Technical 53 Ford 6 information

Where would I find what Ford Motor Company claimed as top speed and or cruising speed for a 53 Ford F250 6 cylinder?

 

I have one of those in the hoard. had a 262 six cyl. mine has 427 rear gears. Back in the day they would drive them 60 MPH. Now everyone thinks anything above 2000 RPM is overwinding the mill.

 

Hook up a tach/dwell meter, a find an RPM that is comfortable. It will probably be buzzin' at 55.

 

I don't believe Ford ever published such information.

An F250 is geared pretty low. Probably 50 - 55 will be safe.

The OHV six was brand new for 1952 and made something of a sensation. It was Ford's first short stroke OHV engine. With a few mods it would outperform a stock flathead V8. They don't mind revving higher than an old long stroke flathead engine,

If the engine was in top shape you wouldn't need to worry about over revving it but in view of its age I would take it easy. Number of miles, oil pressure, and a compression test will give you an idea of how tired it is.

They were rated at 115HP@3900 RPM so 4000 - 4500 should be safe for short stretches. I would avoid such speeds if possible in the interest of longevity.

Max torque is 193 pound feet @ a very low 1000 RPM. By comparison the 239OHV V8 only had 196 but @2000 RPM.