sure exactly what else, but the guy at the shop suggested that I keep some stuff, just in case I changed my mind about the 4 speed we put in. I also have some home made motor mounts somewhere around here that you can have, but they were made for stock 460 manifolds. More torque that way, but less HP.

If we do go with that 460, I don't think it would be bad to keep the 4 speed in the truck. Those 435 transmissions are VERY VERY good, bullit proof transmissions. Trust me.

If we don't go with the 460, then I got dibbs on Skips headers. Heqq, even if we do go with the 460, I would be happy to take those headers off Skip's hands, in exchange for my set of Hooker Competition Headers.
Okay, don't laugh, I had to try. Those L&L headers he has are very nice stuff.

Another thing to consider is if we decide to go with the 460, we might want to consider going with a 68-70 lincoln engine. Those suckers were high compression monsters. It was before they de-tuned and nutered the 460 engines, and I have seen a couple of them at my local Picknpull. Acutally, all you really need is the heads off of one of those oldies, and you would have some cheap Horses to go, right from the factory at the late 60's Ford factory. Aaah, the muscle years....
The only thing you get out of the blocks from the 68-70 Lincoln 460 is the lower deck height, which would equate to higher compression. But the heads are the closed chamber variety, and they don't have much of a bump to grind out of the exhaust ports. Nice stuff.

Oh BTW, AndyM has some very legitimate info to consider as well. It would be alot cheaper to build that 360, then to build a 460. The FE engine has alot of potential. And I believe those 428 heads that Shortbed posted earlier would probably bolt right on. Might be an idea.
I'm just partial to the 460. Nothing wrong with FE at all. In fact, someone aught to get in touch with 390Gashog! He's the FE man.

 

OOps, I just read WillyB's post regarding the FE vs 460 stuff in discussion with Andym.
But Clint, I still say to go with the 68 - 70 Lincoln 460 if we go with a 460. They came stock with good stuff.

 

If cost is going to be an object, then I too would go with rebuilding the 360 in the truck. I believe it would be cheaper since WillyB has most the internals. I like the 460 idea only because I happen to have one in my truck. And I prefer cubic inches over high revving. Nobody has mentioned a budget for this project, or even if we have a budget. So I don't know what we are working with here.


I see where the engine should be done by mid Feb, but what about the rest of the truck? Is there a date we are shooting for? Or is it just whenever it gets done?

 

Yes - - - just Yes.

There is both a budget and a timeline. We are working on the budget now, with this talk about what is needed and what is available. About the only thing we have agreed on so far is the disk brake upgrade. I consider power steering necessary, but you guys may not agree.

The discussion on the engine is to buy a good used 460/C6 vs rebuilding the FE. My guess is a low of $500 to rebuild, but any of a number of problems could push that to $1000. I wouldn't be surprised if we find a good 460/C6 in the $300 to $600 range.

As to time, I want to be competing on 1 March. That will be a good time to meet the LV guys on the Death Valley.

 

Ok, a monkey wrench has been thrown into the equation... Stacy just called me and said he needs to get the truck out of his backyard by Friday. (Dec 22nd)He wants to know if I prefer the extra cash instead of the truck, or if we can get the truck out of there by then. I told him I would ask the club members and see what can be done. He says he will stop by tomorrow and pay the difference in cash if we do not want the truck. I would prefer the truck, but have no way of towing it anywhere. :-(