Big block and cheap

steel1212 · Jun 14, 2005

For some d*mn reason I've got a big block bug that I can't seem to shake. I mean, my 65 has "enough" power but I want something MORE.

What is out there that has a big block but no body really wants? Something I could strip down and not feel bad for striping history. Something I could run at the track and have the only one....even if people are laughing at me, until I stomp the throttle.

I was looking at some rancheros and that would probably work if I could find one locally, a falcon/comet that already has a big block in it( I would feel bad striping one of those), then there is the fox bodies that I could drop a big block into I guess. Anything else that might be DIRT cheap like a station wagon of some sort. Could be ford/mercury etc.

Just my mind wondering lol.

krash kendall · Jun 14, 2005

Torino? LTD?

1320stang · Jun 14, 2005

1967 Falcon. Has the same front clip as the '67 Fairlane and you can fit a 427/428 FE in those. Matter of fact, you can take the sheetmetal front clip off a '67 Fairlane and put it on a '67 Falcon and the body lines match up. Makes for a different looking car. The '67 Falcon is lighter weight, you don't see them all the time, make great drag cars, and aren't all that desirable, and they're cheap.

D.Hearne · Jun 14, 2005

Look at the 68 Merc's, namely the 2 door Monterey's. All had big blocks, and the few that are left, while not easy to come by, just don't bring the money that the Galaxie's do. I bought mine for $1000, it had 58,000 miles on it. It had a 2 bbl-high compression 390 in it ( 10.5 to 1) Now after the overhaul ( still has the original pistons in it) it's got enough power to run mid 14's in the 1/4 with 3.70's in the rear. If I'd strip it down, and do some work to the still untouched C-6 auto, change the cam to something more than the Crane Energizer it's got now,replace the rear gears with say 4.11's , a trac-loc unit and a set of slicks, it shouldn't be hard to knock another couple seconds off the time. On top of all that, there's acres of room under the hood to work on it. I've also seen a 69 Galaxie 4 door with a junkyard I beam front axle, and a set of slicks run 10's with a mild 460.

Opentracker · Jun 14, 2005

You could 408 a Cleveland cheaper than a big bock. This motor is a almost stock 351C in my wifes '65 coup. Bolt on a super charger and it's over. They use the same motor mounts. It's a bolt-in swap.

John

70lightning · Jun 14, 2005

A 67-72 ford truck.

65Mustang2+2 · Jun 14, 2005

I'd go with a 67-68 Cougar 390 or 428 if you can find one!

65ShelbyClone · Jun 15, 2005

I deally you would find a 325hp 390 GT engine out of a Fairlane or Mustang or a genuine 427 if you want to step up. Other than that, an easy find is a 390 truck engine. I believe they used them up until the late '70s and some I think had cast steel cranks. Some of those trucks also had 460s. 460s dont really "fit" in anything they werent originally installed in and surely will not fit in a '65-66 without ditching the shock towers.

The easiest in all aspects would be a 351W-based 408 followed by a 351C.

D.Hearne · Jun 15, 2005

65ShelbyClone said:
I deally you would find a 325hp 390 GT engine out of a Fairlane or Mustang or a genuine 427 if you want to step up. Other than that, an easy find is a 390 truck engine. I believe they used them up until the late '70s and some I think had cast steel cranks. Some of those trucks also had 460s. 460s dont really "fit" in anything they werent originally installed in and surely will not fit in a '65-66 without ditching the shock towers.

The easiest in all aspects would be a 351W-based 408 followed by a 351C.

There was nothing special about the 325 horse "GT" 390 that you'd want to pay extra dollars for. The only things that set it apart from an "ordinary" high compression 390 ( like the one that came in my 68 Merc) was the camshaft and the dual bolt pattern for the Fairlane/Mustang exhaust manifolds that were needed to fit the thing in the chassis.The pistons, heads and the rest of the engine was the same as any regular high compression 390 from the full size Fords & Mercs. Otherwise you can take any "truck" 390 and rebuild it easily to equal to or better the output of a GT 390. Only the FT truck 391 had a steel crank, but considering the durability of the cast nodular iron 390 cranks, there's no advantage to a steel 391 crank.

65ShelbyClone · Jun 15, 2005

I didnt meant it was an engine to actively search for and pay "more" for; Thats why I said find one. I was just implying that you wouldnt really need to do much to one if it was in good running condition and a good price.

In regard to the steel crank, I recall reading an article a while back on a 427 build. It had a nodular crank that split on the dyno and resulted in a windowed block.

70lightning · Jun 15, 2005

Standard FE's will take alot of abuse, you can take a 390 in a truck drop a 428 crank in it and end up with a 410 basically.
Will run on pump gas and put down some immpressive hp numbers and an ass load of torque.

steel1212 · Jun 15, 2005

Just remember I'm not sticking this in my car. my main question is what cars can I find that are cheap that I can put a big block in or that came with them?

70lightning · Jun 15, 2005

Which is why I suggested a truck, an F100 with a 390 can suprise quite a few people.

D.Hearne · Jun 16, 2005

65ShelbyClone said:
I didnt meant it was an engine to actively search for and pay "more" for; Thats why I said find one. I was just implying that you wouldnt really need to do much to one if it was in good running condition and a good price

That's just it, if you did find one in running condition, you're going to pay a premium price for it.They came with chrome valve covers and Holley carbs, and that just increases their value in most folks minds. There's lots of plane jane 390's still out there that people will give to you to get rid of them.

STSFCTN67 · Jun 16, 2005

Get a 4 banger fox body Mustang for next to nothing and drop a big block into it. About 10 years ago I did a 4banger coupe to 5.0 swap. Very easy swap and really cheap to find an 8.8 rear. One suggestion is to move the engine back as much as you can and that will help you hook up alot better.

Big block and cheap

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