Any suggestions on a 390 swap?

[87RangerSTX]

I was helping a friend move some junk at his dads place and we uncoverd a really good looking 390. His dad said that it is a good engine and that I could just have it if I wanted it. I plan to rebuild it and drop it and the appropriate drivetrain into my 87 Ranger XLT Ex-Cab and maybe some fullsize axles. Any help, information or suggestions on this swap would be great. Thanks.

 

[thoughtcriminal]

first off, your insane. and my hero.

From what I know, ford FE engines have pretty obscene amounts of torque. A big engine like that in a ranger may be trouble, you are going to want to do something to reinforce the frame.

 

[superdave1984]

first off, your insane. and my hero.

From what I know, ford FE engines have pretty obscene amounts of torque. A big engine like that in a ranger may be trouble, you are going to want to do something to reinforce the frame.

+1. You will need lots of frame surgery to keep it from twisting like a pretzel. Also, if you do actually give this a shot, you probably will want to set the engine back a few inches to help with balance. I saw a 460 in a Ranger once, but it had a tube frame and was set up as a Pro Street truck. The firewall had been moved back about 2 inches and even then it was close.

 

[gotmudd]

+1. You will need lots of frame surgery to keep it from twisting like a pretzel. Also, if you do actually give this a shot, you probably will want to set the engine back a few inches to help with balance. I saw a 460 in a Ranger once, but it had a tube frame and was set up as a Pro Street truck. The firewall had been moved back about 2 inches and even then it was close.

+2, depending on what you do to the motor, if you can get enough rubber to the ground you would have 2 things, first: a ranger that could pull/drag anything it hooked up to, and second: . if it was me, for the amount of torque you'd have, i 'd box the frame to right behind the cab mounts, maybe add a crossmember up front. and a full skid plate under the transmission, if you have room.

 

[baddad457]

It would be easier to just swap bodies with either of your 67 or 72 F250's. 390's a good engine, you can build it to basically stock specs (late 60's GT390) use a little hotter cam (.500-.525 lift and 280-300* advertised duration) and get 400hp/450 ft/lbs torque without trying.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Just for a little scale, we are looking at a 1970 L7000 grain truck, has about 25' of bed, flipover nose, tag axle the whole bit. Under the hood is a 360, which is a destroked 390. GVW is about 25k#'s.

 

[baddad457]

Just for a little scale, we are looking at a 1970 L7000 grain truck, has about 25' of bed, flipover nose, tag axle the whole bit. Under the hood is a 360, which is a destroked 390. GVW is about 25k#'s.

That would be an F700 with a 361FT motor. Same bore & stroke but will have a steel crank, FT heads & intake. Unless some one swapped the original motor out of it. Could be anything in there at this point in time.(like maybe a 428 Irrigation motor?)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That would be an F700 with a 361FT motor. Same bore & stroke but will have a steel crank, FT heads & intake. Unless some one swapped the original motor out of it. Could be anything in there at this point in time.(like maybe a 428 Irrigation motor?)

It was an L-series, looks like a semi tractor... the F-series had a pickup-like cab with the hood that opened like a pickup. It says 360 on the valve cover, and that is what the seller says it has. I know 390's are pretty common in grain trucks too.

Dunno if the engine is original or not, but it bolted to the stock transmission and the guy has been using it regularly until fuel prices got high and he replaced it with a diesel.

Here is the heavy F-Series of the time (and I couldn't find anything heavier than F-600):
http://www.naalive.com/photos/blackford/4790/4790_0003_1_md.jpg

This is about like the one we are looking at (with maybe a slightly different grille and no air intake in the hood):
http://www.richmondauctionservice.ca/html/auctions/images/truckGrainBlueFord2.JPG

The plan is to scrap the bed (the sides are rusted out), shorten it up and make it a mini semi for pulling our gooseneck flatbed.

 

[87RangerSTX]

It would be easier to just swap bodies with either of your 67 or 72 F250's. 390's a good engine, you can build it to basically stock specs (late 60's GT390) use a little hotter cam (.500-.525 lift and 280-300* advertised duration) and get 400hp/450 ft/lbs torque without trying.

Nah. No way I'm taking apart my 67 or 72. I love those trucks. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I'll just extremly beef out my Ranger frame or find a different frame from somewhere else.

 

[87RangerSTX]

I want to still have a manual tranny tho. So what would be a good solid tranny and transfer case combo? And any info on a good set of fullsize axles and differentials? I'm sorry if it seems like I'm using people for my own benifit but I don't have alot of spare time currently to research these things. I still need to find a carb for the 390 as well.

 

[surffishin07]

find a good set of rockwell axles that much torque can shatter a stock dana 44 especially if your gonna have big rubbers on there

 

[baddad457]

Here is the heavy F-Series of the time (and I couldn't find anything heavier than F-600):
http://www.naalive.com/photos/blackford/4790/4790_0003_1_md.jpg

This is about like the one we are looking at (with maybe a slightly different grille and no air intake in the hood):
http://www.richmondauctionservice.ca/html/auctions/images/truckGrainBlueFord2.JPG

The second, the one you're talking about buying, isn't a 70 model. The L series came out later in the 70's (I think). Many had either a 370 or 429 motor starting in 79 or 80 (385 series truck engines) 360's and 390's were never installed in these trucks at the factory. Only the FT series engines in these from the factory. Same block as the FE's but heavier duty internals, so it really easy to swap in a 360/390, just using the FT external parts.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I could be off on the year (I probably am) it has been awhile since we looked at it, they seller is hem-hawing around about selling now because he let the registration expire 2 years ago.

 

[mkpecor]

my budie has a 85 full size bronco with a 98 ex cab ranger body on it, built 460 for power. he did that since the ranger frame was not ment for big block power. if you do. box the frame good.

 

[BigBlockRanger]

http://members.shaw.ca/RangerFE/Pictures.htm