More pep for 1974 360

[Big Del]

I'll start with a little history, 10 yrs ago my older brother inherited my great Gpa's truck. Yes it was a one owner 1974 F-250 Highboy with 54K on it. Now that some of you are all excited it wasn't your typical one owner this thing could of passed as a 200K truck.

Gpa used to take it into town when it snowed and have a few cocktails, handled the snow better then the caddy. He missed his driveway a couple times slid down the hill once and took out a few hundred feet of fence :eek:. His cows got out a few times and he used it to get them back in the field and would park it in front as the gate to keep the cattle in (yes it hurt to see the truck).

Now my brother got the truck back in 98 it runs a little rough thinking no prob do a little tune up hell it's only got 54K right, wrong it still ran rough do a compression test and sure enough it is all over the place complete wet test and numbers are real close time wasn't good on the rings.

Seeing this as a chance for a 4bbl and some upgrades we tear the motor down it was in great shape through out. A complete rebuild new performer intake and holley 650 double pumper some nice jet coated headers with dual flowmasters and this thing sounds like a truck.

Currently the truck runs good just not a ton of power my brother is back to making some decent money and asking me what to do next? I found a set of 69 heads off a 390 and from what I read it's been a couple months these heads have bigger valves and smaller cc combustion chambers? I'm not sure excactly what to do they need some work valve job, springs I would think, maybe some guide work. Are these heads worth the money I (he) needs to put in them. It has the intake and exhaust I would think it could flow more just need to get more oommphhh out of this motor.

It is now lifted crossover steering 79 bronco stuff it a cool truck and sounds just awsome. A little more motor would make thing nutty any help would be great. I was going to post on FSB but I see this as a much better forum for this excact question. Sorry for the long post I just like his truck and it's hard to stop with the story Gpa was an awsome guy.

[Gilligan]

What is the casting number on those '69 '390' heads? There were several flavors and the CC size is all over the map.

[Big Del]

Here are the numbers I found,

C3AE-H

In another spot it has

DIP

on the nest flange

Does that help?

[Johnny]

C3AE-H... you sure that was a 69 390 you got those off of??

[Gilligan]

Yup. Great hipo heads indeed..but no increase in compression ratio..those have the large chambers at around 74 cc. And you will have some difficulty finding an intake with the matching large port size those have, almost surely having to settle for an older used cast-iron or single-plane alumiunum one.. Not the best 'wake er up' choice for what you are trying to do.

[Gilligan]

C3AE-H... you sure that was a 69 390 you got those off of??


Shhhhh!?>:<?

[Johnny]

I'm kinda curious about the engine you got the heads from.... you still have it... can you get the casting numbers off it??

[Gilligan]

I'm kinda curious about the engine you got the heads from.... you still have it... can you get the casting numbers off it??

'kinda curious' my big arse. Just say it.."are there any bolts sticking outa the sides of the block along the oil pan?" is the question yr dying to really ask.:D

[Johnny]

Yeah... kinda...

I wonder where Big Del lives...

[Gilligan]

I wonder where Big Del lives...
I'll call ya when I get there and let you know.

[Johnny]

Just pick me up on your way by.... I live closer to him than you do...

[Gilligan]

Just pick me up on your way by.... I live closer to him than you do...

OK. you know the drill..go stand by yr mailbox and I'll be by in a little while.

[Big Del]

:confused:Now I'm getting scared, I know nothing about the motor I do know were the motor is. It's one of these storiesu<> my buddies dad ran this truck through high school then gave it to his son (my buddy) the truck got tired and has been parked in a field for years. Still sitting there what could this motor be.

[Johnny]

Well lets not get too excited just yet... If you can... go look at the engine... see if there are three bolts just above the oil pan going into the block on either side of the engine... and see if you can get the casting numbers... they are just below the oil filter mount on the left side of the block...


I've gotta run my boy down the road... I'll be back in half an hour or so and we will discuss this futher...

[Big Del]

I will be out at the place on Sat I will take a look at it. Am I looking for studs or bolts threaded into the block?

[Big Del]

Could I be looking at a 427?

[Gilligan]

I will be out at the place on Sat I will take a look at it. Am I looking for studs or bolts threaded into the block?

Actually..if it is a '63, it won't be side-oiled, but..I believe the three bolt heads should still be along each side of the block just above the pan.

[Gilligan]

Could I be looking at a 427?

No...
.
.
.
.
.>I

[Johnny]

Not a chance.... matter of fact, I'll come out and dispose of it for you... and wont charge you a dime...

[Gilligan]

Not a chance.... matter of fact, I'll come out and dispose of it for you... and wont charge you a dime...

Helluva gesture, Johnny. Them bolts down both sides are there to prevent explosions...that pertiuclar engine could blow up at the turn of a key or drop of a hat and that's why, if you see those bolts in the block, just back slowly away from the thing and call a professional to come disarm it and haul it off for ya.

[Johnny]

Actually..if it is a '63, it won't be side-oiled, but..I believe the three bolt heads should still be along each side of the block just above the pan.

Right... the side oilers didn't come bout until 65 if I'm not mistaken....

But Ford started cross bolting the 406's in late 62... and the 427's in 63...

One thing to remember about the 427's is they can not be over bored... they already have a 4.23 inch bore.. so they have to be resleved...

[Johnny]

Helluva gesture, Johnny. Them bolts down both sides are there to prevent explosions...that pertiuclar engine could blow up at the turn of a key or drop of a hat and that's why, if you see those bolts in the block, just back slowly away from the thing and call a professional to come disarm it and haul it off for ya.

Hey... That's just the kind of guy I am.... ;)

[Big Del]

I'm not going to get excited I've never been the kind of guy to catch a break:o. I will keep you guys updated though.

[Johnny]

Please do.... Hell I'm excited for you.... and if it does turn out to be the read deal (which is unlikely) you could always send it to me for my collection...

[Gilligan]

They happen Del. In fact, just last summer, a local boy who has been scrounging axles and stuff at my place for a cheap Ranger buildup, dropped a question on me that floored me. He always short of cash..so he says" Bill..I've got a motor in my ole '68 pickup that my Dad gave me that I'm thinking about selling. Started it up and she still runs good but the trucks been sittin in the weeds and is pretty shot to hell. Anyways, my ole man says the motor is worth something 'cuz its a 'Hollaman sumthin or other' . Pop says I could prolly get a couple thou for it even"

I wipe the drool offen my chin, pick my jaw up off the floor and try to look bored as we take a look see. Yup..sitting in that rusty ole pickup is a complete Holman-Moody 427 side-oiler..in perfect running condition..squirrels nest included.. It was obviously a marine 'takeout' from some vintage late-60s hot rod boat like a Donzi or the like..

I informed the young feller that he would be a fool to take less than 20 grand for it...with a young wife, a baby and only odd jobs for the most part, I couldn't bring myself to screw the feller out of it. I'm going to hell for enough already...

[Johnny]

I remember you telling me about that.... freaking drool!!!!!!


Oh, I'm not saying it couldn't happen... I'm just saying it's unlikely... but you never know.... somebody along the way sells one that they don't know what they have... somebody else buys it without knowing what it is... then some lucky sob stumbles across it and buys it for near nothing.... I'm just never lucky enough to be that sob...:(

[Big Del]

I just got off the phone, asking what intake it had and a couple questions. He knows nothing about the motor said it has a factory cast iron 2bbl on it. Not like that means much I was just asking.

[Gilligan]

I just got off the phone, asking what intake it had and a couple questions. He knows nothing about the motor said it has a factory cast iron 2bbl on it. Not like that means much I was just asking.

It adds further confusion..since most of the old iron in the years those head were made were not 2V engines..nd the engine those heads came off of ws certainly not a 2V ..coulda been an 8V though..or 3-deuce.:D

[Johnny]

Thing is, you never know who has done what to that engine in the 40 plus years it's been around... It could very well be a 390, that burnt a valve/cracked a head... and whoever knew a guy that use to race, and bought a set of heads off him to throw on it... just never can tell

[Big Del]

It isn't a side oiler, I looked up some pics so I new what I was looking at. I was asking Mark and his dad about the motor while I was up there and they both said it was the fastest truck they had been in.

I can have the motor is is a greasy mess with the heads off, now I think I will bring it home clean it up and see what it is. Maybe not put anymore money into what I know is a stock 360 that is in the currently in the truck, and see what this setup is.

[Johnny]

Yeah... once you get it home and get it cleaned up, post up the numbers so we can figure out what it is.... I'm curious...

[Big Del]

I will do that it may be a couple weeks before I get it. I would of grabbed it on Saturday but it was a little greasy to fit in my bronco.

[blythe_mechanic]

well was it ?

[Big Del]

I'm not sure, I didn't even know how to identify a side oiler until I talked to these guys. I've tried remembering block idenification charts before but I can't. I didn't check the stroke or anything, it had a factory 2bbl intake for whatever that means?

[Johnny]

You didn't get any numbers off it....

[SuperSnake]

Any more information on how to pep up a 360?