My friend had a complete 390 out of a truck and sad hed sell it to me for 50 bucks. I want some more cubes under the hood but dont know if itll fit or if a 390 is a good motor to get power out of?Any suggestions?
390 In a 65?
- Thread starter stephen4785
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Hack
15 Year Member
390 is a good motor and everything, but it's really more of a truck or station wagon motor. It's made to have a lot of torque, which a small car like the Mustang doesn't really need. Yes, the 390 can be built to work great in a Mustang (go ahead, flame away if you want).stephen4785 said:
A 351W would be better for your purposes IMO. The money you're saving buying the 390 for $50 would be more than used up with all the other modifications you'll need just to use it. And you'll end up with a car that has all the weight in the front. Not good for handling...
FE engines can be great but the 390 is the least desirable of the bunch and is not much of a performance engine. I have seen many a 390 Mustang get it's ass handed to it by a rather mild 302 Mustang. For the wieght they add they don't bring the HP to the table. They can be built to be really nice but it is expensive. If you want an FE a 428 is much better.....but NO FE is going to fit in a 65/66 car with the shock towers in place so this discussion is rather moot.
OK, here goes theHack said:390 is a good motor and everything, but it's really more of a truck or station wagon motor. It's made to have a lot of torque, which a small car like the Mustang doesn't really need. Yes, the 390 can be built to work great in a Mustang (go ahead, flame away if you want).
"Station wagon" motor? Come on now? And those "pickup truck" engines were run in Nascar way before you were born 
The 390 that came in my old 67 FB must have been a fluke, although it was put there by Ford, not some shade tree mechanic 
And that "station wagon " motor even had a 401 horse power rating in 1961, never seen a factory Windsor rated like that have you? Sure like I said before, it's a poor choice for a powerplant in a 65-66 ( unless the guy doing it's got plenty of time and money) , but it's hardly ever been a station wagon/pickup truck engine only. I've got one in a 4200 lb Merc that pushes it to mid 14 sec 1/4's and it's still mostly stock ( std bore, stock pistons, crank's never turned, stock heads) Only mod here's been mild Crane cam, factory aluminum intake and headers. Let's see you do that with a Windsor I agree with Hearne. While the stock 390 may not have been a monster like a 427, it has lots of possibilities. And every car can use more torque. Get the 390, do a MII steering setup and you will have a eye-catching, pavement-burning, chevy-eating car. And who cares if it is a little front heavy, learn to drive it. Be brave and don't have a small block like everyone else on this board.
I'm with D on this one.
Now I'll give you that a truck 390 has dismal compression even new (8.2:1) but Station Wagon MOTOR? WTF?
Maybe this wagon: http://hometown.aol.com/larry33k/BATTLESTAR.html
390 LEAST Desireable? That honor probably falls to a 332 or 360, NOT the 390.
Of course if you want to put one in a 65-66, you better call Crites Restoration, take money.
And do us all a favor and don't cut up a "nice" car to do it.
Station Wagon Motor, sheesh.......................
Now I'll give you that a truck 390 has dismal compression even new (8.2:1) but Station Wagon MOTOR? WTF?
Maybe this wagon: http://hometown.aol.com/larry33k/BATTLESTAR.html
390 LEAST Desireable? That honor probably falls to a 332 or 360, NOT the 390.
Of course if you want to put one in a 65-66, you better call Crites Restoration, take money.
And do us all a favor and don't cut up a "nice" car to do it.
Station Wagon Motor, sheesh.......................
Hack
15 Year Member
Wow, good job on the flames, guys!! Very nice work.
Like I said, the 390 isn't the ideal motor, but can be built to work. I figured I might offend someone with an original 390. Sorry, my goal wasn't to offend anyone, however, face reality, the 390 equipped Mustangs are not the most desireable. Yeah, maybe they ran 390s in Nascar 40 years ago, but now they run BETTER stuff.
I didn't say they're the least desireable, just not the most desireable. Easier to flame when you twist, huh? Oh, edit:: I see Ronstang said it's the least desireable of the FEs. Sorry..
351W wasn't created as a high performance motor from the factory, I agree D.Hearne. However, the 351W is a good choice for a performance motor in the present day, as is a 302. However, the poster said he wanted more cubes. I thing a 351W is a logical choice for his car and more cubes. Also, he looks to be trying to save money, which is why I didn't suggest a stroker. Do you disagree?
Like I said, the 390 isn't the ideal motor, but can be built to work. I figured I might offend someone with an original 390. Sorry, my goal wasn't to offend anyone, however, face reality, the 390 equipped Mustangs are not the most desireable. Yeah, maybe they ran 390s in Nascar 40 years ago, but now they run BETTER stuff.
I didn't say they're the least desireable, just not the most desireable. Easier to flame when you twist, huh? Oh, edit:: I see Ronstang said it's the least desireable of the FEs. Sorry..
351W wasn't created as a high performance motor from the factory, I agree D.Hearne. However, the 351W is a good choice for a performance motor in the present day, as is a 302. However, the poster said he wanted more cubes. I thing a 351W is a logical choice for his car and more cubes. Also, he looks to be trying to save money, which is why I didn't suggest a stroker. Do you disagree?
Yea, they run better stuff in Nascar today ( but they're not Windsor's either) As for 390 Stangs being less desireable, that's a stretchHack said:Wow, good job on the flames, guys!! Very nice work.
Like I said, the 390 isn't the ideal motor, but can be built to work. I figured I might offend someone with an original 390. Sorry, my goal wasn't to offend anyone, however, face reality, the 390 equipped Mustangs are not the most desireable. Yeah, maybe they ran 390s in Nascar 40 years ago, but now they run BETTER stuff.
I didn't say they're the least desireable, just not the most desireable. Easier to flame when you twist, huh? Oh, edit:: I see Ronstang said it's the least desireable of the FEs. Sorry..
351W wasn't created as a high performance motor from the factory, I agree D.Hearne. However, the 351W is a good choice for a performance motor in the present day, as is a 302. However, the poster said he wanted more cubes. I thing a 351W is a logical choice for his car and more cubes. Also, he looks to be trying to save money, which is why I didn't suggest a stroker. Do you disagree?
Better go back and check what nice big block Stangs go for now-a-days ( most had 390's not 428's or 429's) And Ronstang didn't say it was the least desireable either. Better go back and re-read his post. Now I DO agree that a Windsor would be a better choice in a 65-66 Stang, if for no other reason than it's a bolt in and fits the engine bay without mods. And ditto in the other Stangs ( 67-70) where a small block was the original motor ( for the same reason-- bolt in swap, but then again in these so is the Cleveland) But to toss a 390 in favor of a Windsor in an original big block Stang, would be plain insanity. 
Actually to clarify in your rant there Hearne....Ronstang said "the 390 is the least desireable" And to put input into it...go for the 390 if you have the money to chop the engine bay and drop in a MII suspensions. Should run about 3-4K right? I agree with pony xpress.....there is no replacement for displacement. Get a 460 and rip em up.
actually the 360 truck engine has it's merits too. it did win a winston cup race in the early 70's. the Movie greased lightning was based on the Guy that used a 360 to win
even the 332 isn't that bad. it was renamed the 330 with forged crank for heavy dumptruck use. no 302 was ever considered for heavy truck use like the FE/FT block
the 360/390 truck engines can be fitted with a 428 rotating assembly and 410 mercury pistons to make a 410 mercury Marauder engine.
even in stock displacement the 360 and 390 can be built better than the 302 or 351 windsor
edelbrock heads,RPM intake,750 holley, cam with about 230 dur and .590" lift will build serious power.
i built a 360 for a friends truck with 63 352 lo rise heads,224 dur .554" lift,old 390 4bbl intake, and 600 cfm carter.
that engine was a monster. the 360 can really breath with its large bore and relativly short stroke. the 390 is more torquey but still can give good high end power.
the 427 used the same stroke crank as the 390 but with huge bores.
medium rise heads are a good addition to any FE from 360 and up. they will not work on 352 and smaller because of valve size.
the FE can be put into the 64-66 stangs. ford fairlane thunderbolt engine mounts and front suspension can be used to make it fit. there won't be much room for anything else but it will work
anybody who thinks the windsor is a better engine needs their head examined.
windsor need a set of $1000 heads right off the bat to make power. FE lo rise heads will flow better than stock windsor heads.
basic rebuild with a good cam and intake will run less than building a windsor and make the same power as a headded windsor
FE=the $hit
even the 332 isn't that bad. it was renamed the 330 with forged crank for heavy dumptruck use. no 302 was ever considered for heavy truck use like the FE/FT block
the 360/390 truck engines can be fitted with a 428 rotating assembly and 410 mercury pistons to make a 410 mercury Marauder engine.
even in stock displacement the 360 and 390 can be built better than the 302 or 351 windsor
edelbrock heads,RPM intake,750 holley, cam with about 230 dur and .590" lift will build serious power.
i built a 360 for a friends truck with 63 352 lo rise heads,224 dur .554" lift,old 390 4bbl intake, and 600 cfm carter.
that engine was a monster. the 360 can really breath with its large bore and relativly short stroke. the 390 is more torquey but still can give good high end power.
the 427 used the same stroke crank as the 390 but with huge bores.
medium rise heads are a good addition to any FE from 360 and up. they will not work on 352 and smaller because of valve size.
the FE can be put into the 64-66 stangs. ford fairlane thunderbolt engine mounts and front suspension can be used to make it fit. there won't be much room for anything else but it will work
anybody who thinks the windsor is a better engine needs their head examined.
windsor need a set of $1000 heads right off the bat to make power. FE lo rise heads will flow better than stock windsor heads.
basic rebuild with a good cam and intake will run less than building a windsor and make the same power as a headded windsor
FE=the $hit
actually they are the same except for heads and steel crank.ashford said:
the 389 and 391 FT engines out of the 5/4 ton and up trucks are more desireable because of heavy nickel block and steel crank. swap the heads for stock FE's and get a good intake
the same goes for the 359 and 361 FT block
I was saying that when compared to the 406,410, 427, and 428....but the trully least desirable one is the 332/352....too much weight not much power. I have had 2 390s and they were decent engines but they got really crappy gas mileage and had limited power in stock form. I just prefer a lighter engine because I don't like driving a dumptruck.65straightsick said:
OK got me there-- I confused comments PoliceInterceptor's commonts with RonStang's As for cobra232's post----- the 360 that was used in Nascar was a destroked 427 not a 360 out of a pickup. The 330 and 332 are very different engines. The 330 had a 4" bore and 3.3" stroke, the truck FT 332 was a 3.75 bore x 3.5 inch stroke. And not all FT's had steel cranks65straightsick said:
Hack
15 Year Member
I stand behind what I said before. I hear what D.Hearne and others are saying about the 390 making a lot of power, and Ford put a lot of them in Mustangs? I would have expected that Ford put most 390s in station wagons and pickups, though.
The 390 can be built, but not the best choice. If you want to build a 1/4 miler, go 460 or bigger. You want more cubes than the 390. If you want a road racer, you should go small block.
It's possible to perform with a big block, but for great all around performance a small block is superior, until you get to insane levels that really aren't wise to drive on the street. The 302/351 W have a huge availability of aftermarket parts as well.
The 390 is more suited to a pickup or a station wagon, because it's heavy and torquey. The bore/stroke ratio is not optimum for high revs.
If you just want an engine with a high displacement number for bragging rights, but don't plan on racing in any form - 390 would be fine.
The 390 can be built, but not the best choice. If you want to build a 1/4 miler, go 460 or bigger. You want more cubes than the 390. If you want a road racer, you should go small block.
It's possible to perform with a big block, but for great all around performance a small block is superior, until you get to insane levels that really aren't wise to drive on the street. The 302/351 W have a huge availability of aftermarket parts as well.
The 390 is more suited to a pickup or a station wagon, because it's heavy and torquey. The bore/stroke ratio is not optimum for high revs.
If you just want an engine with a high displacement number for bragging rights, but don't plan on racing in any form - 390 would be fine.
Hack said:I stand behind what I said before. I hear what D.Hearne and others are saying about the 390 making a lot of power, and Ford put a lot of them in Mustangs? I would have expected that Ford put most 390s in station wagons and pickups, though.
Actually, 390's in Pickups are comparatively rare. Most Pickups (V8's) were 360s. An amazing number of them magically transform into 390s when it is time to sell, but they are other wise pretty uncommon.
Obviously we aren't going to change your mind though, and you certainly won't change mine, so we might as well agree to disagree.
I do at least agree that the Windsor is a better choice for a 65-66.
BTW, you should pick up copy of September Mustang and Ford where in your glorious Windsor got bested (505.4 hp vs 486 hp) by a Station Wagon Motor despite having a cubic inch advantage (423 vs 427.6)
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