It's been awhile since I asked a good technical question, so I guess now's the time! I got my 58 Edsel 9 years ago when I was 14. I have the original 361 FE running to find it smoked like a locomotive. I didn't have money at the time of course, so I parked it till 2 years ago. I then got a 390 from a buddy that was "fresh" for a few hundred. Seemed like too cheap a deal for a good rebuild. I bought it, but due to various other mechanical problems didn't get it running till last year. I ran into various snags, such as going to prime the oil pump, but finding me bending the prime tool. I pull the oil pump out to find it's USED, and very rough to spin. So I replace it, whatever. Once I get it running, it seems fine idling. Has a nice bumpy idle. But it's a gutless wonder. It'll barely get out of it's own way. I've played with timing, and it runs best all way way up at 25-30*, a bit advanced, I think. AND the best part. Once it's warm, although it's got 60 psi oil pressure, it has a nice knock that I can swear is bottom end, and I've gotten many opinions leading that way. So now I've got a fresh "KNOCKING" engine. So now I've decided I'll write that engine off. For now I'm driving it, and if it blows so be it. This guy also was supposed to pick up a 390 that I had pulled out of a low mile (<30k mile) 61 Mercury. He hasn't picked that up, though I've been trying to get it out of the garage for 2 years. So now my question. The knocking 390, that's just out of the picture now. I'm expecting to pull it apart to find it's a low compression smog motor, which might be why it's gutless. So now I'm between my 361, which needs a total rebuild, and the Merc 390, which can get by with a re-ring since it's such a clean engine. I'll just swap in the cam from the knocking engine, as that was brand new. I've heard the Edsel heads were great performers in their time. As far as bottom end, I think I just want to re-ring the 390, and set the 361 aside to rebuild down the road (pricing out that rebuild kit is a little out of my budget right now, quite more than a 390!!). Now I'm curious about heads. I may as well just do a complete rebuild on them. Should I rebuild the Merc heads, or are the Edsel 361 heads a better choice? Are they actually very different?
I'm interested in "The Experts" advice on this one. I just bought a fellow HAMBers Edsel with a 361, (or it could be a 332 with a 4 barrel, I don't know). On mine compression is good (120) but the power just isn't there. Edelbrock Makes a set of heads for the 390 but lists it as 1961-1976 so I don't know if they will bolt on a 361 (or 332)? http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new/misc/tech_center/install/6000/6007.pdf http://www.jegs.com/i/Edelbrock/350/60069/10002/-1 Good luck let us know what you find out, and decide.
There is very little difference between the 361 heads and the '61 Merc 390 heads. The 2 versions of the '61 390's were rated at 300 and 330 Hp. The compression on both was 9.6, so the difference was made up in the cam and exhuast. The 361 Edsels were also most commonly 9.6:1 motors, although there are some 10.5 motors out there. I would compare the combustion chambers bewteen the 361 and the Merc 390 to be sure, but more than likely they are the same. Check the casting date on the heads. It is possible they are the same, as Ford would date a mold and then pull parts off of it for years to come. For example, you will never find FE heads dated after 1972, even though the motors were produced until '76. In the end, the only real difference between the 361 and the 390 Merc will be the stroke (3.78 vs. 3.5), both motors have a 4.05" bore. Dragon, the Edelbrock heads should fit any FE, 332's on up to 428's as long as you use the matching intake (low or medium riser in this case). The Edelbrocks are very good heads and flow very well, paired with the Performer RPM Intake, you can build a bunch of power. I firmly believe that they don't think that anyone is actually running an older 332, 352, or 361. FE heads and their mating intakes can get confusing when you start talking about differences between low, medium, and high riser intakes (not to mention tunnel ports and the like).
If you are rebuilding using mostly what you have, either engine will work. If you are buying a bunch of stuff as part of the rebuild, go as big as you can. A .030 over 361 with a 428 crank is about 414 cubic inches. SCAT makes rotating assemblies to go even bigger for reasonable (but not cheap) money. I've never run an FE with the Edelbrock heads, but have been very pleased with their heads on my 351W. My observation is that the cost is a little higher than what you will put into the original heads, but your horsepower per dollar is very good with the aluminum heads.
You should consider using the 361 Edsel heads.Look at the combustion chamber.The early FE heads of 1958 had machined combustion chambers like the later 427 engines and they had larger intake ports also so they approximate a 427 medium riser head. You have to pull the heads off the 390 anyway to refresh it so that would be a good time to use the best heads.Put on an aluminum intake with a good carb and headers and you should have plenty of power.
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