Hey guys,

Due to the fence Americans are bent over I am considering what would be considered blasphemy in the FE forum. I currently have a '65 short wide F100 with the stock 352 in it. It runs good and was rebuilt by the PO a few thousand before I bought it. It has the usual bolt-ons but is stock internally as far as I know. I have a freshly rebuilt 302 on my engine stand with 0 miles. It is built mildly inside and out. How bad would I kill the value of my truck by swapping the two out? I would probably keep the 352 and just store it. This swap would also bring in the ability to run an overdrive tranny. I could also get a junk yard fuel injection to put on the 302 instead of the carb setup I have. Help me. I am lost and slowly going broke at the pumps.

 

This is entirely my opinion and thoughts so do with them what you want.

Will the engine swap lower the value of your truck, is there something rare about your 65 verses the 65 I own or the 65 that any of the other members own on the FTE forum? I highly doubt there is anything extra special, as Ford cranked out thousands of these trucks. I don't have any number's but it has to be well over 100,000 and I am sure other members can tell exactly how many were made. Is your truck restored to the factory condition, or has it had a bunch of MOD's done, power steering, disk brakes, and so on? Are you trying to restore your truck to like new factory assembly line condition?

Really value is a relative term, what something is worth in your area will be different than in mine, and your truck and mine and everyone's is worth what ever a buyer is willing to pay. To me mine has high value as my grandpa bought it brand new and gave it to me when I turned 15. I can never part with it as the sentimental value is too high, is the truck really worth anything, not really.

I would say as long as you don't hack anything up to complete the swap the value should not change, since you can always put it back to stock. At least you are not transplanting a Chebby engine in.

I am currently transplanting a 4.6L MOD motor for improved driveability in my 65. I am sure it is not all FTE members taste to do that but it is my truck and that is the direction I want to go. I say if you want a 302 put it in.

Once again, just my two cents.

Jeff

 

Never mind the value of the truck, a truck is worth only what someone will pay for it.
I assume you are trying to improve the mileage of the truck. My thoughts are that the longer stroke 352 might get better mileage than a 302, you will have a heavy truck with lots of frontal area with either engine. I know you have a fresh 302, but I think a 300 inline 6 engine would be a better swap if you want economy.

 

Before you swap motors...

What trans, rear axle ratio, and what size tire do you have on the truck now?

(tire size and/or diameter)

"mildly built"....what compression ratio does the 302 have? What trans do you have in mind for your swap? Do you have the trans yet?

 

Won't hurt the value, but won't help it either. You're going to spend money and get nothing much in return.

My 352 with 3 speed gets 13-15 mpg if driven like an adult.
To move big chunks of weight such as these, you need torque, not HP. The 302 is not going to be any better in the fuel mileage dept, IMO. It's power band is much different, and is some ways may have to work harder than the big old FE.

There is a limit to what you can get with mileage on these. I would look seriously at your axle ratio, tire size and transmission. If it's an automatic, there's not going to be much you can do without changing the whole truck. Mid teens is all you should really expect. Aerodynamics and mass are working against you.

That said, we do have a club member with a six in his truck that has seen 22-24 mpg on trips.

 

If you have a standard transmission, you might see if you can swap a 4 spd overdrive out of a later model 6 cyl truck. If you aren't driving the truck hard, the 4 spd oughta stand up to the motor.


ROb

 

Did you buy it to make money? I bought mine to SAVE money. Yes, MPG has really sucked the life out of my wallet BUT -- I don't have a truck payment and my insurance rates are the lowest I've ever had.

Do what YOU want with YOUR truck. I plan on modifying mine and when I do resale value won't be a factor. It's kinda like a Harley. You can spend the time and money putting ALL that chrome on it but if you were to sell it you have to find the right buyer that likes all that chrome, too. Build it / drive it / modify it for you. These trucks don't have a huge resale anyway. Mine was 85% restored to original when I bought it and I got it for $3,500. Most I can expect to make on it if it were 100% restored would be $10k or $12k. The highly modified trucks sell for more than that.

SO - I suppose it's all in WHAT and HOW you do it.

 

Yeah, any work you do, original restoration stuff or "restomod", if it is hacked up, you will kill the value of your truck. Done right, it is gonna be nuetral or positive. And, it's not a short wide chevy, so resale is not gonna be a huge consideration any time soon. As an old friend of mine who has been building old cars told me about my ford, you can fix one bone stock original, or you can use a modern powerplant, add the creature comforts, and make twice as much money on it in the end. He sold a 32 ford coupe in a bucket a year or so ago, no motor or tranny, with all the pieces to put it back orignal...and he prolly got twice for that car than his completely restored original model A pickup could ever dream of being worth.

ROb

 

You guys are pretty much thinking the same way I am. First, I agree that 302 might not get much better gas mileage considering the weight of the truck. I don't have a tranny for it as of yet so there would be a good chunk of money to make the swap complete. The truck is not in original condition so I don't know why I really was worried about the engine being original too. I will be sticking to the 352 for now. That 302 wuold look lost in our engine bay anyway. Now, if I could only fall upon a new free Shelby GT500 power plant. Thanks for your opinions.

 

You might look into the 4 spd overdrive option for fuel mileage.


ROb

 

If your looking for fuel economy the 302 is not a good choice. I have a 302 in my 61 with a C6 &3.50 gears it get 11 or 12 on a good day. I had a SROD 4 spd tranny in it with a .67:1 4th gear OD. At best I got 14 mpg. The motor is a stock 81-86 with an RV cam and edelbrock 600 carb full length headers. It will go fast but has to work hard all the time. The 302 just dosen't make the torque to move the truck efficiently.

 

I always think its funny when value questions come up. I payed $200 for my truck. I put $50 into a battery and it ran greatwith very minamal rust. I seem to always see deals like this on these trucks. Maybe not quite that cheap but under a thousand, running all the time. Its hard to ruin the value of a vehicle when its worth so little in the first place. I say do with it as you please its your truck. Have fun with it.

 

Wow- a lot of ideas here! In my opinion,(My advice is free, you get what you pay for!!)
Stay with the 352, add dual exhaust if you don't have it. Consider headers- I put headers and 2 1/2" exhausts on mine and it really helped. I also run a performer 390 intake and an edelbrock carb. I live at 6200 feet so the edelbrock carb is easier to retune. I've talked to some people in Albuquerque (4000 feet) and a couple of them have run the holley 390cfm 4 barrel with good luck. I don't recommend the 302- I tried it years ago in a 75 f-150 and it got horrible mileage. I have a HUGE problem with the "drive like an adult" thing - I like to "buzz" rice rockets

 

royalchopper


I like the ( 351w ) I think they get better milage and will out power, and out
last all the motors listed above, just my 2 cents, i have drove all that is listed
above, and LOTs of ( 351w ) sure like the power they have!


P.S. BUT you sure could buy a lot of gas for what it would cost to change
your combo!


Wally Womack