Hey guy.New here,and to ford.Got a 1972 F100 with a 360 in it.Bout to pull the motor and rebuild it.The truck will be used for towing so i dont need a hot rod.I thought about a low open plenum intake,650 holly, long tube headers,and do something about that 4 deg timing issue.Also my rebuild kit comes with KB piston for a bore size of 4.050 is this the correct bore size?I would also like to mill the heads and you a thiner head gasket for greater compression.Would my pushrod length need to be looked at after that?Here is a link to my rebuild kit http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FEM-MKP601N-311/ Thanks guys

 

Get a 390 rotating system in your rebuild and you won't need much of anything else to tow with. Forget large carb a 500 cfm will be good enough.

FEs are excellent tow engines as is. IMHO



John

 

So really all i need is a 390 crank then?The rods are the same length from what i read.Is this right?

 

390 crank and rods and 360 pistons will get you in the 9s for CR.

A low, open plenum intake--as in a single plane manifold? Most say dual plane for your application.

4.050 is the STOCK bore for a 360/390/410. You need to measure the bore and determine if an overbore is required, as you may have enough wear in the original bore to cause your new motor to be an mosquito fogger from day one.

Have you shopped for cams?

You may have pushrod issues if you deck the block and mill the heads. How much work do your heads need?

Someone here mentioned using Chrysler 340 pistons in a 360. That may be a way to gain compression in a 360.

There is enough info here to do the math on that piston and see if it would work:

KB Pistons for Automotive Applications

 

A 360 is a 390 bore block with a 352 rotating assembly, you will need crank & rods along with correct pistons.

Look at the S factory intake 390SIntake1-1



John

 

Yes a single plane low open plenum.Like a Torqer 2 from edlebrock
Yes.Being only 24 i have built countless BB and SB chevy engines.Everything from blueprint to 1000hp.I have never built a ford so i dont really know what works good.I was assumeing just throw a RV style cam.
I do not know how much work they need.I am going to take them off and mill them at least .010 to true them.Along with the block.I know from experiance that when going greater then .010 you need to check pushrod length.
Thanks for the info man.

 

Ok thank you for the info.And why the "s" factory intake.It looks low but also looks verry restrictive.

 

I have read it is what the Edelbrock Performer alum. intake is modeled after. Most folk want to spend more money for the Performer because it is lighter. On a tow truck, lighter is not a priority.

Being a chevy guy I'm sure what you are reading here doesn't add up though. I added a photo of my tow truck.


John

 

Unless you use headers and a cam with some better compression even a 390 wont pull well
I have a 1972 ford F250 with a 390..since NEW

While it was stock it had NO pulling power..where guys get that stock 390 pulls good I have no idea
I pulled a 32ft travel trailer and i was 45 mph with a 3.73 gear on cajon pass.
Fast foward to a rebuild... 390 a real 9.1 compression a isky cam and headers.. Pistons only .010 in the hole... intake with 600CFM ...I now hold 55 no problem at 3/4 throttle

390 truck engines have NO compression...NO quench.. No cam and retarded to boot..and a brick wall for exhaust manifolds

Use a 360 or a 390 but add Headers..and a good cam..and so on
a properly built 360 will only have 30 less ft lbs tq and about the same power as a 390

This is not to start a Flame..I am a Hard core Ford guy but a stock 390 after 1971 Sucks in a truck for pullling anything but a light Boat

If you do not build it properly it will disappoint you... 360 or 390
If you build it right you will gain fuel economey and have less emissions to boot

Compression and quench is where it is at with a 360/390

1952

 

360 and 390 are both 4.050'' bore. You will need the 390 rotating assembly, both rods and crank, to convert a 360 to a 390.

 

Thanks for all the good info guys.So i plan on keeping the 360 and just boreing it out .030 to renew the cylinder walls and put higher compression pistons in.I plan on adding headers and a H pipe with some chambered mufflers for added tourqe.Also i will be adding a full spool and 3.73 or higher gears.Now i know all about the 4 deg timeing issue and that will be address with a new timeing chain and gears.
Now about adding a cam.What would you recomend.
The most the truck will ever pull will be a 3200lb street car on a 1200lb aluminum car trailer.Other than that it will be manily my 4 wheelers and drag car.

 

I would recommend calling the cam companies and have their tech guys who answer this same question all day direct you. You'll just get lots of opinions here. Some good, and some maybe a little too excited and recommend something huge you won't need. LoL.

 

Yep, always call the cam company..

 

OK good idea about calling the cam company.Thanks guys.Now since i am keeping the original 360 what size carb would you recomend for what i wanna do and what size would you recomend for a stock 360 with headers?

 

Well for a slighty built version something like 450-500cfm is all you will need.
Not sure how easy it is to find high CR pistons for the 360. As it is the biggest problem with the 360 and no one ever seems to have a ready answer for a piston to fix this, I assume it either doesn't exist or is hard to find?