I have a 1969 F350, dually (no bed)

I am going to strip it down clean it up, and put it back together.

I happen to have all or most of the parts for 3x engine setups, and can't decide yet.

I have a FE 360, a 400M, and a 460. I may have a line on a 390 as well.

I have all the parts to make any of the above work. The truck will be a workhorse. I plan to fix it up very nice, and build a flat bed for it. It'll be used to tow a car trailer.

I have a 460 in my '85, and it's overkill for towing the car trailer I think. I think highly of the 400M as a "truck" motor, and I think the 360/390 would be very "classic" but I don't know what it's like to tow with either.

I should say, the 360 thats in it now is what my grandfather used to tow his backhoe, and he had no complaints. That is a + for the 360.

If I keep the 360, it'll have to be rebuilt, it's been sitting along time with the valve covers off (hood closed) but mice have covered the engine in leaves/paper and I'd want to tear it apart.


I welcome any input on what I should do. The 360/390 would take the most money to get going, while the 460/400 would simply be "more work" but I already have what I need.

I should also mention I have a 4 speed manual for the 360, and I'd be putting a C6 behind either the 400 or 460 most likely. Manual vs auto is not a issue for me, but rather what is best for towing cars.


Thanks for reading my long-winded post.

 

Chris, It is a bit unusual to see someone speak highly of the 400. They can be built to be good engines but most consider them dogs.

The 360/390 use the same block, the 390 has a 1/4" longer stroke.

There is a lot of cubic power in the cubic in of the 460.

The 400 & 460 share the same bell bolt pattern.

I would look at building the engine for towing, rv cam, small 4 barrel carb. Build a plow horse not a race horse.

None of us can pull the trigger for you, your call.


guluk





John

 

I have a 460 in my '85, and it tows great. I towed a '03 Izuzu CC dump truck around, with more than enough power to spare. For towing a car trailer, I feel I went with "overkill"

Thats why I'm open to the FE and the 400. The 400 is a dog as-built but with very little work, makes a great truck motor. 4bbl intake, headers, and a RV cam, and you end up with a torquey motor that gets better gas mileage than my 460 (friend has one, 4bbl and RV cam, stock exhaust, can tow almost as well as me)

The wildcard is really the FE. I've never driven one, but I understand it made a great truck motor. Heck, I've got a '71 F600 sitting on the lot with my other trucks that my grandfather used to use to tow a backhoe, and it's only got a FE 360 in it.

I'm not going for a full restoration, but a FE is what came in it, and if it'll do the job I'd like to keep it. But my mind tends to think of it as a "small" motor. a 390 crank would certainly alleviate that...

 

Build the 360 into a 390!!!

 

I say build the 460

 

The original plan before finding my 69 was to make it a 460 truck, so it would have interchangeability with my 500 ci. 429 stroker, that i put in my 71 Mustang. That may still happen, but the more i dream, the idea of rebuilding my 360 with a stroker kit sounds better and better.
The power of the 460 makes me very happy, and if you have a good engine, maybe that is the best, and possibly the lesser expensive option for you.

 

I'll find out monday if the 390 parts are available to me. I've already decided that if they fall into my lap, I'll rebuild the current motor into a 390. It's a 2bbl 360 now, but the 390 I want has long tubes and a 4bbl intake.

Paired with a 4 speed and a 4.10-1 rear, I think it'd tow decently.... I need some pics....