inline in a bronco?
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Elder User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 548
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From: Sparks, NV
inline in a bronco?
well the guy what was going to sell me the 4 door f250 sold it before i had the money pooled together... dang. BUT i found a bronco that i have always wanted, so its all good 
i know the 1978-79 broncos has 351m/400 engines in them, and i was wondering, what would be better for riding trails, a 460 or an inline?
i want to explore northern nevada and be gone for a couple days at a time, i went with a couple friends in a blazer, it was a blast drinking beer and finding lots of cool stuff
the bronco will be up to the same task, but look better. I know the 460 is big on power, but sucks on fuel efficiency, but the 300 is a off idle brute. the bronco is set up for the 460 where i would have to get small block stuff for the inline.
am i missing anything? give me your opinion about this. also, do i keep a semi float 9" or get an 8 lug setup to handle the torque or the super low ranges im going to use? of course, the dana 44 will be beefed up as well
i know the 1978-79 broncos has 351m/400 engines in them, and i was wondering, what would be better for riding trails, a 460 or an inline?
i want to explore northern nevada and be gone for a couple days at a time, i went with a couple friends in a blazer, it was a blast drinking beer and finding lots of cool stuff
the bronco will be up to the same task, but look better. I know the 460 is big on power, but sucks on fuel efficiency, but the 300 is a off idle brute. the bronco is set up for the 460 where i would have to get small block stuff for the inline.
am i missing anything? give me your opinion about this. also, do i keep a semi float 9" or get an 8 lug setup to handle the torque or the super low ranges im going to use? of course, the dana 44 will be beefed up as well
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,038
Likes: 4
From: South west Idaho
If you are set up for a 460 then use it. I ran a 460 in my 79 bronco for 15 years and it never used anymore fuel than the 400 did and had lots more power. I would not even think about a 300 inline, they are not that good on fuel , just like chevys 292 inline. Sure the 300 has off idle brute power but if you go with the small block parts to install it , you are using weaker parts. If you want a inline 6 then get a little newer one. Just my opinion, i'm a 460 man and I plan to put one in my F-100 when I get the time to do it. 
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Elder User
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 548
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From: Sparks, NV
well thanks for your opinion. i was pondering it last night and it would be easier to plop a slightly higher (9.5:1) compression 460 into the bronco. even though im am biased towards the 300, that thing is tough! i like easy
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 252
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From: Tualatin OR
460 power all the way! I love mine. Theres just so much more skinny pedal that way! BTW your prolly aware but Holley makes the truck avenger series carb that is (from what i hear) the closest thing to fuel injection when crawling. Plus i have a buddy who has one and absoluetly loves it. Just food for thought if your putting together a crawler.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,038
Likes: 4
From: South west Idaho
460 power all the way! I love mine. Theres just so much more skinny pedal that way! BTW your prolly aware but Holley makes the truck avenger series carb that is (from what i hear) the closest thing to fuel injection when crawling. Plus i have a buddy who has one and absoluetly loves it. Just food for thought if your putting together a crawler.
That carb. sounds interesting i'm going to look in to that . That was the worst thing about my 460 , was the emissions holley carb ford put on the 79 models, it was crappy. I believe it was different than the 78 and older carbs. from what I have been told. 
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 18,423
Likes: 9
From: iowa
honestly for low speed crawling around and just all around dependability I like the 300 (I am a big block guy usually so that is hard to say) and for the crawling around in rocks etc I would look at a later model one with FI which works good at odd angles.
I had a 300 in an F150 that out pulled the big block in my dually and did it while doubling the fuel economy.
But the flip side is your already setup for the big block so it's hard to say switch. If it was mine, honestly I would leave the 460 in it.
I had a 300 in an F150 that out pulled the big block in my dually and did it while doubling the fuel economy.
But the flip side is your already setup for the big block so it's hard to say switch. If it was mine, honestly I would leave the 460 in it.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,647
Likes: 3
From: Halifx Pa
I say go with the 300 also, but it does make it a little more difficult since it is all ready to go for the 460. But the FI 300 would work very well in that application.
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Elder User
Joined: May 2007
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From: Sparks, NV
well i have a lead on a cheap 460 block that i will build for off idle power, but im leaving the 400 in it for now just to get it crawlin around a mountain
I like the idea of the holley truck avenger, but my gearhead redneck friend says fuel injection or propane is the way to go on crawlers, i like the propane idea because its a tank that can be put anywhere at almost any angle, its more explosive yes, but only when its condensed and has a ignition source.
what kinda drivetrain? i was thinking an np435 and a kluneV "david" that has a 4:1 underdrive with an np205. by the time i have enough money to get the np203 and the adapter from ORD the KluneV drive is going to be cheaper and give me dual ranges.
37" tires and about a 4.11 ratio in the axles should put me around 200:1 i think. hit anything i want and go over it, aww yeah
then axles, i was thinking a sterling 10.25 to handle the output torque of the 460 with a super beefed up dana 44 with 8 lug outers.
I like the idea of the holley truck avenger, but my gearhead redneck friend says fuel injection or propane is the way to go on crawlers, i like the propane idea because its a tank that can be put anywhere at almost any angle, its more explosive yes, but only when its condensed and has a ignition source.
what kinda drivetrain? i was thinking an np435 and a kluneV "david" that has a 4:1 underdrive with an np205. by the time i have enough money to get the np203 and the adapter from ORD the KluneV drive is going to be cheaper and give me dual ranges.
37" tires and about a 4.11 ratio in the axles should put me around 200:1 i think. hit anything i want and go over it, aww yeah
then axles, i was thinking a sterling 10.25 to handle the output torque of the 460 with a super beefed up dana 44 with 8 lug outers.
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