ford 390
ford 390
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From: Honkytonkville
hey there, you'll probly get better luck with this question in the appropriate forum, but...here's my experience. If your '80 had anything but a 460 or 300 from the factory, a 390 will bolt on to the factory perches using the truck motor mounts and the appropriate bellhousing. I'm not 100% sure on this tho. Good luck!
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Pittsburgh
it takes the right bellhousing and the correct perches. 302/351 perches are close, but not quite right. They can be made to work with a little drilling and welding.
Perches for a 390 are actually the same height and angle as the perches for a 300 but sit about 4" further back. You also have to use a rear sump oil pan and in order to use that pan you have to use motor mounts for a 1966 Lincoln Continental to get enough pan to crossmember clearance.
You really have to watch out for the passengers side exhaust manifold, it will really play a factor in positioning the engine in the bay. While factory 80-96 trucks have the motor offset about 4" to the passengers side, a 390 needs to be moved 2" closer to center (so you'll be 2" offset to the passengers side).
I just finished this swap and it's covered in the engine swap forum, it's stickied as the top post.
It's all there, but can be a bit to handle. If you have any specific questions fell free to ask, i'll help as much as i can.
Justin
Perches for a 390 are actually the same height and angle as the perches for a 300 but sit about 4" further back. You also have to use a rear sump oil pan and in order to use that pan you have to use motor mounts for a 1966 Lincoln Continental to get enough pan to crossmember clearance.
You really have to watch out for the passengers side exhaust manifold, it will really play a factor in positioning the engine in the bay. While factory 80-96 trucks have the motor offset about 4" to the passengers side, a 390 needs to be moved 2" closer to center (so you'll be 2" offset to the passengers side).
I just finished this swap and it's covered in the engine swap forum, it's stickied as the top post.
It's all there, but can be a bit to handle. If you have any specific questions fell free to ask, i'll help as much as i can.
Justin
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Honkytonkville
I have to somewhat disagree. tranny should be a bolt in, as long as using the same style tranny(ie use FE c6 to replace the current c6). I took an 86 windsor to a 75 1/2 ton 4x4 and it bolted to the factory perches, using the 360 perches, so doing this method in reverse can't be 100% fabbed operation. I don't have any way to justify this, but I'm thinking it isn't as difficult as previously stated. Plus you can get duraspark dists for an FE motor and use all the factory electronics....
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From: Virginia
Here's the thread he was talking about were he installed the 390.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...-150-pics.html
But nothing is proven as far as your theory it would bolt in on the mounts, since he for some reason used and modified the 300 six frame perches, which are different from the v8 perches. Maybe he didnt' know this, and the v8 perches would have been a closer fit?
I think there is one guy in the thread who tried to use something else and the engine sat too low? I didn't read all the way through the whole thread, just the first page.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...-150-pics.html
But nothing is proven as far as your theory it would bolt in on the mounts, since he for some reason used and modified the 300 six frame perches, which are different from the v8 perches. Maybe he didnt' know this, and the v8 perches would have been a closer fit?
I think there is one guy in the thread who tried to use something else and the engine sat too low? I didn't read all the way through the whole thread, just the first page.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,711
Likes: 2
From: Pittsburgh
when I looked at the 302/351 perches it was going to make the motor sit about 1" lower which would have set the oil pan right on the crossmember.
That's why i worked backwards (or forwards depending on how you look at it) and found out the 67-76 trucks used the same perches for 300's and the FE's, just positioned differently front to back.
From this, i built a set of perches that were at the same hight and angle as the 80-96 300 perches but that sit behind the crossmember.
It also depends on if you let the transmission position the motor or if you let the motor position the transmission. Mine is a 4x4 so I let the transmission position the motor. This may influence if the 302 perches would work or not.
Justin
That's why i worked backwards (or forwards depending on how you look at it) and found out the 67-76 trucks used the same perches for 300's and the FE's, just positioned differently front to back.
From this, i built a set of perches that were at the same hight and angle as the 80-96 300 perches but that sit behind the crossmember.
It also depends on if you let the transmission position the motor or if you let the motor position the transmission. Mine is a 4x4 so I let the transmission position the motor. This may influence if the 302 perches would work or not.
Justin
Last edited by hoxiii; Jul 18, 2007 at 10:56 PM.
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