New questions, first FE build.
 

I have read Barry's R's book over and over, it's like a freeking addiction. Help me get over a few hurdles.
Doing the 445 stroker like in the book is just plain old out of my budget.
I do want the FE.. 390 block based is totally fine, I don't really need a stroker kit.
I mainly want a realiable 390, but I do want it at least 427 or there abouts.
So, I guess a little over bore and maybe a 428 crank would do it.

Next.. rocker arms... the TD rockers are so sweet they give me a tingle up my leg... but I don't really need them for a street motor , SO, what should I use.

I like the idea of one stop shopping. I want the block and rotating assembly sourced from one shop with all machine work and balance work completed, stuck in a crate and shipped to me.. Reckon Barry R can do that.

I do want aluminum heads and intake.
Help me come up with a plan that wont be 10k. I can't even sleep at night, freeking motor is all I think about... crap... this is just like 2000 when I built my first C$%!

What's your budget?

A 390 with a 428 crank is 410 cubes. A Scat crank, Scat rods, Probe pistons, Edelbrock heads, Edelbrock intake, factory adjustable rockers, you'll be under $10k and have a stout engine. The 3.980" Scat crank will get you the 410-416 cube range, the 4.125" crank will get you around 430 cubes, and the 4.250" crank will get you around 445. The last two use BBC rods and will save you a little money.

T&D's are nice, but factory adjustable (or even non-adjustable on a hydraulic roller) rockers will suffice in most street cases.

If you really need a budget engine, nothing wrong with a 390. A little overbore will get you close to 400 cubes, and again, would make for a strong engine.

That's certainly a good way to do it.

Give the man the budget and tell him to bake you the cake.

Brent was very good at seeking ways to obtain the best build for me at the lowest cost and within my budget.

PS: Thanks for that Brent :)

I think he could do it for under $10k. Considering what my complete 445's cost, then you subtract my assembly labor, dyno cost, etc., he'd be under $10k.

Brent, what's the cost difference should he want to substitute a nice 428 block for that 390 block?

Prob another $800-900. 428 blocks are getting harder and harder to come by. I personally wouldn't chase one, the 445 inch FE's are powerhouses.

I just finished replacing my 428 with a bored out 390 block. It's getting hard to find a 390 block with a well enough balanced core to bore to a full 4.230 and build a 427. We finally found a 390 with enough meat to bore to 4.100 comforably, added Diamond pistons and SCAT rods. Reworked the heads and balanced the rotating assembly. All in all I came out around $7000 when it was all said and done. Actual displacement is about 418 cuIn. HP runs right at 485. Plenty for street use.

I think that's a really smart way to build a car now. With 427/428 blocks getting harder to find, putting in a meaty 390 is so much better than a SBF and way better priced than a Roush. If I were building one today, that's probably what I'd do.

I think the stroker is going to have to be shelved. A bored 390 is perfect. Like I said in my first post. I have never done this so I need a lot of help and knowing what to get.
Somebody show me a link to the rockers shafts that a budget builder would use. I want a hydraulic cam. I don't want to be adjusting valves, I do know that.
I guess I need a 390 short block but not assembled. I want to do that part. (I think) If I don't get weak kneed.

Keep an eye on the fe forum, some thing like this might have been worth a look.
FordFE.com Classifieds: Nice 390 For Sale
Good luck with your engine build
Cheers

You can have a lot of fun with a 390, even with cast iron heads.

If I were doing a budget build, I would just use a set of factory non-adjustable or adjustable rocker arms, slide some end stands on them, put in rocker studs instead of bolts, and let her eat.

My vote would be for you to find a complete 390 core, then do the whole tear-down yourself, find a good machinist, then do the assembly.

390 Blocks
 

You may already be doing this, but when you go to car shows, look for FEs under the hood and talk to the owner. Most of the time, if they have one under the hood, they have at least one more at home, or they know of someone who has a whole stash of them. A lot of times, these are older guys who have put them away over the years as they saw them harder to come by, and are now realizing that as they are getting older, it may be time to pass them on to someone who is as enthusiastic as they once were about keeping the FEs alive. And they are probably knowledgeable of some local builders who can do anything that you don’t want to undertake yourself. In the NASCAR country of North Carolina, I can’t help but think there are a lot more of these around than you might think.

Keep an eye on the “Auto Parts” section of craigslist, doing a search on FE, 390, 427 and 428. I ran across someone parting out an old Thunderbird with a 390 in it some years back, and someone with two 390 blocks sometime later. All within a few miles of me, and I live in a very small town. Check with local salvage yards as well, and maybe leave them your number to contact you if they have one come in.

As a footnote to this, with the Hot Rod Power Tour starting up in less than a month and not too far from you (June 7 in Concord), that would be a great place to start.

Have 390 blocks in stock
 

We have some nice 390 blocks in stock and have 390 and 428 cranks in stock. Could do you a nice set of stock rods and get pistons and send balanced rotating assembly. Even have some nice stock dampers,front covers and other parts. Give us a call at 870-246-7460 and we can work up some figures.


Thanks, Keith