Which Ford six are you talking about? There's plenty of speed parts for both the small Falcon/Mustang six and the larger F100 style six, although I do see more used speed equipment for Chevy sixes at swap meets than for Ford.
classic inlines has some good stuff, check out the header in my avatar. its for 200/170 engines and fits in my falcon very nice. The next ford 6 engine I build will be a hot 250 backed by a t-5.
Chevy made basicly the same engine for years and years. Ford went to new sixes every 4 or 5 years it seems like.
I dont think thats true of only the Ford six. It seems like after Henry died Ford was constantly changing and refining things. Good for the new car buyer, bad for the hot rodder who values that interchangeability. You can upgrade a 55 Chevy by bolting on 65, 75, or 85 Chevy parts, but there are damn few things the same from 55 to 85 on a Ford product. -Dave
There used to be plenty of stuff around to build hot 240-300 truck sixes. In catalogs, not at swap meets.
You Chevy guys really do drink too much Kool-Aid sometimes. The Ford 300 was in production from 1965 to 1996 (that is 31 years for you non-math majors). The only things that changed were the induction and exhaust systems. There are a number of threads on here about hopping up the big Ford 6. Just got to do some searching. I am a big fan of Ford sixes. Mine (see avatar) does a fine job of pulling my OT shop truck around town.
Here's a street package that worked well of me Offy dual port 600 AFB crane H 260-2 1987 and up exhauxt manifolds. If you can find one a 240 head early heads used larger valves and adjustable rockers and 240 had smaller chambers. Good valve job and pocket port and go.
I had a '70 Winnebago about 15 years ago that had a 300 Ford 6 in it. When the engine needed to be gone through, I added an Erson RV cam I got used from Dale Wilch, a set of new lifters and springs, and an Offenhauser 4-bbl manifold with a 390 Holley. I also added a set of exhaust manifolds from a '95 pickup that closely resembled aftermarket cast iron headers. I used it to pull my vintage dirt modified on a steel trailer. 65 on the freeway was no problem. It got 12 mpg unloaded and 8 loaded. When we got to a vintage race, there were lots of 300-6 powered cars, most of which went like stink. BTW, if it was in production from '65 to '96, that's 32 years (for the math majors).
When the F series was being developed in 1947, some Ford engineers were considering dumping the V8, altogether in favor of the six. Cooler heads prevailed when it was pointed out that Ford was the V8. The six was still offered but not as the new flagship engine for 1948 F trucks. The Ford V8 remained as the top engine in the new 1949 cars as well. The shoe boxes, actually started out as the Mercury design and their sales went on to save the company in 1949. Pre war and post war Ford garnered a huge reputation with the V8. Everyone who owned a Ford flat six though touted it's superiority over the V8. For an L Head, the six is the superior design. Look what Hudson did with the Hornet. It did not matter though, the Ford V8 was ingrained in popular and marketing culture. The six was forever to remain second behind the V8, at least in Ford Culture. A more recent example was the change to fuel injection. The 300 or 4.9 six out performed the 302-5.0 in all areas. Ford had to redesign the injection system to de-tune the six. The base line engine could not out perform the flagship V8. I love most of the ford sixes. Performance parts were made but it was and still is a small market compared to the V8. Look at Hudson again. Hudson had the best, most sucessful six in the early 50s. It mattered little though that the Hudson was still winning on the track in 56 even though they had gone belly up two years prior.
I was refering to the 216-235-261 series of Chevy sixs. And the 226 flathead ford then the 1952 OHV six that preceded the later Ford. Then the 200 inch six that we used in tugs, some had 4 mains some had 7. Chevy had the 194-292 series after '61 till I don't know when. Besides I assumed we were talking about traditional engines. Per '59
The 223 and 262 Ford 6 made from the early 50's till about 1963 should be similar to 235-261 Chevys .Cams can be reground ,custom pistons can be bought,stock intakes can be modified and headers are somewhat simple to fabricate from steel tubing for inline 6's.
The Ford 6 cly has been the same since the late 50's till now . They only had the same 170 , 200 & 300 so there is no reason to say why is there more Chev parts than Ford parts . That is an old misconception anyway . There are plenty of speed parts to get easily on line for the Ford in-line 6 cly . You can get a lot more hp & torque from them that you can imagine , plus one have the weight difference . You have 300 cubes from the in-line Ford 6 cylinder and that's only 2 more than the 5.0 V8 , so why go for all that extra weight when you don't have to . The Ford in-line 6 cyl always looks really great in a roadster or something along that line . It's also fun to beat out V8 cars with , then when you pop the hood and they see an in-line six that just beat them , they shit ! Just do some goggle searches and you will find all the speed parts you will ever need for any Ford in-line 6 cylinder ! A good cammed p in-line 6 with dual exhaust really sound good too ! Retro Jim MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE !
You are looking at the wrong suppliers........ Google "Marine Supplies.......anchor chain" Ray p.s. just "yanking your chain"....I have a 300 six
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