For 1969, the R-code Fairlane/Torino got the hood scoop with functioning flapper. The 1969 R-code Mustang came with the Shaker.

The Q-code 428 Mustang got the Fairlane type of hood scoop, but without any hood cut-outs, so it was only decorative.

Shoe.

n/m

n/m

1969 Mustang production officially began in July 1968.

A 1969 Mustang with "R" in the engine position in its VIN (fifth digit) would have a shaker equipped 428CJ. Period.

All ram air 1969 Mustangs came with a shaker. Someone has cobbled together some Cougar / Cyclone / Fairlane stuff on your car it seems.

Royce

Bob I think 500 horse is a little ambitious from a 390, but, if I were to try it I'd do the following. It'd be radical though

- Edelbrock alum heads with a serious professional porting and as much valve as you can fit. Probably CJ sized, but with a good back cut to boot

- 11:1 compression or better to live with the big cam

- A big roller cam 250@.050 or more with lift to match the heads

- A Dove single plane or Victor intake and a big Holley Double Pumper, 850-ish

- Finally find some older or custom big tube headers, 2 inch or so

That 390 would snort, but it wont like to idle and you'll have to rev the pi$$ out of it so all the high dollar short block stuff would be needed to hold together

IMO I would build a 375-400 horse motor and put another 100 shot of juice. Overbuild the lower end for the juice but keep it mild enough to be driveable, then when you hit the button, voila, you have your 500+

http://www.hotrod.com/webonly_january/ In the January '03 issue of HOT ROD magazine, they reviewed the parts needed to build a pump-gas, 9.68:1-compression 390 Ford that makes 450 hp at 5,600 rpm and 460 lb-ft at 3,900.

bob Glenucci,s hot rod post looks very interrsting. one thing i allways do on my re bilds is toss those littel oil gallie push in plugs, and tap and install allen plugs.if one pops out i,t make you very upset........

Thanks for all of the info! Let me ask one more question, Is there a better year block than another to start with? I have a 390 4v out of a 66 bird as a doner. Good, Bad, is there better?
Thanks,
Bob

n/m

Does he have any parts for sale?

john

hey guys can anyone take a look at my questions reagarding my 390/410 questions and see what u guys have to say about them / thanks alot

Hi the stock oiling to the top of the Fe's are plenty to oil & cool , the problem is the rest the puny 3/8ths oil supply to the motor . My suggestion is have a quality machine shop open the oiling to match 427 centeroilers ,( i do my own ) and mabey other people know more about high rpms if that is what you are looking for, Dan

Glenucci i,d pull the rocker bars off and all the push rods out do a leak down test on each cilinder i gutted a old spark plug out and welded a air fitting to it . and i put 50 lb of pres to each cilinder.then lissen to carb and exaust if you hear air you got bent or burnt valves.i,v sean valves tuch the pistones and never hurt them, but the valve bent.if every thing checks ok stiff valve springs will bend pushrods over time my 69 cyclone i had to go to molly pushrods becouse of simeler problems.....

You can find the exact location of the "tick, tick, tick" by taking a length of hose, put it to your ear like a stethoscope and move it around on the valve covers. With the hose you will be able to pinpoint which rocker arm is ticking.

This trick will also work in finding other weird sounds on your engine like a bad alternator bearing, noisy fuel pump or even a vacuum leak.

steve check your oil press wen the engine is hot if it is low and a lifter startes to tick it's problie time for a rebild.if it ticks all the time may be valve guide? if you have good oil press rocker arm loose? or a bad lifter?bent push rod?the valve cover just work around it it will come off.if it,s just a tin one you can stratein it.......

An appropriate gear ratio is a relationship to the engine's power band and how the vehicle is used, Travis. Horsepower is a mathematical manipulation of torque. So if you have a mountain of torque at low rpm you may also have a very high horsepower number at low rpm. This is a common scenario in supercharged applications. In that regard, a numerically low gear ratio may indeed be appropriate to the application.

It makes no sense to install steep gears in a car whose engine peters out at 4,000 rpm.

The reason you see or hear of "built" cars with factory ratios is that it is much harder for the novice to change gears than it is to install headers, cam, and intake.

You are correct in that this occurance is less than optimal since a car and how it performs is the sum of its parts and how well they compliment each other. And in that regard, it usually has a negative result when you build an engine that doesn't even turn on until it hits 3k rpm but using a 3.0:1 or less gear ratio and a stock converter, if using an automatic.

Yes, the correct gear ratio can completely change the character of the car. But there are not a lot of absolutes so a builder may make high V/E at under 3k rpm and multiply that low rpm grunt with the lower rear ratio.

But rear gear ratio is but one thing in a laundry list of mismatches.

I run a 3.89 geared Detroit Locker because my engine doesn't come up on the cam until around 3k rpm and pulls hard to the limiter at 6k rpm. The engine's bottom end is far too soggy to make use of the factory 3.0 gears.

Travis i like 3.25 3.50 for streat use you can find them any whear. thay work wel for a mild bilt fe.

A quick and easy 9" gear change is from a late 70's early 80's 4x4. Or an early 80's 1/2 ton pu with AOD. These all had 3.55 gears, and quite a few of them had traction loc.
One of the things I have noticed in non AOD fords is an ultra tight torque convertor. Just a little help in both areas will make a dramatic difference in the acceleration dept.

n/m

Don't know what Manley thing you bought but I assume it was the lever compressor. I've used the tool that attaches directly to the spring with good results. It's pretty slow going but it does work.