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Original Message
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| I'd screw the date codes. |
| By Dave Shoe - 04/25/2003 1:41:41 AM; IP 216.243.176.34 |
The first goal is to get a 390 stuffed between the wells. You can pick up a "correct" engine AFTER you're having fun. It's cheaper that way.
Pick up a nice 390 out of a 390 pickup truck from the 1970s. They are simply the most common nowadays, thoug any 1964-later 390 will do. You can identify a 390 in a 1973-later pickup because it's got the 4-barrel. 1972 and before requires a peek at the crank flange, to be sure it doesn't have the football slice cut into it in order to drill out the short 360 throw. If you can crank it over with a socket wrench, they go for $150.00 at the good outstate yards, don't even bother looking in the city, and ebay 390s are typically advertised as 427s, so you rarely find them when serching for a 390. The block, crank, rods, heads, damper, timing cover, valve covers, water pump, and a buncha other stuff from the prize pickup are gonna be the same as found in a 1968 Mustang, though the text markings may differ a bit (let's just pretend the truck markings are BETTER than the stock Mustang markings).
Beware, salvageyard blocks might be cracked in many locations because rainwater or weak antifreeze froze in them over the winter. Always be aware of this.
This engine will leave you without an exhaust or an intake, carb, or cam, but this is good, since the aftermarket is really whare you want to be with these parts. Did I already mention you do NOT really want a numbers correct engine? What you need to be looking for is a "period correct" engine, except you want it done right because they always screwed up 390 builds back in the late '60s. Honest they did.. "Period correct", this is where life begins. The next time a car show judge mentions your ride ain't concours correct, just be sure let him know it's got more personality than his entire family.
O.K., having gotten past this "numbers correct" stigma, an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake (be sure it says RPM, not the wimpy plain one) will buy you power, streetability, quality, and reduced weight, all at a top dollar discount. This will be perfect for your D2TE-AA heads, no port matching necessary. If I was you, I'd end up painting the intake blue with the rest of the engine, as this makes the engine look more stock. I always paint my intakes, as I don't like bragging. I much prefer insults.
A fresh cam naturally requires fresh lifters, as well as the matching valvetrain goodies. Nothing fancy, but if you wanna torque the nuts off the wheels, a mild hydraulic roller grind will do the trick. Since this is way beyond most budgets, there are lots of hydraulic cam kits that will take you where you want to go.
The exhaust is simple: Avoid the stock 390 Fairlane/Mustang manifolds with a passion. they're the worst exhaust manifolds ever cast for the FE, log manifolds included. This is where you need to ask your wife's permission to do a little bit of hotrodding, becauise instead of buying a set of repopped CJ exhaust manifolds, you really need to buy some FPA (fordpowertrain.com) headers for your car. Not cheap, not expensive, but they'll put a smile on your face, especially since they are the easiest header ever made to install on a Mustang (not that this is easy), and ground clearance is only topped by the workmanship of the header (I've never yet owned an FPA (because I'm poor), but I've heard bunches about them).
You'll do well with a smart looking 780 CFM Holley, or a lower maintenance Edelbrock carb of similar specs, but be sure to use a stock 1968 Ford air cleaner assembly, as these suckers breath better than any aftermarket air cleaner that you can find. In late 1967 Ford really stuffed some technology to the air cleaner, and the stock looks are a really nice touch, though the genuine "GT" air cleaner has a snazzier, meaner look. Still, there's no sin with sticking to a 302 aircleaner (like I do) and running a 1971 429 CJ air filter in it, so the lid sticks up a half inch over stock, megaphoning the intake valve howl to everyone within running distance.
The 302 frame mounts can be adapted to FE specs be adding one hole, but you still gotta buy motor insulators (common) and engine plates (readily available - don't be afraid to get the wimpy import plates, as the modern insulators will fail before anything else). I've still got to do this conversion to my '69 Mach, and I think I may need a different tranny crossmember, but am not sure right now, as I've never much worked on Mustangs before.
Obviously, you need to be careful when listening to my opinions. Still, you need to be even more careful when talking to folk who insist you try to match numbers. Those folk can put snails to sleep.
Good luck with your conversion. I sure hope you can find someone to offer good advise on the project, as I won't be held liable for any of the miscalculations I've advised in this post.
Shoe.
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