Hot Rodding the 144 Ford 6

I dont know how old this post is but I got to say rock the 144!!!

Im running a 144 3 speed standard in my 61 ranchero and contrary to some other folks beliefs the 144 is a great engine. I drove mine for 100 miles with a 4:00 gear and 13 inch tires with no issue, from what I know I believe this is the original engine in my ranchero. My main concern mostly is reliablity right now, I am changing the carb and switchin to DSII ignition for reliabilty purposes.
I have owned a few falcons over the years and have had v8 falcons, hopped 200 falcons and a wagon with a 170 with a 200 head.
yeah the v8s cool/fast but dime a dozen and no real fun to build fast as a six. I had the most fun in a falcon was with the pumped up 200. The 170/200 head combo was nice ecspecially on the freeway.

You know Im suprised no one had mentioned the article in Hot rod (I believe so dont quote me) about a 144/2 speed falcon in 1960 when they first came out. the install a 3 single set up from edelbrock and a dual point distributor on a stock falcon. Ive seen a few articles on here just recently.

Besides wouldnt it be cool to make a 144 horsepower from a 144 ci engine? that one horsepower per cubic engine!! now thats pretty cool from a sewing machine engine!!!

 

The Aussie 6es are a different beast. Yeah you can use one of the crossflow heads on a US engine with some work, and it will make a whole different animal. Supposedly the guys down under can make 250 at the wheels with a 250, a header and a cam. The aluminum head supposedly has a cleveland port pattern that helps this out a lot. In regards to the 144, spray it or get an Eaton M62 off a JY car and build a blow through setup. You can mod the basic intake for it as well. Actually another cool thing is that you can build a TFI dizzy for one of these with little to no work, and if you're really creative with the intake holes you drill and/or your carb spacers you could probably stick a CFI throttle body on it too.

That being said, I would stick to basics and then do something like nitrous or boost. As said, if you blow one up who cares? If you're going to build something, get a 7 web block. If you want to keep it a 144 just destroke the 170/250.

In some ways I'd rather have a "later" 200 block, my buddy did one in his 62 Fairlane with a Near World Class T5 behind it. Definitely something that would let you have your cake and eat it too milage wise. You may even get up there with some of the uber modern cars mpg wise.

 

I've got the 177 ci in my 61 falcon and am pretty happy with it. Not a high performance motor by any stretch. Clifford headers a 4 speed and a 1 to 2 barrel conversion from Summit racing with a 2 barrel off of a 65 chevy. Also, check this out.
http://www.classicinlines.com/

 

Also, go with the Pertronix conversion. Made a big diff.

 

There's a local guy here that is building a Bonneville-look alike Ford Unibody (61-vintage). It's got the 223 in it. Fun fact with a 223: the supposed redline of 4500 RPM is a harmonic. If you get past that, the engine will actually turn to 7500RPM without tearing itself apart. That got me thinking if maybe there's something akin to that with the 144...or maybe, if turd lumps are really your thing...maybe do a swap to a 223? I know way more about Chevy sixes than Fords...so that's all with a grain of sand.

 

Did you check Clifford or Fordsix.com? Maybe even Patrick's?

 

Ok gang! Took me most of the morning to figure out how to scan stuff with the new 'puter, but got the deal done! Over the course of this four year old thread, some one has posted a picture of a couple of covers of old Hot Rods with Falcon info, but not any of the articles. Tease! I have every Hot Rod in print, so I took the liberty of scan the articles them selves. I don't know about the potetial of the 144, i am doing a 170 and 200 myself, but if I had a good running 144, I'd hop it! A five speed will work lots of magic, that's my first mod with anything...

Great now my attachments won't load! AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGG!!!! Why do compu-geeks feel the need to change everything!!!! I'll try later when i have some more time...

 

Since this thread has been resurrected...good luck finding 144 pistons. Egge made a run a few years ago but most places laughed when I called. Kanter was the only place that even carried them last year.

I rebuilt my 144 just because I wanted it to be original. Its not a highway cruiser but its fun around town.

 

Some of you guys aren't looking very hard. If anyone's serious about rebuilding one of these toads, you can take your choice on Ebay right now---a n.o.s. set of .040 over cast pistons for $30.00, or a set of n.o.s. TRW .060 over forged pistons for $99.00.

 

Hey guys, My scans of the early hot rod articles won't load. I think the files are too big. Not a clue how to reduce they're size, so I will have to wait until I can find someone under the age of twenty five to help me... Sorry, I'll get it figured out as quick as I can! It will be worth it too, 'cause all of these articles are not only 144, (that was all there was in '60) but the info is basically the same for 170, 200, and 250 as well. I will add some of my own stuff here pretty quick too... How 'bout a weber DGV 36/38 two barrel switch over? Should be doing one tomorrow, I'll shoot it.

 

It’s hard to believe Hot Rod's March 1960 article, “Making the Falcon Fly” is celebrating its 50th birthday. The article was the impetus for locating and purchasing the Edelbrock 6-3-1 tripower adapter, Edelbrock finned valve cover and three NOS glass bowled Holleys pictured in my avatar.

 

Hey Guys i know its an older post and this may not be about the 200, but i have a 200, cruise-o-matic 3speed automatic, the stock autolite 1100 and i know a Holley 5200 2bbl would wake it up a bit... but what else could i do to make cream a chevy 216? or at least gitty up when i flore it??

Boy i do love Ford's and Straight 6's

 

Love inlines, this will look and sound cool, but will be a slug at a cost of a stock 300 ci ford overhead inline. Your car, go for it. As you said you are long on stupid, show your colors. ~sololobo~

 

Very well said, Merc63.

 

Bringing this post back from the dead.
I recommend doing a weber 32/36 on the 200. Plus having HEI. It helps a lot, plus I made a video on the installation of the weber 32/36 called Weber Conversion for Ford 200 on YouTube

 

144,S ONLY HAVE 4 MAIN CAPS. VERY WEAK BOTTOM END. GO WITH A 250. SAME ENGINE FAMILY, TONS BETTER. ITS WHAT I,AM DOING IN MY 63 S22 COMET ALONG WITH A C4 TRANS

 

While they are "not as strong", they are anything but weak.

Show me a broken crank or block.

 

Chaz, I am so proud that you introduced this topic way back in 2006 and resisted all these good forum posters urging you to dump the 144. I love the 144 and I really love that you had decided to modify that engine. Even if you bored it or whatever, sticking with the 144 base is a brilliant and innovative idea IMO. Now, I am from Australia. We had a 144 in a Falcon wagon from 1966 to 1973. (The Falcons we had followed a different course than the US models, generally older looking designs but with bits and pieces from different models thrown in, and a heavier chassis) Did 100K miles in our Falcon. Falcons, by the way, were full-size family cars to us, not shopping carts as they were in the US. From Victoria, at the bottom of Australia, we would load that up with a family of six, loads of suit cases on the full length roof rack that overhung both ends, and drive up to the north of Australia mid summer, and back. The only thing that ever went wrong was a broken windscreen. Bravo to you!