I started out looking to put a 302 in truck. Got a free 360 ford figured if its free its for me and got excited about thought of the fe. turns out the truck had been run around the quarry for years with no aircleaner and no oil changes for that matter and was to beat to do anything with so it got scrapped. picked up a 98 explorer for $500 guy thought it was ready for the scrap heap. Visit to ebay and $40 for a used set of injectors and thing ran like a top. I was going to take the whole train out and put it in the 54. HVAC guy said he would trade even up to add a third zone on the forced hot air and run it out to the new addition! So by by explorer back to square one! WHICH WAY DO I GO?????

 

What are you going to do with the truck? Is it mainly a cruiser or will you haul or tow with it? A 302 ,especially if coupled with an OD tranny will probably be more economical than a 360 or larger engine. Gas is cheap now, but probably won't stay that way.

I have a 460 in my 54 F250, so economy is out the window.

Overhauling the 360 is probably cost as much as finding a decent donor vehicle with a good engine.

 

I want truck that I can take to a show but not a show truck. If that makes any sense.

 

Given those parameters, I'd probably lean toward a 302 or 351. I've not had any experience with putting the mod motor in a effie, but that could be a consideration too. With that you will need to mess with all the computer stuff though. Although if you use a late 302/351 you will have that anyway.

I think the double overhead mod motor would look cool in a truck that was mostly a cruiser, and can be made to have gobs of power too.

 

Dave...... I have a 289 in my panel and it goes and gets out of peoples way if need be. Panels are a bunch heavier also. So for a pickup it would be perfect.

When we go on a tour with our club....the other guys stop every 2 hours to top tanks off.. I usually skip and get gas on the next stop or elsewhere on our travels. The guys always joke about my 289 being equal to the starter in their trucks (or some other dumb joke) but I'm the one laughing at every fuel stop.

Michigan Rick

 

What Rick said makes a lot of sense to me. I don't plan on racing anything with my panel. I don't have the time or money to do it. It has a stock flattie which I know isn't a speed demon but it sure gets a lot of attention even in it's grungy, stock condition, and it sounds good with the duals and through mufflers. I plan to clean the engine up, add a dual carb manifold and vintage tach, all for show. My truck isn't going to be a show truck but I want it to look cool when I pull up at the weekly cruise in. I also don't have the money or time, or inclination, to make it a show truck. Pretty much like what I think you're talking about. I say just use what you have, make it look good and enjoy.

BTW, it sounds like you have a talent for horse trading, I bet if you don't have exactly what you want now you'll find it some time soon.

 

Hi Dave,

Well there are a few things to consider. I have a 51 with a 390 C/6 combination.

Food for thought. You can have the 360 rebuilt. But if you are going to do that, you can have it rebuilt as a 390 with no or little additional expense. I like my FE and it is very powerful. But the big block presented me with a few problems. First (and this will not be as big a concern on a 54) there's very little space around an FE to run peripherals - exhaust, shift rods, steering boxes, and especially an IFS front end in our trucks. If you are planning on putting in an IFS with that FE you will need to have motor mounts made that are integral with the cross member. Others usually go all the way across and under the engine that may interfere with the IFS cross member or rack. You will also have to ensure with those two things that you still have room to exhaust the drivers side between the engine and the frame. If you go outside the frame, the exhaust will interfere with the IFS shock tower.

Also with the FE you should have a stronger transmission. Something like a C6 or HD four speed. This will leave VERY little room between the bell housing and cab floor transmission cover (like an inch or less).

Lastly, parts for the FE are much more difficult to find than the little Pony Motors. Stupid things like water pump heater hose nipples are a pain to find. Thus the 302 installation could be significantly less expensive and more timely.

In the positive for the FE it's a great motor to work on. When I drive it, and I floor the pedal, I usually end up sitting back in the bed somewhere before I can get my foot off the gas (one thousand one -one thousand two - tee hee) and I like that. It's the first vehicle I have owner that has done that since my 67 GTO with the 400.

Motor mounting for your 302 will be quite different and usually doesn't run under the engine. With an IFS you may have to get a rear sump oil pan...check on availability for both engines if you plan to install one.

There tends to be more information and experience with 302 installations and thus more lessons learned for you to draw on.

I have had three Bonus Built or F-100 trucks: A '55 with a '64.5 Mustang 289/3spd overdrive; a '56 with a 351 Cleveland and C6; and now the '51 with a 390PI and C6.

Quite a bit of variation. The 390 is a powerful get up and go set up, good to work on, pretty, strong and reliable.

The 289 with the overdrive was EXTREMELY diverse and a PLEASURE to drive if you didn't want to act like the villiage idiot. It would tow, or cruise, got great mileage, was easy to work on and was great for long distance drives (500 miles or more) Not over powered and not underpowered, it was "nice " for just about anything I wanted to do with it-except racing.

The 351 Cleveland C6 combo was the most blah and non descript nothing I have ever driven - not powerful, not economical, not nothin but blah!

If I had it to do all over again, and was starting from scratch. I would put a 351 Windsor (possibly built up to a stoaker) with either a C6 Automatic or a HD three speed with overdrive on a 9" rear end geared to 2.75 with the C6, or 3.0 with the overdrive (on 15 inch wheels).

Bottom line: if you have one of each, go with the FE - you only live once. If you haven't got a 302, definately go with the FE. But have it rebuilt (to 390 or 400 specs) and don't let anyone tell you you can turn it into a 427. Both were FE's, but the 427 block was cast with reinforcements and certain strength features that the others did not have.

DO IT....GO FE....Here's some incentive:



I'm sure you will get lots of opinions!

Good Luck!

Julie

 

IMHO Take the HVAC guy up on the deal, that chance might not come along again, engines are a dime ($1000.00) a dozen (each)!

 

I appreciate what you had to say on the FE Julie. I would like to add that the 410 is a very formitable engine as well but a little more difficult to obtain. It took some time to locate one but when finished it will be used to pull or play whichever I'm in the mood for. I have waited four years to build the truck in memory of our son but I have a local tech. student coming over this semester to start on the body work and we will start on the engine work as well. I have enjoyed you feedback on the forum and look forward to more in the future.

Gear Up

 

im with julie on this one . had two 390's sitting here i sold , still got two 360's sitting here . they are easily converted to 390 status by a mere crank , rod and piston swap . everyone of the fe's i've owned have been dependable , capable of hauling a-- anytime , solid and if i drove sensibly , fairly fuel efficient given that they were usually pulling around a car / truck that weighed dain near as much as my semi fully loaded . plus there is still lots of aftermarket support for 'em . one was destined for my original 55 f-350 , the other was for a 1/2 ton , then it was / is kinda my backup , or so the plan was , for my flatty if it went on me . now im looking for a temporary y block that runs and would trade both fe's for one .... oh yeah i ran { oooppppsss illegal !!! } straight pipe duals on all of the fe's . they sounded so sweet !!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hey 55!

Wadaya think of my pipes? Bottom picture is right after dad put them on for me - brand new. (and he'd be a little put out with me to see them so dirty like they are in the two top pictures).









3 !/2 inches of deep rumble!!!!!!! I must be going through that mid life thing with this truck and this engine!!!!!!!

J!

 

You want to turn heads & be the Talk @ the shows?
Trick out a 223 I6 w/ all the Performance parts that are available, w/ a adaptor you can attach a C4 to the Olde Girl & have lots of fun.
You can get 300+ FPT w/ 250+ HP w/ basic upgrades for the I6.

 

Tanks everyone Ireally would like to go with the FE. Any of the trucks I see in my area have either gone 302-351w or sad to say chevy.Not an option for me. 302 parts easy to come by and cheap. fe harder and more expensive. atleast when tou talk aftermarket. I still have a transmission I picked up for the 360 and the upgrade to 390 or bigger was alwats the plan but the block was so worn out everything that held a moving part would have needed to be resleeved or bored. $$$$$$$$ still like to go fe just to be a little different!

 

scare a few sheople at the lights in their flock mobiles do ya julie ? i like 'em . and i hate to say it but i do like to ruffle the masses feathers every once in awhile !!!! dave you'll like the fe's , good , dependable and can be quite the stormer if need . the 429 and 460 would be my next favorite . plus you can say you were going old school as the fe in anything screams nostalgia to me . no one really wants to play with 'em anymore . p.s. if you are close to me dave i'll let the ones i got go pretty cheap . they both ran , the 70 needs a rebuild for sure , and the c-6 on the 74 is bad . we left a lot of black marks in the streets around here with the trucks they were in . got a 65 4bbl intake from a tbird goes with 'em . i'm kinda in love with the flatties for sure and im gonna go the easy way out for a temp motor and latch onto a yblock to motorvate with till i get the flatty ready to go , if i ever get it pulled !!! still driving all over h-ll and creation and digging it to much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well when the punks with the trunk blaster speakers pull up next to me with the tunes on so loud it rattles the windows, and every other word is B**** this and F*** that, it's nice to run the slugger up to about ohhhhhh 1500 or 1800 rpm and drown him out by blowing some "FE Decibels" back in his windows.

You guys are a bad influence - tee hee!

J!