[Ian12186]

I have a 1976 ford100 with a 360cid with a holley 2bbl sitting ontop. The engine has very few miles on it and runs very strong. My question is, are these good engines to build up, i know it has a good amount of torque, but are they worth it. It has a ford 9" rearend and i was interested in how much good gears might run. and last but not least i was thinking of adding a brake booster from a junkyard truck and if i did this do i need to get the brake rod too? Thanks in advance Ian. PS: I have to work so if im not responding right away ill write asap.

[pmeisel]

360 is from the FE family, plenty strong, just a little harder to research for what you want to do. 9" rear is as strong as they come. Could be a neat project, keep us all informed.

[Ian12186]

what can you bore a 360 over to? i want this project to work.. and i will keep everyone up to date... thanks for your reply

[crazy larry]

standard bore for a 360 is 4.05" you should be able to go .060 with out any worry, but if your wanting to build the ultimate FE, the 427, your going to need sonic checking to ensure it'll take a 4.13

[OneMoreTime]

the gears are no issue..consider some kind of posi track or locker for that if it is a 2wd..the 360 is good..some minor head work..just clean up the heads blend the ports and a good 3 angle valve job..assuming the bottom end is recnt and good..

http://www.fordification.com/ has a lot of aplicable info on those

http://camresearchcorp.com/ these guys for a cam..A set of headers and you are good to go..

OMT

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by crazy larry

standard bore for a 360 is 4.05" you should be able to go .060 with out any worry, but if your wanting to build the ultimate FE, the 427, your going to need sonic checking to ensure it'll take a 4.13

You mean 4.23" for a 427 don't you (4.13" was a 406CI)?

The 360 is a destroked 390. It has the earlier 352 stroke. Ford destroked it to make a replacement for the 352 which required a different block. Any FE hop-up techniques can be used on it.

[OneMoreTime]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

You mean 4.23" for a 427 don't you (4.13" was a 406CI)?

The 360 is a destroked 390. It has the earlier 352 stroke. Ford destroked it to make a replacement for the 352 which required a different block. Any FE hop-up techniques can be used on it.

Would a 390 crank and rods go in the 360..might be a good way to go..?? then it might be made close to a 406..just guessing as I am not at my calculator..

OMT

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by OneMoreTime

Would a 390 crank and rods go in the 360..might be a good way to go..?? then it might be made close to a 406..just guessing as I am not at my calculator..

OMT

Yes, a 390 crank will give you 390CI. The 360 and 390 use the same block and cylinder heads.

The ultimate street FE is the 428. The 427 is a thumper.

[xntrik]

Budget build? Here's an easy, simple, and cheap 50 hp for $600.

A 360 is a just short stroke 390 period. If/when you rebuild it just make it a 390, you are buying pistons anyway, and a crank swap should be minimal price.There is no difference in gas mileage 360 to 390.

That pu 360/390 is virtually the same as any car 390. Just do all the normal FE hop ups.

Somebody is gonna freak out over this 1-2-3-4 order. But.... been there, done that. Mine was a 73-390.

1) Headers first= absolutely, any kind, cheapo ones are MUCH better than the manifolds, and decent 2 1/2 exhaust.

2) A decent split duration cam favoring exhaust (like a CompCams) in the 210-220* MAXIMUM @ .050 with .500 lift max. will go with the stock heads and compression. Remember big cams ruin compression and throttle response.

You want snappy throttle response and all your guts below 5200 rpm, with that stock head flow, valve train, etc. If you need to go cheap, a PAW or Summit cam with their Chevy lobes will do for a minimal price. Consider new springs. (that is way more lift than the stock cam) Remember this is a small cube FE, not a 289. Above 5500 rpm things get expensive quickly.

3) Curve the distributor absolutely. You have a smog era truck. The stock distributor is excellent. Find someone who knows performance Fords to do it.

4) There are lots of dual plane factory cast iron 390 4 bbl intakes out there in the world. Everybody has ditched them for aluminum. Grab one of those iron derelicts for $ 20 and drop a good used 600 cfm vacuum secondary 4 bbl on it or an Edelbrock/Carter AFB. That's cheap, easy, and works. (unless you do the cam and exhaust, carb alone is not THAT much better than a good 2 bbl) If you need to stick with a 2 bbl., look up the 1958 Mercury/Edsel 383 Turnpike Cruiser 2 bbl. 500 cfm, see if they still exist. Or go through the books and get the biggest bore Ford 2 bbl they can find.

Depending, I don't know if I would do the cam or carb first. Used aluminum FE intake is high $. Avoid single plane intakes on this engine. As long as the intake is off, do the cam at the same time.

I would wait on the gears and see what you want after the hopup.
I'd stick to 3.00 or 3.25 gears depending on how tall your tires are for just a good street machine. Swapping the entire pumpkin is the way to go. Maybe you can find a posi. Nobody wants the 3.25, 3.50 they want lower gears, so often those are pretty cheap. You should be able to find a pumpkin for $ 100, unless it is posi then $ 250.
Cars and truck stuff swaps easily if the axles are both the same spline. Gears alone are $ 175 plus installation/$ 400 total -you have to do bearings too.

Do the power brakes. Grab the rod too. Buy GOOD brake pads. Wagner ThermoQuiet.

let me know,\
x

www.readershotrods.com drag cars/georges

[xntrik]

Originally Posted by crazy larry

standard bore for a 360 is 4.05" you should be able to go .060 with out any worry, but if your wanting to build the ultimate FE, the 427, your going to need sonic checking to ensure it'll take a 4.13

You can't believe how many people have told me they bored their 390s to 427 LOL LOL.....

Duke, I would point out that the 360 came in 1958 Edsels before the 390 in 1961, but that would get something started.....

LOL.......
x

[66GMC]

Originally Posted by xntrik

4) There are lots of dual plane factory cast iron 390 4 bbl intakes out there in the world. Everybody has ditched them for aluminum.

They were likely trying to avoid hernias!
Man, those cast-iron FE intakes were heavy!

[crazy larry]

I was just checking to see if anyone was paying attention. .....
yeah uh huh.

[crazy larry]

Originally Posted by 66GMC

They were likely trying to avoid hernias!
Man, those cast-iron FE intakes were heavy!

there used to be a guy here, was replacing his factory 4 bbl cast intake, it started to fall, he tried to catch it, and it took off both the ends of his little fingers. he spent that insurance money on a set of wheels. haven't seen him around, I believe the lack of little fingers affected his typing skills......

[xntrik]

Originally Posted by crazy larry

there used to be a guy here, was replacing his factory 4 bbl cast intake, it started to fall, he tried to catch it, and it took off both the ends of his little fingers. he spent that insurance money on a set of wheels. haven't seen him around, I believe the lack of little fingers affected his typing skills......

That's the trouble with the new-american society. Paying people for their own stupidity.

[OneMoreTime]

These guys have got it right..Myslef I woudl take one or two steps in the engine build..the block is to be dunked rodded and cleaned and then magafluxed..if it looks spooky then sonic test..

polish and shot peen the rods and get the rotating assembly balanced..

My machinst wants the pistons on hand as he mikes them bores 0.2/0.3 thou undersize and hones the final little bit to get them to fit right..Spring the little bit extra and get the hyperutes..

Cam yeah I like a bit hotter about 515.520 lift and 230 duration at 0.50 or so..anyway I ask my cam grinder about this one..

On the heads do a good cleanup on the ports and blend them in..a good 3 angle valve job...there is some trickery on these heads as far as milling the valve guide to make sure you have room for the lift..H'mm what else?? Oh corvette valve springs and retainers..Can't remember but I think we can get a bit bigger valve into those heads..

the cast iron intake works fine..alloy one looks nicer tho and may gain a little bit

Oh yeah put a windage try on and a larger oil pan..stock oil pump should be fine..make sure the oil pickup is down to about 1/4 inch from bottom of the sump..

throw away the head bolts ..main cap bolts and rod bolts and buy the ARP fasteners..

Assembly check all the clearances as you go..A little time here pays big dividends..

When you get done you will have a motor that will run hard and to beat one of these things takes some Big bucks to do..

Cost?? some careful looking around at the scrapyards and swap meets for parts and 2000/2500 should do it..

On the carb a 650 CFM will pull it but you may feel a bit better with a 750 CFM..spend a bit of time on jetting here and learning to set that carb up correctly..

Dizzy? well I believe a stock Ford duraspark will take you up to 6500/7000 just fine and you will not be much above 6500 on any day..least I have foudn that is about enough to do the job..

Just my thoughts on these budget Fords..

OMT