Thread: 390fe support ??'s

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I have a 64 galaxie that i just aquirred from my late grandfather.It has a straight 6 with a c-4 tranny. evrything is in tack just a little tlc and it could be on the road. However that is not enough for me. I am currently gutting it out and plan on putting a 390 with a c-6 tranny in it. I am not an expert by far but i have a few friiends that are so the help is there while im on my first project. I would like plenty of ideas from hot rodders that have exp. I dont plan on racing it around town but would like the power to show off a little. please give suggestions!!!! as they are needed. I will be placing picks along the way for viewing.

I would try to find a 63 or 64 rusty parts car with a 390 for a start,thay way you would have your mounts,exhaust manifolds,throttle linkage and a correct size radiator plus other little things you might need. You could also get one with a 352 as the motors are identical in physical size and then find a good motor and trans.

Yeah i just found some in the local junkyard, but i wanna make sure the bore is stock. im assuming i have to mic it right?
$100 for the block and my buddy has a pair of killar heads that he had on his last motor. thanx for your thread good to see theirs people to help....

A 64 with an automatic would have come with a Cruis-o-matic, but putting in a C-6 is no big deal, people do it all the time. You can do the big block swap with all stock parts, although I would recommend spending the extra cash for a set of shorty headers to let it breath a little easier.

I agree with Jeff about having a parts car (or 2 or 3) around when your doing a build. If you can find one for a decent price you are often well ahead in the game. A lot of times just having a reference car to see how things go together can save hours in figuring things out. The major thing to keep in mind when your looking at one is how much you can actually use (or can be resold to help reduce the total cost of the project).

Often times many of the parts that Jeff mentioned are either junk or will need rebuilt especially on a 40 year old car. Motor mounts and most other rubber parts will need replaced, radiators are often corroded to the point of needing recored or replaced, drive line parts often need completly rebuilt, along with sagging springs, worn out suspension etc.

On the bright side many of the parts you will need are available new for a reasonable cost.

I am in the processs of collecting parts for another future project of my own, a 64 Ford Custom 2dr Post (the cheapest full size Ford you could buy in 64 and is basically a stripped sedan version of the Galaxie). It's a 6cyl 3spd car that is also getting converted to a 390 C6. Just an example,motor mounts are still available in the aftermarket (I paid somewhere around $25 for a new pair). Check the local parts stores first, and then some of the vendors that specialize in 64 Ford parts. Dennis Carpenter and Dearborne classics come to mind.

One final thought, the stock 6 cyl brakes (especially the fronts)will be TOTALLY inadequate for the car. Check into converting to Disc brake at least for the front. It's pretty much a bolt on operation.

Mike is correct about the brakes. One of the first things you should consider upgrading is getting rid of the single pot master cylinder for a twin chamber type. I don't remember which spindles you will need (mid 70's full size I think) and rotors for a 74-77 LTD-II / Elite will get you disk brakes up front and have the correct 4.5" bolt pattern.

Hey fellow rodders i really appreciate all the info and help.. Yeah i definitley wanna upgrade the brakes!! Im taking out the engine today so i can start cleaning up the engine bay. then will move to wire wheeling the frame by hand. I wanted to take body off the frame but everything fits so well and is in great shape i would hate to mess things up. i think cleaning up underneath a little will do it. Can anyone tell me whats a good wy to go for undercoating, ya know a sorta cheaper way cause right know i wanna put more money into engine and suspension..!!

thx again....

Will the 390 bolt on the cruise-o-matic trans. if it does would it be a decent setup for a 390. i would think the c-6 would be better but im not sure beings im not an expert..(YET!!) LOL

YES THE 390 WILL BOLT UP TO EITHER C6 OR CRUISE-A-MATIC FOR I KNOW FROM DOING THIS SWAP MYSELF IT WILL FIT FINE, ONE THING I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IS A STALL CONVERTER FOR THESE GALAXIE AREN'T EXACTLY LIGHT, AND A STALL WILL HELP OUT ALOT IF PERFORMANCE IS WHAT YOUR AFTER HEADERS WONT HURT EITHER WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY QUESTION DOES ANY ONE OUT THERE HAVE HEADERS FOR A 64 GALAXIE 390 MOTOR AND C6 TRANNY.