Thread: 396 Chevy- 390 Ford

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Originally Posted by 34_40

the best stock parts for a 390 , were the 390 gt heads & cam, add in a 428 cj crank and get a 410 that flat out honks!

Agreed!!!! That's one route no doubt!!!!

I think that series of T birds had the Lincoln engines

the flat exhaust manifolds were because of the steering box location

I took a liittle different route.. My 390 is really a 445 Stroker using a 4.250" Stroker crankshaft,forged pistons. Has aluminum cylinder heads,aluminum intake,750 cfm carb,custom ground Comp Cams hydraulic roller.
Just went back to long tube headers which drag sometimes but shortys just weren't cutting it. Switched from C-6 with stall to 4spd manual. Somebody's getting a real beating lol....

You are right Mike. I know that Ranchero and Fairlane were to small then. Later had enough room for even larger than 406 engine. I also agree with T-bird being overweight.

My brothers 2008 SRT/8 Charger weighs more than my 1969 Ford fullsize and has 2 more doors. So not all hot rods are losing weight. or getting smaller.....

"....I think that series of T birds had the Lincoln engines......"

".....the flat exhaust manifolds were because of the steering box location...."

Jerry the banana nose birds (61-63) were the first ones with the 390……there was no other engine option. The previous generation (58-60) could be had with either the 352 FE or the 430 Lincoln motor.

The flat manifolds were definitely there because of the shock towers. I happen to know about the clearance issues because I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a better exhaust system for the 61 Bird I used to own after I put the Tri-Power setup on it. Even the factory installed Tri-Power Birds used the same exhaust manifolds as the standard 300 HP 390.

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the 396 is a good engine use to buy the 396 325hp engines for not much in the good old days it did not take much to wake one up headers and cam and like all bbc bottom end could take a hell of a beating . but the 325/350 hp was not the nasty 396 that chevy built the 396 425hp was the nasty one. around town in the late 70s there was mild 396s with headers and intake with a l88 cam that that did the job for the low buck

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

the 396 is a good engine use to buy the 396 325hp engines for not much in the good old days it did not take much to wake one up headers and cam and like all bbc bottom end could take a hell of a beating . but the 325/350 hp was not the nasty 396 that chevy built the 396 425hp was the nasty one. around town in the late 70s there was mild 396s with headers and intake with a l88 cam that that did the job for the low buck

That's what I ran back in the early seventies. Had a '68 SS396, 325 hp, our first "family" car; got it when our first baby was in the incubating organ, because Mrs. Rr was having trouble getting into the 4 x 4 truck, and the ride was better on her, too. But, I couldn't let it be. Tore it down, put an Isky cam in it, an Offy high rise manifold and a Holley 750, some Hedman Hedders, and went to play on Thursday nights and an occasional Saturday. Running with cars from Ford, 390's and MoPar, 383's, of the same basic sort of build, it was pretty much a toss up most of the time - one time I'd beat them, and next, they'd beat me - we all got to do the strut.

I never did get into the "store bought muscle car" thing, other then a Vet I bought when I got our of the Air Force. Always had too much money stuck in race cars (circle burners on Friday and Saturday night, drag racing on Sunday), never enough left to go buy a new one.... Always got a much bigger kick out of putting together my own "street muscle", then go out and kick butt on the rich kids with the "store bought" stuff!!!! Nothing much has changed over the years I guess, still having a blast building my own!

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

the 396 is a good engine use to buy the 396 325hp engines for not much in the good old days it did not take much to wake one up headers and cam and like all bbc bottom end could take a hell of a beating . but the 325/350 hp was not the nasty 396 that chevy built the 396 425hp was the nasty one. around town in the late 70s there was mild 396s with headers and intake with a l88 cam that that did the job for the low buck

That set up while fine in 70's when I was a. newborn . Will not net you same results today. I promise you. Times they are a changing....

apples and oranges. Consider dollars per horsepower. Especially over the last 60 years.

Slincoln---------Altho a dyed in the wool ford guy -I would have to disagree with you on not only your comments, but also your line of thoughts----------the 396 chev block as a piece of cast iron , has most of the attributes on all the late dart and similar aftermarket blocks----it is probably the most copied design out there and for many excellent reasons ( I'm not talking about the segment of 350/350 and/or crate engine folks)---the bore spacing, deck height, pan rail spacing, main bore to cam bore, cylinder wall thickness (will easily take .160 overbore) number and location of main/head bolts, etc-------
This doesn't even start to go near the canted valves, port sizes, port heights, water flow and not even a blink toward the side oil groove( remember all the Ford side oiler talk) feeding upper end oil thru the push rods, lots of drain back , oil pump /dist at rear of cam shaft/block/pan--------

Originally Posted by desert dog

apples and oranges. Consider dollars per horsepower. Especially over the last 60 years.

Agreed!!! But apples and oranges are both fruits,both round and both grow on trees. Close enough for me!!!

Oh I know nothing about last 60years. I've only been alive 40,but I'm sure your right....

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

Slincoln---------Altho a dyed in the wool ford guy -I would have to disagree with you on not only your comments, but also your line of thoughts----------the 396 chev block as a piece of cast iron , has most of the attributes on all the late dart and similar aftermarket blocks----it is probably the most copied design out there and for many excellent reasons ( I'm not talking about the segment of 350/350 and/or crate engine folks)---the bore spacing, deck height, pan rail spacing, main bore to cam bore, cylinder wall thickness (will easily take .160 overbore) number and location of main/head bolts, etc-------
This doesn't even start to go near the canted valves, port sizes, port heights, water flow and not even a blink toward the side oil groove( remember all the Ford side oiler talk) feeding upper end oil thru the push rods, lots of drain back , oil pump /dist at rear of cam shaft/block/pan--------

I agree what an awesome piece of mechanical wizardry.. I guess I've just. been lucky. Thanks

I think that if Ford had continued down a high performance road with the 429/460--instead of rolling over and playing dead in the mid 70s---we would of seen many, many improvements -------altho the boss 9er was neat, both it and the 427 cammer were basicly just coffee table foundations at that point in time-------