390 based stroker for ranger drag truck?

[Teddyzee]

Think the cast intakes weight about 70lbs... certainly feel heavier than a Windsor iron head. Just wanted to mention that for anyone who has never worked on one.
If you ever see one in a friend's garage, lift it!

 

[92ranger18]

Think the cast intakes weight about 70lbs... certainly feel heavier than a Windsor iron head. Just wanted to mention that for anyone who has never worked on one.
If you ever see one in a friend's garage, lift it!

ha how much does an aluminum intake for one weigh?

 

[Ozwynn]

and another thing on some of the drag engines they run a vacuum pump, what is the purpose of that?

For power brakes. Big cammed out strokers don't make alot of vacuum.

 

[baddad457]

i bet its heavy as heck. With aluminum heads and intake it will be a heck of alot lighter.

Yea, by about 110 pounds.

 

[cody93]

id say mount it in the bed

 

[gwaii]

Think the cast intakes weight about 70lbs... certainly feel heavier than a Windsor iron head. Just wanted to mention that for anyone who has never worked on one.
If you ever see one in a friend's garage, lift it!

something to keep in mind with this is that half of what would normally be part of the heads is on the intake...including a fair portion of the valve cover surface and the push rod guides.i'd bet the fe intake is pretty close to the width of the whole 302 engine.
the fe heads are relatively light because they are so skinny,but ya,that intake is a handfull.getting one in place when the engine is in the car is a challenge for two guys,i still have vivid memories of dealing with those things.

 

[92ranger18]

For power brakes. Big cammed out strokers don't make alot of vacuum.

so if i do go through and build the FE stroker would i need to have a vacuum pump?

 

[Mac]

Finally found the alum FE intake hiding under the bed in my spare bedroom. It weighs 28 lbs. Distance between VC mounting is 13" compared to the 9" on a 302. I remember measuring the width on the FE short block and it was almost as wide as a 302 with manifolds. Building the short block costs just a little more than a SBF but no cheap high performace heads around. Dove, Blue Thunder or Shelby have some really good ones but not cheap. Just not the demand for the parts anymore so the price goes up compared to the SBF.
Dave of the Nord

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

so if i do go through and build the FE stroker would i need to have a vacuum pump?

You can try a vacuum can that stores vacuum for when you need it, like when you have vacuum operated windshield wipers and are going up a hill! I ended up scrapping the '54 chev truck that I was going to do this to, so can't say that I have first hand experience with that set-up, but that is what I heard the oldtimers did in the day.
Another use for a vacuum pump that I've heard about is that a vacuum in your bottom end is good for freeing up some horsepower. Something to do with the rings working better and less pumping loss as the piston comes down the bore. I'd like to see back to back tests on a dyno before putting to much stock in the idea, though the rings working better kind of makes sense.

Richard

 

[bearsrngr]

Weight is a non issue. An FE with aluminum heads, intake, & waterpump weighs no more than a built Windsor or Cleveland.

Let's not forget that the FE is a Y block, there is a lot of cast iron below the crank. You'll never get an FE to weigh as much as a small block.

 

[baddad457]

Let's not forget that the FE is a Y block, there is a lot of cast iron below the crank. You'll never get an FE to weigh as much as a small block.

It's still a non issue, an aluminum headed, intaked, waterpumped FE doesn't weigh a whole lot more than a Windsor. I had a 390/427 67 Stang back in the 80's, despite what everyone said about it being nose heavy and not handling, they were all full of BS. ANY pickup truck is going to be light in the rear, with any engine, so anything you do to the front, you will have to address the rear issue if you're going to get serious about traction in the rear.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Are we comparing an aluminum water pumped, intaked, and headed 390 to an all cast iron small block?

'Cause they make a lot of aluminum stuff for small blocks too...

 

[bearsrngr]

Are we comparing an aluminum water pumped, intaked, and headed 390 to an all cast iron small block?

'Cause they make a lot of aluminum stuff for small blocks too...

That's my point, none the less the combination of the size and weight of an FE would be hard to overcome in a ranger built strictly for the track. Not saying it wouln't be fun to build and drive but it would take a lot to make it hook properly. I've always had a soft spot for FE's, my first rebuild as a teenager(other than a few lawnmower engines) was a 65 Gallaxy 2door 390.
Wish I had that car today.




.

 

[baddad457]

Are we comparing an aluminum water pumped, intaked, and headed 390 to an all cast iron small block?

'Cause they make a lot of aluminum stuff for small blocks too...

And that still doesn't make the case against doing an FE. Would weight have become an issue if he was contemplating a 385 series motor ? Those were even heavier in stock form than an FE, but that doesn't seem to matter when the subject of doing one comes up in a strip truck project. Now if he were talking about doing this with an FE in stock form, for a street driven truck, I'd be on the other side of the fence. But as he's talking about a dedicated strokered FE strip truck, I'm all for it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

And that still doesn't make the case against doing an FE. Would weight have become an issue if he was contemplating a 385 series motor ? Those were even heavier in stock form than an FE, but that doesn't seem to matter when the subject of doing one comes up in a strip truck project. Now if he were talking about doing this with an FE in stock form, for a street driven truck, I'd be on the other side of the fence. But as he's talking about a dedicated strokered FE strip truck, I'm all for it.

I don't really care about all that, I was just wondering if you could really get a 390 lighter than a SBF