I would consider that aluminum block 390 rare indeed. Especially since their existence is based on hearsay not documentation. Interesting hearsay to say the least.

In my humble opinion I believe the '61/early '62 genuine High Performance 390 is pretty darned hard to find. I'm not talking about the hydraulic liftered, cast ironed intake, 4100 Autolite 300 horse unit that hauled many a '61/'62 T-'bird & full size Ford/Merc. I'm talking the about the special 390 block allowing solid lifters only with special performance camshaft, oil pressure relief valve, heavy duty main web casting, HP rods, special high compression cylinder heads with high RPM valve springs, aluminum intakes either single 4V(ture 375 horse) or a trio of Holleys (401 horses), dual point distributor, large diameter generator pulley, and a few more unique performance oriented features. How many of these have you seen? Lots of 390s out there but not many of these stout screamers.

And yes, as I referred to a few weeks ago, any 390 can be built to the high performance horsepower standards but it's still not a genuine HP 390. Just like a 390 or 428 can be built to easily match the power of a 427...but it ain't a 427!

So that's my nomination for a rare 390. Second place would go to any genuine '61 - '65 Police 390. They weren't built with as many unique features as the genny HP but they still had a unique solid lifter cam, the shorty HP exhaust manifolds and the HP rods. They were rated at 330 horse and are a much better runner than the mini cammed overrated 300 horse wheezer.

In the late 80's I purchased a rusted out '61 HiPo Starliner. The original blown up 390-401 had a spun bearing. It was in the shed with the heads off out behind the building where the car was sitting. The car was too far gone so I took all the suspension and brakes off and put it all in a cherry '61 2-dr post. I was able to salvage the crank, heads, shorty headers, and intake set up from the engine. I tried to get the old stuck pistons out but the rings were so rusted to the cylinder walls that I actually knocked a wall out destroying the block.

A couple years later I relayed the story to a guy about destroying the HiPo block trying to get it apart. He told me that I should have gotten the stuff that is used by marine engine builders. Seems that when a marine engine is salvaged after sitting at the bottom of a lake or river, the pistons rust to the walls in no time. This stuff will break the rusted rings loose after soaking for a while. He said he had used it on a rusted antique car engine that had sat for over 50 years.

Anyone out there familiar with the product? Said it was marine related. I just do not remember the name of it.

Lots of 360/390 blocks came with ribs on the sides back in the early-mid '70s. These weren't performance blocks and didn't have thick cylinders. Also, I believe Fred Jones is a big truck motor rebuilder, not a NASCAR shop.

How do you get 427 out of your engine? I'm unaware that Ford ever used 427 blocks as 390s. 396's yes, but not 390s. Casting genuine 427 water jackets is an expensive PITA. Ford would likely only do it if they were getting paid a proper fee, especially since 360/390 blocks were being popped out cheap back then.

I understand that some magazine articles speak about boring 390 blocks out to 427 specs, but that doesn't make it a good idea. And stock 427 blocks can't be shrunken to fit 360/390 pistons - the raw cylinder castings are too big (which means there were approximately zero 360/390 engines made using them).

If you go selling it on ebay as a 427, someones gonna start a thread in it in these forums. Keep in mind that the last seller who got attention in these forums because of a squirrely ebay auction on ebay DID still sell his thin-walled 360 block for $850.00, just because it had a 427 marking on it and he misworded his entire auction description around the marking.

I emailed the buyer after auction and he was confident the used block in the photo was a NOS(!) 427 block because the seller told him it was. He sounded a lot like you do right now (except he was buying), and was eager to pay his $850.00+shipping, and he was also quick to tell me how wrong I was.

What am I missing?

Shoe.

First it has to have .010 UNDER bearings, as the crank is ground under. No crossbolts? A lot of 360's had the ribs and rear casting that says "427", no biggie there. Now I suggest you pull a sparkplug and take a good look inside. You are going to see a piston top that is flat with 4 reliefs, or a small dish. ALL 427's had forged pistons, with either a flat top (63 4-V only) flat with two tits and a trough for a valve relief, (63 8-V up to early 65 4-V or 8-V, a 1/4" dome-65-67 Medium Riser, not too likely, or a flat top with trough and no tits, 68 (Cougar) and TRW replacement # L2205, or a marine version that has a "D" shaped dish. I'm not going into the Hi-Risers or the racing ones that you cant possibly have. How about the core plugs on the side of the block, after 65 they were a big pipe plug that screwed in. Now as far as the stroke goes, I think you will find the # on the crank to be absolutely the sure fire way to tell. And one more thing, if you pulled a rod cap, you would have to use a 19/32nd's socket to do it. but I would bet the farm that you used a 3/8th's to do it, didn't you. I have only seen two non cross bolt 427's in my life, and they are my life. No junkyard sheenie is going to sell you a 427 for that kind of money unless he is blind, deaf and really dumb. I imagine the dumbass that bought that block on e-bay will never admit that he ran out of K-Y jelly about now. I dont mean to be so harsh, but there is so much misinformation out there that most people really dont know what to believe sometimes. It could be a 410 or 428 if the stroke checks out. 428 Cobra jets used the bigger rod bolt that takes the bigger nut/socket by the way before someone jumps me for that little oversite, sorry. Whatever you have though, I hope you enjoy FE's as they are the most versatile of all of Detroit's offerings ever. IMO

thanks bob and royce for the speedy response