Technical Shop Truck engine choice

I hear these comments a lot about Gas Milage and Build costs. About the only way to avoid either or both is go small or used and not have what you want/need in the end. Like I said when I first posted, my workhorse is a 96 F-250 Club Wagon 460-AOD and it does everything at 16 to 18 mpg. I call that a Good Deal. The reason I have a nice 390 and all the pieces to install it in any F-100 is because a good 460 will out run it and out work it. That said and being I want to open the hood on my 57 H.T, I choose a Tri-Power 4 speed FE for it. The 460 F.I. motor just wouldn't look right in it. Screw Gas Milage.
Fun cost more $$$ today than yesterday every day. How much fun do you need? Where are you going and how do you want to get there?

 

My son just bought this 65K mile camper to pull the 460 C6 out of to put into our '55 F100. It ran good on the 90 mile trip to get it home, so we plan to just clean it up and use it as is.

(leaving pic as a thumbnail so it hopefully doesn't distract from the thread)

 

Best laid plans***

Ben

 

Hello,

At the time of our hot rod/drag race/speed shop adventures, we definitely needed a truck. There were times when we had to tow a small trailer to get very large axle housings back to our small speed shop garage and/or a set of tires/rims, etc. The trunk of the 58 Impala worked for the most part, but after a couple of wheels and tires inside the trunk, that was the allowed space. No old, oily parts were going inside of the upholstered back seat area. We did cover the tires and rims with a blanket for the back seat area and then then canvas tarp was put in the trunk for the larger item or items.

A truck definitely would have helped with ease of transportation of old stuff we used. We looked at our neighbor’s 1955-56 Ford truck. It was a “go to” truck for a lot of folks to use as daily drivers and work trucks with the necessary space in the back. Since we knew SBC motors well, that was going to be the motor of choice, if we got a truck or station wagon later on in our builds and business.

We kept telling our selves that the open bed truck was coming soon and kept doing our parts run and searching, using the 58 Impala. We even got the sturdy tow hitch welded in place to tow a small trailer for the stuff that was too large for the trunk… like a 283 SBC long block for our first Willys Coupe motor.

As far as money would take us, if we had the funds, there were completed SBC motors already ***embled at the local speed shops, Reath Automotive and Joe Mailliard Long Beach shops came to mind. But, we learned to plan out our future as much as we could.

Jnaki

So, we did not have time or the money to buy a separate truck just to haul big parts. After the motor/trans/rear end, as well as new suspension parts, everything else was small enough to put in the trunk of the Impala. But, we did tell ourselves that we definitely would need a truck or station wagon for our long distance towing to other local dragstrips in So Cal and into northern California/Arizona when the time came to race elsewhere. YRMV

One thought was a custom 1959 El Camino. We had seen plenty of them at the dragstrip cleaning up in the S/S cl***es with 335hp + 4 speed, so, it could have been our choice for a speed shop truck. plenty of power and we were familiar with the 348 motor for longevity and reliability. But, there is nothing wrong with a SBC motor for long distance towing, either...

 

I still don't have a decision. I was heading down the FE vein, but I have had a hard time locating a good core. I'm in no hurry because I am in the middle of building the "Big Barn Theory" (TM).

 

Just a heads up for those that were on this thread. I have 2 FE cores I bought recently. I am going to tear them down and see what it will clean up at.

 

I like the 351W/AOD combination in my '29AA, but I haven't had it on the road so can't report on fuel economy. The power is there and the response, but with a 5.14:1 rear end and 17.5 tires, even the AOD isn't going to give me interstate cruising speed most of us would prefer. Every ingredient delivers a compromise.

 

***mins B like Matt at Iron Trap Garage.

 

P***.

 

In typical fashion, I spent weeks over researching. We build spreadsheets for overall cost. I compared everything from the FE, 2 OT engines and a 5.0. It was rather a rude awakening.

I'm saving my FE for my 36 build. I have a 5.0/302 out of a later model Explorer that was going into the 55 (mama root's car) already built, ready to go. I am going to borrow it and the ****** for my 56 F100 build. I'll build another one for her car. That way, I kinda standardize the fleet. The 2 that get driven the most, will be standard. I can keep parts on the shelf. I'm following Southwest Airlines business model.

I see these 5.0 Explorers all the ime for sale with 300,000 miles on them. I think it is the best option and one of the cheapest versions, plus it will free upsome space.

 

The Explorer is rated at 6,820 for a towing capacity. I have a 2000 Ford Explorer motor, trans and rear end. It is essentially a 2000 Explorer.
Mine has a Trick Flow Stage 1 cam as well. That and getting rid of the factory manifolds should add another 25 hp.

 

This the truck you were talking about for pulling the continental divide with the trailer? Which I’m sure it will.

 

The lack of overdrive transmission options turns me off on Ford Power.

 

I swapped out a 352 for a regular 302.

The 352 was a better truck engine.

 

Several overdrive trans options for Fords. Stick and auto. Explorers have a heavier duty 4R70W 4 speed. 5.0/302's can tow fine. Not fast, but fine. There a tough a$$ little engine. And if it does breakdown you can still buy parts in anytown anywhere in Noth America.

 

Yes sir.

 

I have a 4R70W which is an overdrive, 4 speed. It's a great transmission. I have one in my 2002 crew cab. It has 170K on it and probably had a trailer in tow for 85% of that time.

 

FE's can be built very dependably and somewhat fuel efficient at a cost. The 302 the same albeit cheaper and parts are more readily sourced. I pulled a heavy steel trailer and a OT Fox body drag racer for several years with a 302 and C6. It will do it.

 

No go @ $5.65/gallon.

 

I really wanted an FE, but man....The parts add up in a hurry. You can hit 8 grand in a cheapie overhaul. I already have this engine on the stand. Factory roller cam, don't hafta worry about all the cam failure issues.

I'll build the fE into something freaking ridiculous. 445 with a solid roller and a couple of carbs.

 

My only thought was to double check the transmission cooling capacity. Hot weather, long grades, I had engine and transmission temp gauges in that old motorhome. Everything gets hot. A separate oil cooler for both the engine and transmission, and manually switched electric fans on them kept it just safe. General running round won’t be a problem. But if you head out in late June thru August……

 

We have been to Yellowstone a few times and the grades there are pretty severe at times.

 

As you may or may not know, SBF's were not shipped by with great cylinder heads. Ever. They did have decent heads towards the end and your engine has the best of the last two heads Ford ever sent off the production line.

Depending on year, you either have GT40 or GT40P heads. For factory heads both are the best you can have. The GT40 has better header/manifold fitment options. The GT40P has a very small edge in flow, but challenges for header/manifold fitment due to the spark plug angle. If you haven't, double check which you have and plan accordingly.

The Explorer roller cam is torque focused but will still perform admirably with a good intake and carb setup. The 5.0 HO (Mustang) cam is like an old school "RV" cam. 1.7 roller rockers on either cam with either head and a good set of springs are all ot really needs.

Either of thise haeds will repond well to a Edelbrock Performer RPM (Air Gap or regular), a Weiand Stealth or a Summit Stage 2 dual plane #226-003. I believe Holley supplies this intake using the original Weiand Stealth casting molds. It looks just like the old USA made Stealth intake. The rear coolant crossover is different between the manifolds Weiand sold before Holley bought them and changed the Stealth casting.

 

I got a 5.0 and 5 speed from a 94 horse car.
Might swap out the heads and put it in the c10

 

I have GT40P heads. I installed a Trick Flow Stage 1 cam. I am keeping all of the unmentionables that came on the 2000 explorer except the manifolds and EGR junk. It's not a powerhouse, but if I can have 275hp and the same in torque and it will go 200K and gets 16 mpg......it's perfect.

 

I used the GT40P heads on my 66 trucks engine and found that HI-PO 289 cast iron manifolds fit great. I just checked and yikes the price went up! $450-ish today. I remember paying 300 to my door back in 2016.

 

Good to know. They are still half of the price of the Kugel Hi Po FE 406 manifolds. The Kugels are a beautiful piece though.

Something like this?

 

Yes