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CrestonM 
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Location: Oklahoma
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 Topic: Ford 390 Crankshaft Search
Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 5:08pm |
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Anyone know of a source for one? Either reconditioned or used but able to be ground? I have a 1965 352 that I’d like to bore and put a 390 rotating assembly in.
Thanks,
Creston
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DMiller
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 5:22pm |
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Good Luck, they are almost as Unobtanium as AC Parts. Buddy has swapped to later model engines and drive train in many of his old Fords, could not locate necessities for those old monsters either.
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LouSWPA
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 5:40pm |
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It's funny, the stuff that was 'throwaway' growing up, that can't be found now!
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I am still confident of this;
I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Ps 27
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 5:56pm |
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 6:03pm |
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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Thad in AR.
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 6:44pm |
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I’ll do some checking around here.
I’d also be hitting the older salvage yards look at galaxies and wagons and such.
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tomNE
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 7:03pm |
how many you want and any other stuff u need? there was a difference in the 64 and 65 blocks but i'm unsure of the cranks. if you want it ready to go, that can be done, also!
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CrestonM
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 7:29pm |
Well I'll be darned. Those look cheap enough. I've been looking for the last two evenings online, but couldn't find any online. Guess I didn't search right! Thanks Steve!
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CrestonM
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 7:38pm |
 tomNE wrote:
how many you want and any other stuff u need? there was a difference in the 64 and 65 blocks but i'm unsure of the cranks. if you want it ready to go, that can be done, also! |
I only need 1 crankshaft, and I'll also need 390 rods. I'll source new pistons and wrist pins. Ready to go would be nice! I'm not sure yet what other parts I'll need. Those parts for sure, plus whatever the engine needs. I haven't got it out of the truck yet, still have to clean a ton of dirt out from underneath it and get the transmission taken out and the mounting bolts loose. The VIN says it's a 1965 and left the factory with a 352. Dad bought it used in the 70s, but the PO included a full list of service records. The only thing engine related was a valve job, so I'm thinking it's still the original '65 352. It's been sitting since 1982 when it supposedly broke the timing chain, but no one ever took it apart to find out. It was my dad's pickup and I want to get it running and mechanically sound while he's still around to go for a ride with me. The goal is have it on the road by New Years, but we'll see how many unexpected problems learning opportunities happen along the way. I had intentions of doing this when I was in high school, but it was an interesting story about "stockholders" and trying to get the title brought back up to date so we could prove ownership. Only took 6 years, but now we have it back!
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DrAllis
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 7:43pm |
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Just find a complete 390 and take the parts you need out of it.
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CrestonM
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 7:51pm |
When it was new, it was yellow, but a lifetime of being outside has made it cream color. It has a 4 speed in it, only thing I would change is make it 4wd! 
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CrestonM
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 7:52pm |
DrAllis wrote:
Just find a complete 390 and take the parts you need out of it. |
I've called several auto salvage yards around Oklahoma, but I haven't had any luck there either. In the two that I've visited, I couldn't find anything older than a late 80s Chevrolet. Sign of the times I guess.
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 9:03pm |
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You got to remember its 2022 ..... Junk yard, like anybody else are looking for volume customers so its 2000 model and later ...... anything older than that is a "special" junk yard, or was sent to the crusher.
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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tomNE
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 9:35pm |
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have you ever worked on a 390 ford? the exhaust manifold bolts will brake off. don't spend a bunch of time on them. a welder get them out easily! DO NOT get a drill out and try to ez out them. look for a used aluminum intake. the factory intake weighs just under a ton and is hard to handle. most people use an engine hoist to put them on!
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CrestonM
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 10:07pm |
tomNE wrote:
have you ever worked on a 390 ford? the exhaust manifold bolts will brake off. don't spend a bunch of time on them. a welder get them out easily! DO NOT get a drill out and try to ez out them. look for a used aluminum intake. the factory intake weighs just under a ton and is hard to handle. most people use an engine hoist to put them on! |
Nope, never worked on an FE Ford. Thanks for the tip!
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KMAG
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 10:21pm |
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The 390 cranks come in truck and car styles. Truck cranks stick out further in the front.
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tomNE
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 11:22pm |
truck one might be for a 391!
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tomNE
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Posted: 22 Aug 2022 at 11:27pm |
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lots of tricks on a 390 ford. factory timing gear is actually marked wrong. you wanna buy a timing chain set that allows you to advance the cam. factory lifters were basicly junk. when you get one right, they fly; from the factory it was hit and miss! personally i'd bypass the 390 and go straight to a 428. real popular here as an irrigation motor! same deal with cam timing, exhaust bolts and intake!
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darrel in ND
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Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 6:18am |
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30+ years ago, I built a 390 for my 69 ford half ton 4X4. The thing would run like a scalded dog and pull the nuts off a bull elephant.
Still have the pickup, but haven't used it in quite a few years now
Darrel
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exSW
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Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 7:05am |
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My old boss in College had a '76(?) F350 one ton flatbed. Had one of the last 390's with a big old Holley. That was one runnin' farm truck. Three ton of feed on the bed or dragging a 24' gooseneck to the cow sale or Reelfoot it was pretty nice.
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Learning AC...slowly
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Fred in Pa
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Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 11:32am |
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Drop a coyote engine in it and make it a sleeper .LOL
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He who dies with the most toys is,
nonetheless ,still dead.
If all else fails ,Read all that is PRINTED.
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Ray54
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Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 11:50am |
Never give it up now that you have it. I have a friend that has been keeping that body style going since the 80's. By accident all three he has driven started a a dark green. Still using the last one as a daily driver not that us old guys drive our trucks every day having ATV's or side by side if we don't leave the ranch.
I lost track of what engine he is using today. But the divorced transfer case for the 4x4 and 4 speed. The axles have been updated to 3/4 ton stuff. Never got around to painting any of them.
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Michael V (NM)
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Posted: 23 Aug 2022 at 10:46pm |
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Oh-boy,,,your gonna get to know Dennis Carpenter and LMC real well,,,
Sweet ride...
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PaulB
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Posted: 24 Aug 2022 at 6:35am |
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The thing I remember most of those Fords was that they could never get past a gas station without stopping. The 4X4 models sometime never got to the gas station. I've seen loaded grain trucks that got better mileage than Ford Pickups.
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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY
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Codger
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Posted: 24 Aug 2022 at 7:41am |
Back when I was a bit younger I purchased a rusted 1969 "County Squire" wagon with a 390 2V and that engine ran like a top and would get almost 15mpg on my newspaper route delivering bundles to remote route deliverers. When I quite doing that I purchased a 1971 Mustang "Mach 1" and "shoehorned" this engine/trans into it with an aluminum intake and Holley 780 carburetor, along with a set of cheap "Doug Thorley" headers and direct mount "Hush Thrush" mufflers with turndowns for the exhaust. No other work to the engine other than a timing chain and water pump while it was out.
Power increased exponentially, and economy plummeted at the same time for some reason. My wife couldn't see very well out of the car so we sold it to another party, but it ran around several years where we lived prior to us departing the area. |
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IBWD MIke
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Posted: 24 Aug 2022 at 9:01am |
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Like Steve posted, there is pretty good aftermarket parts availability for these engines. There are some guys local around here that still use F.E.'s in high performance apps. I'll check with one and see if he knows anyone with a good spare crank.
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CrestonM
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Posted: 24 Aug 2022 at 9:37pm |
Michael V (NM) wrote:
Oh-boy,,,your gonna get to know Dennis Carpenter and LMC real well,,,
Sweet ride... |
Thanks! Yes I'm sure I will. I bought a few things from Dennis Carpenter when I was restoring the 8N. He's got a lot of nice stuff!
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CrestonM
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Posted: 24 Aug 2022 at 9:38pm |
IBWD MIke wrote:
Like Steve posted, there is pretty good aftermarket parts availability for these engines. There are some guys local around here that still use F.E.'s in high performance apps. I'll check with one and see if he knows anyone with a good spare crank.
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Thanks!
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tomNE
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Posted: 24 Aug 2022 at 9:49pm |
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timing chain kits were miss marked at the factory! biggest HP gain for the least amount of money!
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tadams(OH)
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Posted: 25 Aug 2022 at 12:01pm |
I have a set of headers for a 390 I would like to sell brand new, I didn't like the way they fit on my 1975 F-150 and didn't use them.
Edited by tadams(OH) - 26 Aug 2022 at 1:41pm
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