Projects All The Twos: 1962 Mercury, 352cui, 2bbl, Too Many Doors.

I was looking the other day and couldn’t find an off the shelf 352 piston that seemed to increase compression beyond stock. Although I’m wondering if the 8.5:1 of ‘62 isn’t what they refer to as stock 352.

 

That lowered compression ratio is what gave the 352 its reputation as a boat anchor. The earlier 4V versions at 10:1 were a lot snappier in performance.

 

That was kinda my thinking. 4bbl, cam change and pistons and I’d have a 300hp T-bird engine but pistons seem a bit of an ask.

 

A flat-top Silvo-Lite builders piston should give you about 9:1, assuming 72 cc heads and 0.040" thick gaskets. Knock a bit off the deck and/or heads and it is real easy to get to 10:1

 

Thanks. I saw those but the compression height looked something like 50 thou less than stock which seemed odd. Maybe I’ve got an odd measurement somewhere.

What’s the craic with skimming FEs and the manifold/head/rocker cover interface? Not sure I want to go down that route with all the variables and the cheapo Ford non-adjustable rockers! I’ll end up building a 410cu race motor before I’m finished! Remember kids; just say no!!

 

If you dig into the motor far enough for new pistons, give some thought to punching it out .050" to the stock 390 bore and drop in a 390 crank (which should be relatively easy to find even over there as Ford built a ton of them). Those early FEs weren't thinwall cast, there's reputable reports of boring those all the way out to 4.130" to build a 428. You do want to do a sonic check however....

 

You’re like the baddy with the sweets out of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

There’s a fresh 10 thou 390 crank and a set of 390 rods for sale for £450 about 15 miles from me at the moment.

I’ve done really well not to buy it so far.

 

If you do a cam change Ford changed the cam in 63. The 62 and down are different. It has been a while but I think the 62 down did not have a thrust plate. You can change but you need a 63 up timing cover and you have to drill and tap the block for a thrust plate.

Like I said, it has been a while since I experienced this so do your research.

 

I’d read about that, seems pre -63 uses a cam button to limit thrust and post-63 is a thrust plate. I think you just need to tap for a thrust plate to use a later style cam. The pre-63 timing cover will still work.

 

It’s difficult when you’re trying to keep to a budget. I reckon a grand to do a 390 instead of a 352 so that’s roughly $1200. There’s quite a cost to a rebore of that size and 8 cylinders.

The flip side to the extra cost is I want to keep the 3.0:1 rear end and the Merc-o-matic trans which means a stock torque converter so more capacity and availability of higher CR pistons has some advantages.

Probably shouldn’t be asking these questions on a hot rod forum. Where’s the AACA?

 

My parcel the seller sent from Missouri that ended up in Ghana has arrived. Sadly I’m really excited about some crusty paper and a set of old keys!

 

If you have a stamped steel timing cover, it used a thrust button if it's still all OEM. If it has a die-cast aluminum cover, it will have the thrust plate. The cam and timing gear is also different IIRC. I believe the button and matching cam design has gone obsolete, so a switch to the plate is usually done if the timing set and/or cam is replaced. You don't need the newer cover for this change, although the aluminum cover will knock several pounds off the motor.

 

No shame in your game. People look for build sheets and any other historical data for their cars. It’s exciting, enjoy it.

 

My car came with an old click type pen in the glove box from a California lumber yard. It was dried up, but I swapped the guts from a new pen into it. I put it back and use it now and then.

 

What’s the thoughts on 352 vs 390?
There is a chap down the road selling a 390 bottom end. I reckon by the time it’s been bored and everything else it’s going to have cost an extra £1500 to do a 390 instead of a 352. Is it really worth it instead of just a freshen up and re-gasket on the 352?

 

Thanks Jeff. I’ve already bought an alloy intake from here and found a 4bbl Autolite on eBay. The racer in me couldn’t resist!

 

It depends on what you are going to do with the car. Me, it looks like a reliable point A to point B car. I would freshen up the 352, the 390 looks like it could be saved for a core to be used later on.

 

Don’t come up with a third option I’ve spent the last month selling off 30 years of hoarding crap!

 

After my 1978 divorce and near-fatal car accident, I had to get rid of a literal ton of Ford FE parts. Cheap and fast. A local Ford guy bought some of the 390 and 406 parts, too much of it went to the scrap yard.

 

So far the only thing I’ve binned is a race harness that had a sticky buckle which I couldn’t in good conscience sell.

I did sell some Kevlar seats from the 80s yesterday, I thought they were a bit junky but when I gave them to the guy who bought them his face lit up like a kid at Christmas. I was chuffed with that.

I’ve done quite well I reckon I’ve got £2k to spend on the Merc when it arrives. It needs shocks, tyres and the AC sorting so some of it is spent already.

 

Project Goals, right? It all depends on what you want the motor to be. If you are going for a 275 to 325 hp cruiser. The 352 will do that all day and then some, do it cheaply and without breaking a sweat. If you want a more all out effort, say 400+, than that 390 short block is a good place to start.

 

Thanks FM

I’ve decided to go 352 and told the guy with the 390 bottom end I’ll pass. I just want a cruiser with a little bit of get up and go.

The problem I have with this is I build lots of engines for racing but I don’t think I’ve done a street engine since about 2002 so I keep heading off course into the performance side of things!

I think something around 300hp will be nice and keep it in tune with the standard trans. It also means I can use the money on other stuff.

 

300 Hp is fairly simple and economical with a 352.

Keep the compression around 9.5:1, Good 4 barrel intake, matched with a good cam, running a 600 cfm Holley, and a decent set of headers and your there. Just getting rid of those damn restrictive Ford log type exhaust manifolds is worth 25 hp.

 

Cruise it

 

I’m on the fence with manifolds as it’s got a new exhaust system

 

I can’t even cruise 100 year old stuff.

 

Whilst working hard today I came across this from Japan. Thought it looked cool.

 

Boat is getting closer, probably ought to have a tidy in the garage.