I drive a 390 in a f250 4wd everyday, it gets between 5 and 13 mpg depending on the trip. I have thought about od transmissions and other mileage aids but it would take so long to pay it back ! Why dont you put a 223 six in that car, then you could problebly wring out some decent mpg
Phil - are you sure that's a 352? if it came from a t-bird, it would be a 390... my memory is getting bad, but I cannot recall any years of T-bird that got the 352 (unless it was '61-62?). Don't pay any attention to the "352" cast on front of the block, all FE blocks have that.
I am thinking it came out of a early 60s Bird but I won't know for sure until I get the car. The guy didn't want to mess with anything for a couple of weeks. He wanted to wait for the weather to cool down.
An a edelbrock intake with the exhaust crossover blocked off will keep the intake cooler and the lifter tray under the intake will keep hot oil from splashing on the bottom of the intake keeping it cooler and call Isky and see if they still make a 'mile or more' cam... better power and a mile or more gas mileage also use a better distributor and an edelbrock carb, each change will improve the mileage on an FE. Dual exhaust with crossover to equal out flow or headers......
Thanks for the suggestions. Isky's 'mile or more cam' sounds a bit like an RV cam and might go well with that crazy high rear end ratio I am thinking of swapping in. Will all FE intakes interchange or are they cubic inch specific?
The early 58 and59 352,s had flat top pistons and no valve releifs. They where higher compression. The 59 Interceptor was a 300 hp version. I put a 59 interceptor in a 56 htp with a stick blew the rear first thing. Installed a 58 wagon housing with a set of 389 gears. Dont know the milage didnt care premium was less than 30 cents. The exhaust manifolds are the worst thing on a FE and hedders are hard to find. 58,59, and 60 T birds had 352,s and the early engines 64 down dont have 352 or anything cast on the front of the engine.There was a 365 hp version of 352 in 60. the 390 didnt appear until 61. I dont think you will have much luch trying tomake a fuel mizer out of a FE. OldWolf
I'm getting about 18 to 19 with my 58 which has the origianl 352 with 3 speed and OD. I know of a guy who put the same setup in his 57 Ranchero and claims 22, but he is also running radial instead of the bias plies I have.