Projects New engine or rebuild?

I'd personally avoid the C6 as it's internal drag is over double that of a FMX, C4, AOD or even your Cruise-o-matic. The C6 is the main reason the Ford trucks with automatics got such lousy gas mileage until Ford finally quit using it. Great trans for racing or towing, but there is a penalty attached...

 

No such thing as "numbers matching" in the Ford world. The closest you will get is date codes being in acceptable windows.

Keep the FE. My current project has one and they are good engines. Watch for oil leaks at the head/intake junction and the back of the intake.

SPark

 

FE intakes are big that's why I like guide dowels to keep it from moving around on install.

 

Should be able to sit the engine on an old tire, remove the plugs, and crank withe the starter to run a quick compression check. Remember to holt the carburetor throttle blades open.
Or, better yet, run a leak down check.

 

A little bit of trivia, the 1960 Ford was the widest American made car ever built, which gives you bragging rights over all Cads and Imperials, and 1960 Lincolns also.

 

I also recall it was one of the longest two door production cars that Ford ever built. It barely fits in my garage.

 

So it's been a while but I have a shop looking at the engine now.
Here are the options they gave me (this is my original 1960 Starliner engine):

Option 1: My original 352 completely rebuilt with new pistons and rings, new cam bearings, and seals
Option 2: Use a 390 block with my all new parts (pistons , rings bearings, seals) and using my tins to make it look like a 352

Thoughts?
Difference in price is a couple hundred bucks.
What I want is a little more hp than the original motor and as close to stock as I can get.
Thanks

 

Well, you asked. Put in new points/condenser, etc, plugs-tune up stuff. Have the carb rebuilt and see how it runs, no reason to rebuild a motor that doesn't have low oil pressure, blow-by, or smoke out the tail pipes.

Edit:

With a rebuild, you'd do all that anyways, right?

 

You sounded very inexperienced.......when you said someone told you had to turn the motor over to check compression.

Been a lot of people who regretted trusting/paying someone to do a cheap rebuild for them when they didn't know much about motors. Even though it will cost you more, I would look for a reputable engine rebuilder that sells a rebuilt "crate" type of engine that comes with a warranty. When you hire a local machine shop or a machine shop and a mechanic to do a one off build........you are likely to regret it. Pay what it takes to get one that's done by a reputable rebuilder. See, if it was a Chevy this would be a lot easier.

 

This is a highly reputable restoration shop so I'm no worried about a cheap rebuild.

 

See Don, pulling a engine from a '60-anything, is a pretty simple task, taking the engine into a shop and tell them what you want out of it is equally simple. Now I understand if you don't have the means to do that, but do understand a resto-shop is going to make coin on the shop they use to go through the engine.

All that said, I think you should first do as I mentioned above, carb rebuild, tune up stuff. You can always spend 4500-10K later, right? You might be happy with the 200-300 in parts you put into it...and they'll be able to go towards a rebuild engine anyways.

 

That ship has sailed as the motor is already torn down. The shop evaluated to see what the condition was. The engine is 60 years old, and the car is getting a total restoration so it didn't make a lot of sense to not replace seals, etc. if it's all torn down.

I'm just trying to decide if I go with a larger block or keep it stock.

 

Option #2... Go with 390... Have them put in a mild cam with straight up timing... You will have good power and should love it....

LynnW

 

No question...390...mild cam...aluminum manifold, and a 600 cfm carb...

 

I agree with the aluminum manifold... except... that would take away from the 'stock appearance...

LynnW

 

Paint it....man those FE intakes are back breakers..nice way to improve performance and take some weight off the car

 

In the family, have had a number of 332, 352, 360 (oink), and 390 CID engines, plus one 429. Dad was a Chevy man early in life, and quickly became a Ford man. After two Chevvies (one green, the other blue and both should have been yellow), I became a Ford and Pontiac man. Lots of miles with FE engines

Of the above, the 390 has got the best fuel economy, the most power (yes, modified), and overall probably the best of the bunch.

However, we pulled a camping trailer around the Colorado mountains with four adults in a 1961 Galaxie with a 352. The ONLY problem was a free range cow that literally ran into the side of the car. Engine power was never an issue. The cow ran into the left front, was spun by the impact, and backed into the left rear door (4 door). I have always been thankful the window was up After the impact, cow left the scene, bawling her displeasure with Fords.

Unless you have already decided on rebuilding/changing the engine, why not give it some fresh gasoline, and see how it runs?

Jon.

 

Found out two of the cylinders had some rust so we'd need to bore to fix that anyway. I think I'm getting the 390.