My rebuild thread w/ lots of pictures

[Dirky]

Looks good! You seem to do great work

 

[TexasRho83]

Fantastic job and your first time too!

 

[NACH390]

awesome looking build. Getting ready to do my 390 over. Larned some things.

Chris

 

[1985 Ford F-150]

Looks good but I think your timing is off mine is set to about 8 degrees advanced and the haynes book says 6 degrees but if it runs good then I would leave it be.

 

[Alvin in AZ]

Rep points who can see my little error: (hint: its not the PS)

Even if I had bigger pictures to stare at I prob'ly wouldn't get it. :/
But got non-"re-sampled" or "re-sized" versions for us to look at?

Alvin in AZ 360FE+T18
ps- my first and second favorite pictures...
http://mikewire.com/images/ford/rebuild/IMG_2956.jpg
{YeeeHaaaw, it's an FE for sure! :}
http://mikewire.com/images/ford/rebuild/IMG_2959.jpg
{Cool! It's a manual too! :}

 

[TexasNomad]

Rep points who can see my little error: (hint: its not the PS)

I can't find it man, the only thing I can see is you didn't paint that front clip and your using a fram filter

 

[SuperCab]

The blue is Old Ford Blue engine enamel. The red is Ford Red. I did learn tho that even tho the temp says it will go to 500 degrees, it will burn off the headers anyway - smoked for 30 minutes until it burned off. I *thought that may happen, but I have used it on 2 stroke cycles with no problem...guess a 360 gets a little hot huh. So, my nice red headers are now brown again and even some of the blue on the heads has turned blackish as well. Note to others rebuilding, pick a higher temp paint than I did.

The best one I have ever seen is VHT.

Painted the manifolds when I put the 390 in the truck and here, years and thousands of miles later, they still look great.

Check it out here:

VHT FlameProof

 

[Alvin in AZ]

VHT FlameProof

Piston domes?
Cool.

"even tho the temp says it will go to 500 degrees" - MikeWire

BTW, first starting to glow-red in the pitch-black-darkness is 750*F or 400*C.

625 to 675*F for "watch spring blue".

I used that information to heat treat small flat springs like pocket knife springs
and S.A.Army hammer springs.

Alvin in AZ
ps- the bottom one, up-an-broke-on-me right after I got the knife together. :/
------------------------
So I did some testing of others I had made, same dang thing, some broke,
which springs aren't supposed to do(!) ...the bent one (edge on picture)
was drawn twice and was good, so that was the trick, a little more time at
temperature and do it twice. "Fixed!" At night put the parts on the electric
stove turn on the stove and turn out all the lights and watch for the "glow"
as soon as it glows, turn off the stove and turn on the light and watch the
colors run. Ok that's the idea... but the stove can also be adjusted so it
turns itself off as soon as the coil glows, which is better... more time at
temperature. This method I came up with, beats Brownell's method.

 

[dakonthemountain]

BEAUTIFUL Engine! Great job... Do you have the fan belt on the wrong grove on the harmonic balancer ?...It looks like you are using the one that is supposed to go for the PS?
Dak

 

[Dirky]

Did you ever get a video of the engine running, I would love to see it in action

 

[Ranger429]

Rep points who can see my little error: (hint: its not the PS)

The alternator belt is on the wrong crank pulley.

 

[bucks77ford]

The alternator belt is on the wrong crank pulley.

That's what I see too. Motor looks great.

 

[m78]

A/C compressor ?

 

[UNRULEE]

That's what I see too. Motor looks great.

Yep ditto, wish I'd have looked at this post earlier. Nice work !!!

 

[Dirky]

Where did ya go Mike?

 

[dakonthemountain]

Ok, I said the belt was on the wrong pulley first!! Where are my points?! I know I used the wrong terminology though... I'm not all that smart on engine guru terminology.. but now I know the name is crankshaft pulley!
Dak

 

[MikeWire]

Haven't posted in a while, but I picked up a Holley 4bbl and an Edelbrock aluminum intake. Both are used and need cleaned up but should make a nice addition to the rebuild.

 

[LEB Ben]

Haven't posted in a while, but I picked up a Holley 4bbl and an Edelbrock aluminum intake. Both are used and need cleaned up but should make a nice addition to the rebuild.

Sounds good...part number/specs on either? Is the Eddy the Performer?

 

[MikeWire]

lol - Yup you guys are correct of course about the picture above. Luckily I caught it before I fired it up.

The intake is a Eddy 390 Performer which should bolt right up with some work. And I can't remember the model # on the carb, but I will post up some pictures when it starts to get nice and I get it in the garage. Thanks for all the posts guys - it helps keep me motivated to keep this project on the top of the priority list!

Rep to those guys with the correct answer!

 

[MikeWire]

Just a small update: I finally found some used F250 front springs. So I tore into the front drivers side, and found that the bushings on the rear shackle were gone and worn down to the metal, hence the lean on the drivers side. So, the newer leaf is in the truck, and needs to be buttoned up. I'll get some pics up soon of the progress.