[Guest]

Anyone know which factory 390's had screw in freeze plugs? Did the 390's that had the screw in freeze plugs also have the reinforcement ribs that are similar to the 428CJ block? I am trying to look for a block to take to 428ci for my r-code...a friend told me he has a 390 out of an old truck that has screw in freeze plugs. I haven't had a chance to look at it so I don't know if it has reinforcement ribs that I've been told are in some 390's and 391 FT's.

 

[390fastback]

I know some 427's had screw in freeze plugs, but I've never seen any on a 390. Although I've been wrong before.

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[Guest]

No 390's came from the factory with screw in freeze plugs.
This is not to say that someone could not have threaded the block to take them.
What you are looking for in the truck blocks are identified by a reverse cast 501 in the front of the block, but even these which are said to have thicker cylinder walls should be sonic checked to see if they can be safely bored to that size.
Some of those blocks can go al the way to 4.23"

Greg B

 

[racer_x_76]

If you use an FT block be sure to check the size of the lower distributor pilot in the block. Most all of the FE series engines used a dist. with a .437" pilot and the FT series used either a .500" or a .550" I can't remember which exactly but if the smaller pilot dist. is used in the larger pilot block, you won't have the support required on the bottom of the distributor shaft and it can cause premature wear of the cam and distributor gears. So you will either have to have the hole bushed down or use an FT distributor which by the way is a very bulky unit and is usually equiped with a governor. Also you will need to use the FT oil pump and pump driveshaft. FE shaft is 1/4" hex while the FT uses a 5/16" hex shaft. Hope this helps you out.

Every day is a holiday if you love your job.

 

[Guest]

A bushing to reduce the hole for the dist.so that you can use a std FE dist in a FT block is available from Ford


Greg B