I believe they are the most durable engines ever built by anyone. That said, I'm not sure I'd be happpy looking at one in my open engine bay.
I don't think the street rod crowd would like 'em much, not many billety pieces made for 'em. If I had one and I was building a rod I'd use one in a heartbeat. Used to be what that called an econo-rail way back when that ran a hilborn injected 300 it run like stink. I've had a couple in Ford puickups and they seemed to be pretty torquey. So I'm guessin' you can do quite a bit with one. All the ones I had got rotton gas milage btw.
I've researched them quite a bit and found that while the aftermarket doesn't bestow a lot on them their are some select parts that really wake them up. Biggest limitinig factor is lack of a good head. But a well ported stocker can make decent power. I found this one guy that made 300 hp and 400 ft/lbs on a 10:1 300. Another guy that drag races with one (run's 9's I think) and the guy that drag races has a '33 Willy's with a 2-2 barrel 300 in it. Pretty crazy. The Willy's http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25598&highlight=willys Post #41 for info on the 300hp/400ft-lbs engine here (pics in post #58) http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307743&page=4&pp=12&highlight=My+Built+300+I6
Google Ak Miller. He wrote many articles on how to get the most of these engines. Ak had one turboed and burning propane that ran like a striped ass ape. He had me talked into putting one in my wagon just before the wagon was totalled. cp
They're consider the "big blocks" of Inline Ford mills... here's a link to a discussion on them. I was going to get one and slip it into my '60 Falcon, but I think I found a 200 that will be a much easier changeout. Yeah, they're bulletproof from what I've learned... and everywhere in Ford trucks. 300 link >>>> http://fordsix.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=ac5a81ee1995eabd2247d3c0b29e08b2 Go for it!
never see them much in hot rods or customs. but most likely the best inline 6 ever made. we use them a lot around here for irrigation pump motors.
I have many pics with Ford L6 in them. They are so narrow, it provides a lot of room V8s do not. www.fordsixparts.com sells a lot for these. FI, Superchargers, TriCarbs, Turbos, etc have all been used. The have 7 mains so they are more durable than a V8 by far. You can really wind them up. In a sea of V8s, I really dig the L6. But, if you at the drags and looking for every second, go with a V8.
They are great motors. Getting 250+ hp out of them is not hard at all, and they are all torque monsters. They are tough and will last forever. Them and mopar slant size are probally the most durable engines ever made. If you get a HD version they should have a forged crank, and the heads can be made to flow well with just minor work. I have one sitting in the shop that I was thinking of swapping into my car hauler to get rid of the leaking gutless 351M that someone swapped in. Its originally a propane model from a HD 1 ton van with low miles. Should be good.
Transmission choice for these is easy, too. Anything that will bolt up to a small block ford will bolt up to these. the only diff is the flywheel. The 300 is zero balanced.
I've got a copy of the article if you need a scan. Not cheap modifications, but shows what can be done. That engine was slipped into a '32 Deuce roadster! Steve
In the late 60s, Ak Miller built one of these motors, stuffed it into a Mustang fastback, and went about a buck and a half at Bonneville. I'd be willing to bet that with some research, you could find some good V8 parts that could make it easier than it was 40 years ago. A straightforward 300 should be more than able to hold its own in a light roadster or an early Falcon. But make sure it is what you really want, because once it is in there, you might not live long enough to wear it out.
Jay Storer built a 32 highboy roadster back in the 70's (Roadtrip article in Rod and Custom No. 8) the build of the car was featured in earlier issues. It used a 240 cu in Ford six with 300 crank, rods and head. It was turbocharged and ran on propane, Ak Miller was involved in the engine build-up. Running a stock length hood, the firewall had to be recessed quite a way, so you'd lose some leg room in a 32. I had a 300 in a 1989 F-150, hit 23 mpg on a road trip once.
I think it's a great truck motor if you're actually "working" the truck. I own an 88 F150 with a 5.0 v8 / aod combo, and my buddy owns an 89 F150 with a 300 / 5 spd. One time we raced, and I beat him so bad that as I was pulling away from him I was actually wondering if he was even "on it". And my truck gets like 2 or 3 more mpg than his truck (and he has a stick, it doesn't even make sense to me, but it's true.) I personally would use one for a work-truck motor in a heartbeat, but it would be my last choice for a hot rod motor.
I had a 240 (same block as the 300) in a T bucket with a lakes style header, 4barrel carb and a couple pieces of chrome and it took the "Hot Mill" award at Paso a few years back. That was probably the best engine I've owned.
That was Glen Self. There is a racing head by BAE out there. Also a racer, Frenchtown Flyer, on www.inliners.org has one with a rare crossflow head. He won't tell origins, but a mechanic friend of mine said they were on UPS trucks. For us regular folk, you can add Chevy 1-15/16" intake and 1.6" exhaust. Intake is a big step up, but exhaust isn't, so I only did intake on mine.
A guy here in RI runs one in a T bucket, I had a van with a 240 & drove it X country in my hippie days.Ran very hot but never overheated. Most hotrods look too"long" with a 6 in them, but they are great motors.
My 1st car was a 1961 Falcon sedan delivery that a good friend built the engine for. A 240 with a 300 crank, ported/polished head, Offy 360deg manifold, Crower cam, headers, 650 Holley 4BBL, backed by a beefed-up C6 trans. A bomb-proof combo that would chew up and spit out small block Chevies all day long. Could even lift a front tire off the ground, if conditions were just right. In the range of 280-300hp-not bad for 1969! Man, I never should've sold it
I had a 66 240 in a 77 F150 with a C-4 and 3.25 rear gears and it got 18 on the highway and it ran good,I would of kept it in the truck but it had a cracked block and I was afraid to drive it very far so it got swapped for a 351-W. Jeff
I would put one in my rod if I had it. I built one several years ago for my 72 F-250. I ported the head myself and had it milled .020. Ran a Comp 260 cam. Then PAW had my intake and headers on backorder forever so I put the stock maniflods and carb back on. I never had a tack but it would bury the speedo in third with 3.73 gears. I did see a nice 33 cheby in Street Rodder last year, that had a 300.
I've been told you can bore one fifty over and use standard Ford 390 pistons (for a wide selection of compression ratios)
The 300 Ford is the absolute king of I-6's. All of the positives that everyone mentioned are true in spades! Actually, the aftermarket support isn't that bad considering all. With some head work, a decent cam grind, a Clifford or Offy intake, Holley or Edelbrock carb and a header, you'd have a pretty quick hot rod. I'm in the process of dealing on a DIRT modified to race in vintage circle track events. Guess what it'll be powered by?
I've got a 240(300s' little brother) that's going in a '37 Olds when I get around to that project. Picked up a one of a kind three carb manifold for it, should haul ass. Have a '65 Ford half ton with a 300, tons of torque. They are a low rpm torque motor but can generate pretty good horse power witha few modifacations and they last forever.
I run a dirt modified with a 300 six. You can build a bunch of horse power in these engines. Head work will gain you the most bang for the buck. A well ported head with 1.94 intakes & 1.60 exhaust undercut valves,some .300 dome 390 v8 pistons, somewhere around .600 lift cam, roller rockers,some good carb system. Go chevy v8 hunting. Don't worry about the bottom end just keep it full of good oil and drive hell out of it. Andy
Put one in your hot rod buld it up make it look nice & you will get more good looks & coments Than if you had a SBC in your car NO question!
The forged steel cranks came in F600s. We had one in a bucket truck, strong motors but not enough snot for that application. The fuel injected 300 exhaust manifolds are nearly as good as headers. I had a 310 ford 6 in a 51 anglia back in the early 70s with a ported Sissell head, 600 holley on a Holman Moody intake , chevy pistons, & a Sissell cam with a toploader 4 speed & 4.56 gears
im normally not one to say this. But this thread is 6 years old, damn near to the day. Still like the engine though!
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