Opinions wanted (I must be brave today) I just bought an old Ford truck with no motor. It had a 390 in it. The C6 is still there as are the headers. A friend has offered me a 410 (390 bore 428 crank) core motor to rebuild, so I would probably be into it about $3k with manifold and carb. The******* has 120,000 miles on it but seems to shift fine. Another friend has offered me his 351M/400 (he can't remember which) that was a Jasper rebuild with 2,000 miles on it. I would need to put in a different C6 (different bellhousing pattern) and I only have a core there. I would also have to do new headers and this motor needs a carb and manifold as well so I'd probably end up with the same amount of dough in it. it will also take different motor mount frame brackets. Now I know many folks say the 351M/400 is a PIG of a motor, but is it worse than the older technology 410FE? It will mainly be used to tow the Anglia and chase parts, not a daily Driver. So the 64 thousand dollar question is which way would you go?
I've got a 400 in a 78 Bronco. Its had some work done and makes 325 hp. Pulls my old Bronco around pretty well on the big tires and a 3:50 gear. That being said, it only made maybe 150 hp or so stock. with a four barrel and an aluminum intake and exhaust, it should be just fine. My original motor went 146,000 miles before a cam bearing went away and it ate the distributor drive gear. Go for it!
I used a 351M to pull my Altered coup or my roadster around for years. It worked ok with the right gears and a large gas tank. Nothing wrong with FEs either that I know.
I have played with 351m and 400s and am not a big fan of them. Someone else will disagree but I just don't care for them. I would go with the FE, if you were closer I would hook you up with a 390 hp 390 that I have almost zero invested in. The FE will give you the pulling power you want when you want it.
The truck is already set up for an FE so I'd go with the ol merc/lincoln/edsel 410 or search around for a good used 390. They'll last forever if maintained
I drove a 77 Ford 250 with a 351M,a real barker.Guys tell me the 400M have block or head cracking issues? I suppose if you rebuild one with the right parts it'll be good. For a light truck I think a good 351W does a good job
The 410 I have available is NOT a MEL, but the rare 66-67 Ford FE (only used in some Mercury's from what I can tell) - it is a 390 block with a 428 crank. The 410 MEL was only used in 1958 Edsel's.
I'm familiar with it, it was a good engine. Well worth rebuilding if it needs it. I'm with rocky use it.
I had a 66 ParkLane Mercury with that 410 Marauder engine in it. I wish that I had that thing again. That*****er was a torque monster, unkillable. It propelled a 4 door beast of a car to some really good times. Isn't the 351/400M a smogged out later Cleveland block for trucks and vehicles needing torque?
410 that*****er, you won't be sorry. Plus it's a rare one. And a lot of the less knowledgables think Mercs are slow grandpa cars. Made a lot of money with that old Merc. Got a 396 Chevelle with it while my buddy rolled down the rear window and mooned the guy. Grandpa engine, Ha, cool grandpa then.
I would go with the 410. You will need a 410 flywheel. the 390 flywheel will bolt on but it wont balance properly. OldWolf
i have a 40 over 400, with 4v 70 cobra jet heads, tunnelram and a pair of holley 1850`s,put out well over 600 hp at 5700 rpm and 426 hp at 3300 rpm, torque is steady at 520ft lbs..... good motors, just timed for smog use...change the cam and timing gear and you can make good power cheeeeeplllly.........390 and the 351/400 all use the big block c6 bolt pattern...........
NOPE- 390 (ALL FE) have a different pattern. 351M/400 use 429/460 and 351C uses small block, but FE's are all their own.
If you want gobs of pulling power, go with the FE. The truck is already set up for the FE so why not keep it that way. If you want a gas hog that has little pulling power, go with the 351M/400. Sure there are lots of aftermarket goodies to bolt on it but take it from a guy who saw a friend sink many many bucks into a 400 in a heavy LTD wagon and never was happy. He did not want a race-wagon, just something to pull a car trailer. The 351M/400 is a dog that does not give the owner what he really expects for the money spent. It is as simple as that.
I'd go with the FE, either the 410 your buddy has, or another 390. If the cost of rebuilding the 410 is putting you off, you could probably find a deal on running 390 for less than the cost of rebuilding the 410, although if done right, the added torque of the 410 would make a hell of nice "truck" motor. One thing about the FE's is the wide availability and interchangeability of parts over the years. There's tons of used stuff - both factory and aftermarket - for the FE's floating around out there.One the other hand, the 351/400M is kind of an orphan - only offered for a few years - and in stock form anyway, it was a gas-guzzling. very low-performance 'smog motor'. You can build them up into a half-decently performing engine, but you'll have to look harder and pay more for the parts - and particularly for any aftermarket "performance" parts that you'll need to make it into a decent runner. Mart3406 =====================
Thanks for the comments so far. I'm leaning toward the 410 at this point (as I was before posting the question). It's not a matter of spending money to rebuild the FE, it is a matter of spending money in the wisest way. I did own a 400 once, in a E350 Box Van, and even with a Torque cam, Tri Y Headers, and a manifold and small carb it was still a PIG, But I wasn't 100% sure that wasn't due to the aerodynamics of a barn door that the van with it's 8' tall box had. And the only FE I have ever owned was a 428CJ that made well over 600HO and was in a 56 F100 - Yee Haw!
I'd trade you my 351M/C4 thats in my 79 Ranchero for that FE in a heartbeat. I can remember all three car companies put out some real***** from the mid 70s thru the 80s.
No question, the FE. WIth a 410 in there you could pull stumps with that*****er. There are more aftermarket parts available for it too.
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