Early 60's FE question
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 622
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From: Urbandale, Iowa
Early 60's FE question
From the 67-72 forum...
quote:
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Originally posted by Rat wagon
for cheap you could just build a motor like a 390 to early
sixtys specifications and bam you got 335 horse and 426 ftlbs torque from a stock,and alot cheaper rebuild kit, plus it's bullet
proof, no mucking around with mixing and matching cams lifters
and so on. You get bone stock reliability with enough juice to
bark the tires at 50mph with sand bags in the back. I like
the early setup.... alot
but it sounds like you want major horsies though!! I can't help ya
there sorry.
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Interesting point. I'm wondering how I go about building a 68 390 to early 60's specs. Is it as simple as getting early 60's heads? How early in the 60's - is there a cutoff year? Can I modify my C8AE-H heads to the early 60's specs - I know I can go to CJ exhaust valves, and grind down the thermactor humps in the exhaust ports. Would this compare to an early 60's head specs?
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Rat wagon
for cheap you could just build a motor like a 390 to early
sixtys specifications and bam you got 335 horse and 426 ftlbs torque from a stock,and alot cheaper rebuild kit, plus it's bullet
proof, no mucking around with mixing and matching cams lifters
and so on. You get bone stock reliability with enough juice to
bark the tires at 50mph with sand bags in the back. I like
the early setup.... alot
but it sounds like you want major horsies though!! I can't help ya
there sorry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interesting point. I'm wondering how I go about building a 68 390 to early 60's specs. Is it as simple as getting early 60's heads? How early in the 60's - is there a cutoff year? Can I modify my C8AE-H heads to the early 60's specs - I know I can go to CJ exhaust valves, and grind down the thermactor humps in the exhaust ports. Would this compare to an early 60's head specs?
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 451
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From: Balfour
Early 60's FE question
There is no real advantage to building to early sixties spec's, I should have said 60's spec's of the 390 car engine. A 68 390 4v in a fairlane etc. was cranking out 315 horse, or more?
This extra comes from 9.6 to 1 compression, a 4v, and maybe a slightly different cam or cam timing. I didn't build the engine
in my truck, It barks the tires only when I down shift to pass at 50mph. I am pretty happy with it, it pulls better with 3.54's than my 390 2v did with 4.10's.
It could be a 410, which would explain the power, I'll check that so I ain't misleading no one
as You can tell I have very limited knowledge, but I get by somehow
This extra comes from 9.6 to 1 compression, a 4v, and maybe a slightly different cam or cam timing. I didn't build the engine
in my truck, It barks the tires only when I down shift to pass at 50mph. I am pretty happy with it, it pulls better with 3.54's than my 390 2v did with 4.10's.
It could be a 410, which would explain the power, I'll check that so I ain't misleading no one
as You can tell I have very limited knowledge, but I get by somehow
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 622
Likes: 0
From: Urbandale, Iowa
Early 60's FE question
Still, the question remains. If I want to build an early 60's CAR engine, would I simply bolt on the correct heads, intake and carb, and be good to go, or would I also need pistons, rods, etc. to achieve the 9.6:1 compression as compared to my 8.6:1 in my 68 2V 390?
Just curious. I really like the idea of upping my horsepower to the 355 range from the 255 (IIRC) rating that my current truck carries, and doing it inexpensively.
Just curious. I really like the idea of upping my horsepower to the 355 range from the 255 (IIRC) rating that my current truck carries, and doing it inexpensively.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,624
Likes: 8
From: Missouri
Early 60's FE question
The C8AE-H heads are probably every bit as good as the early heads. The early 390s made their power through slightly better intakes, higher compression and bigger cams. 335HP is cakework for any rebuild with most any stock parts if you get the compression up and use a good cam. Today's cams are much improved over the old designs. Using a stock cam is a waste for a performance build in my opinion unless you just have to have the exact factory feel. A guy that used to post here lightened his truck to about 3,400 lbs used unported completely stock C8AE-H heads, 9.5:1 pistons, a 230 degree elgin cam, an RPM intake and flowtech headers and was running 8.65 in the 1/8th. You can make decent power with these heads. He had 4.56 gears. My truck has made a best 1/8th mile time of 9.2 seconds on street tires with 3.70 gears. Digging around for early 60's parts is not worth the effort.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,624
Likes: 8
From: Missouri
Early 60's FE question
Yeah, he is probably running around on the cougar forums somewhere now. His 390 bit the dust in an odd way. The cylinder wall gave out on the non thrust side. Wasn't even being raced when it happened. I went and saw the remains. It wasn't pretty.
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