390 Big block...

[baddad457]

the 390 is like the most expensive ford engine to build........it's parts don't interchange much=expensive

Apparently you've never actually added the costs up. Do they cost more than the small block ? Yea.. Are they the most expensive? NO. It also depends on what you're starting with, and where you're going with it.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

My bad.... The only application I've looked at for a FE was in a F-350. None of the heavy duty, granny 1st, OD manuals will bolt to one. I'm speaking of the ZF-5, ZF-6, and NV4500 heavy duty truck transmissions, not lighter duty car transmissions. I know you can get adapters made to make a NV4500 fit using a T18 or NP435 clutch, but those adapters are $$$$$$.

But you guys are right, a lighter duty car tranny would be fine in a ranger.

 

[cammeddrz]

Apparently you've never actually added the costs up. Do they cost more than the small block ? Yea.. Are they the most expensive? NO. It also depends on what you're starting with, and where you're going with it.

"does it cost more than a small block........" more like does it cost more than all the other big blocks?
edelbrock performer for the 390 $286 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2105/

same one for a 460 $224 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2166/

same one for a 351 cleveland $213 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2665/

the exact same manifold for a 302 $159 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2121/

so in this example the 390's manifold costs 80% more than a 302, 28% more than a 460, and 35% more than a 351 it appears that you got it backwards i have added it up and you haven't
i mean:

go ahead compare pistons, camshafts etc. for yourself

 

[baddad457]

"does it cost more than a small block........" more like does it cost more than all the other big blocks?
edelbrock performer for the 390 $286 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2105/

same one for a 460 $224 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2166/

same one for a 351 cleveland $213 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2665/

the exact same manifold for a 302 $159 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-2121/

so in this example the 390's manifold costs 80% more than a 302, 28% more than a 460, and 35% more than a 351 it appears that you got it backwards i have added it up and you haven't
i mean:

go ahead compare pistons, camshafts etc. for yourself

You conviently ignored the sentence about what you were starting with, didn't you ? A couple years ago I bought a 58,000 mile 68 Merc Monterey. It had the premium fuel 390 2 bbl motor in it(10.5 to 1 compression). My kids ran it for a few months, then we pulled it to rebuild it. All it needed was two pistons replaced (I had an extra set of these...390 flat tops) swapped the cam out for a Crane 272* Energizer ($125 thru Summit, with the lifters) Swapped the iron 2 bbl intake with a 428 PI unit (bought that one for $250) Also bought a set of FPA headers for the car (that was the most expensive part, but cost no more than any other custom header does @ $430 delivered) New rings, bearings and gaskets ran about $150. Total was less than many other rebuilds I've done. Point here is you do not have to buy all new off the shelf parts to go fast. A little shopping around here and a 390 cost no more than any other motor to build. If you're doing a 427 or 428, then yea, it's gonna cost you more,(if you don't shop around) than a 390 or any other motor. So, no I didn't get it backwards

 

[RangerFabWorks]

You conviently ignored the sentence about what you were starting with, didn't you ? A couple years ago I bought a 58,000 mile 68 Merc Monterey. It had the premium fuel 390 2 bbl motor in it(10.5 to 1 compression). My kids ran it for a few months, then we pulled it to rebuild it. All it needed was two pistons replaced (I had an extra set of these...390 flat tops) swapped the cam out for a Crane 272* Energizer ($125 thru Summit, with the lifters) Swapped the iron 2 bbl intake with a 428 PI unit (bought that one for $250) Also bought a set of FPA headers for the car (that was the most expensive part, but cost no more than any other custom header does @ $430 delivered) New rings, bearings and gaskets ran about $150. Total was less than many other rebuilds I've done. Point here is you do not have to buy all new off the shelf parts to go fast. A little shopping around here and a 390 cost no more than any other motor to build. If you're doing a 427 or 428, then yea, it's gonna cost you more,(if you don't shop around) than a 390 or any other motor. So, no I didn't get it backwards

 

[baddad457]

Just think of the currently popular 383 Chevy as a reborn 390 Ford. Pretty close to the same bore and stroke. Hell the distributor hold down clamp is even the same.

 

[cammeddrz]

"owned"? seriously? the stereotype of ford guys being stupid is hard to ignore at this point

you "ignored the first sentence of my post".....idiot i just merely commented on how the 390 is "the most expensive ford engine to build" and what i said is totally and irrefutably true. due to lack of interchangeability the 390's parts are more expensive prove me wrong seriously "own" me for real i dare you to prove it apples to apples

aftermarket heads for a 390 $745 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-60069/

the same heads for a 460 $656 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-60699/

the same heads for a 289/302/351w $579 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-60259/

ok i was going to compare crankshafts next but summit doesn't even offer a crank for the 390 hmmm

you used pistons in your post that "owned" (ha ha ha still makes me laugh) me so i'll do pistons next (i just picked the cheapest ones)

390 $21.39 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H304P20/

identical pistons for the 460 $14.69 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H418P/

identical pistons for a 302 $12.69 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H654P20/

the pistons are 68% more than a 302, and 45% more than a 460

all the parts are this way i don't feel like chasing links just to show someone who is too stupid to understand basic vocabulary (because you obviously didn't comprehend my first post despite its uncomplicated plain wording) and basic math (you know that $21 is more than $14......apparently not) but you're not expected to..........you're trying to defend the 390 doesn't that say enough?

oh and your 390 vs 383 comparison, if you want to go ford vs chevy the price difference is even larger more still those same pistons at $10.39 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H580P/ the 390's pistons cost 105% more

 

[baddad457]

"owned"? seriously? the stereotype of ford guys being stupid is hard to ignore at this point

you "ignored the first sentence of my post".....idiot i just merely commented on how the 390 is "the most expensive ford engine to build" and what i said is totally and irrefutably true. due to lack of interchangeability the 390's parts are more expensive prove me wrong seriously "own" me for real i dare you to prove it apples to apples

aftermarket heads for a 390 $745 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-60069/

the same heads for a 460 $656 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-60699/

the same heads for a 289/302/351w $579 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-60259/

ok i was going to compare crankshafts next but summit doesn't even offer a crank for the 390 hmmm

you used pistons in your post that "owned" (ha ha ha still makes me laugh) me so i'll do pistons next (i just picked the cheapest ones)

390 $21.39 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H304P20/

identical pistons for the 460 $14.69 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H418P/

identical pistons for a 302 $12.69 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H654P20/

the pistons are 68% more than a 302, and 45% more than a 460

all the parts are this way i don't feel like chasing links just to show someone who is too stupid to understand basic vocabulary (because you obviously didn't comprehend my first post despite its uncomplicated plain wording) and basic math (you know that $21 is more than $14......apparently not) but you're not expected to..........you're trying to defend the 390 doesn't that say enough?

oh and your 390 vs 383 comparison, if you want to go ford vs chevy the price difference is even larger more still those same pistons at $10.39 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/STL-H580P/ the 390's pistons cost 105% more

OK, genius, whatever.

 

[Will]

I think cammeddrz is right.

And I think, whatever your opinion, you should be civil toward each other.

 

[Mac]

Playing with numbers but compairing Apples to Oranges. Sure the FE's are more expensive to build, they disappeared in cars in 1970. Very little volume/demand = high cost. I waited 11 months for my Offy dual port intake. Stock for stock build, I'd rather throw an extra $1500 into my 428 and have 400 HP than rebuild a 302 and have 225 hp. The parts really are a lot more interchangable on FE's. They were only ever made with two different rod lenghts that leads to a lot of different combonations possible.
Dave

 

[RangerFabWorks]

"owned"? seriously? the stereotype of ford guys being stupid is hard to ignore at this point

i take offense to that. read my sig and my details and you will learn quickly i am no ford guy by any means

 

[cammeddrz]

OK, genius, whatever.

a swing and a miss with this guy... he's a lost cause but it looks like everyone else gets it

 

[Teddyzee]

I used a 390 as a workbench while doing my swap... lol!

(see background)

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

a swing and a miss with this guy... he's a lost cause but it looks like everyone else gets it

I think what he was trying to say is you could save money by shopping around instead of buying it new from Jegs or Summit.All of your price quotes were from them.Baddad knows his Ford part numbers and what you can interchange to come up with the most bang for your buck.He has never gave me bad information on anything part wise I have asked him.
I put together the 302 in my 85 with his help and a great deal on some stuff I needed to make it work.On my 81 F-100 that someone else swapped a 302 out for a 351W he helped me find the mistakes that they made when they did the swap and correct them.

Building a ford engine is kinda like cooking good chili..........You find the right ingredients and you have a winner, you just have to know where to shop and what to buy.I happen to think the guy is a pretty good cook.

Just my opinion.......it and 2 bucks will buy you a drink and maybe a bag of chips(depends on where you shop....lol).

 

[74duster318]

I don't know how this thread got in to a bitch fest about prices of building an engine. I know parts prices for these particular engines aren't cheap. I've looked into that already. That's not an issue.

The key as far as cost goes, has alot to do with time. I don't plan on doing the swap tomorow, but probably later in the year. I got plenty of time to gather parts, and look for the deals... And, why buy new when used will do? I don't want to build a super dragster engine out of either one. Stock (at least in the 60's) these engines had balls. Enough to throw me or anyone else back in their seat. I don't need to do a whole lot more than keep it stock, depending on the engines condition. Mods can come later.

I'm set on either the 390 or 428. I'll try the 428 first if I can get it, but a 390 is plan B.

This build is all about uniqueness.

Oh yeah...and no bowtie boat anchors.....