Rebuild or Stroke it???

[suavematt]

Hey all.
Some of ya may have seen the pic' of my 73' Ford Motor Home I posed up a few days ago... Well, to say the least, the old 360 is tired... Even though it's only around 60,000 on it, I think sitting around doing nothing for sooooo long before I bought it had bitter effects on the old thing. I need to rebuild it... But what I need help deciding is if I should just rebuild the 360 with new pistons, rings, seals, gaskets etc... Or if I should just go ahead & stroke it up to a 390 or 428??? It's a 20ft A-class, & in my opinion, it's way under-powered driving around the mountains. I only pull my Ranger behind, or probably soon a Bronco II.

Let me hear your thoughts/opinions on 360, 390, or 428. Also, I'd love to hear yal's experience with the best FE Aluminum intake manifold & Cam. I want Low-end grunt for driving up-hill & towing what ever I've got behind it with no problem. It's got a Dana70 rear with 4.10 gears... & will soon have a locker installed too.

I've got a set of FE heads off a 352; Will these work on the rebuild if I just get these machined & matched to what ever pistons I end up using, & new valves/springs/seats etc... or is there any reason I should re-use the 360s' heads?

Thanks a lot
Later!

~ Suave'

[mljjones67]

I think a cummins would be your best bet.

[ToughOldFord]

I fresh 360 is fairly strong, IMO, do you think it's underpowered because it's tired? Do a compression test, if it checks out good and the engine runs well then we can eliminate that and move on to something bigger. You might want to go 390 anyway just because it's easy and won't really cost you much more than rebuilding it as a 360.
You can use your 352 heads, but the 73 heads will already have hardened seats.

[suavematt]

Nah' No diesel for me; the cost of it varies too much from state to state & I've only got a 35-gallon tank on this lil' critter... plus I can work on gas engine myself & know they'll work afterwards haha.. Never worked on, or in, a diesel;

10-4, we'll do a comp' test next time when I drive it out to my bro's father n' laws Ranch where we work on stuff... Honestly I think the 360 is lacking in a lot of areas.. it's got the STOCK fo-mo-co distributor, cap, & wires, as well as the original coil which is in rough shape... I'm sure a newer, hotter igntion would wake it up a LOT haha shoot, new cap & wires would probably make a big difference hahaha... Also, I almost wanna say it's jump'd time a lil'... Do the FE's have plastic-tooth timing gears like my 68' 289 did? or is it solid steel gear & chain? & are the timing gears up front & east to access? Perhaps a set of Pete Jackson or Miloden "Cheater" gears would cure that problem for good... Plus the oil-pan gasket needs replaced, as do the valve-cover gaskets...

I guess I'm just leary of this 360 because I've never driven one in top-notch condition... If it's got good compression, I may just try to "refresh" this ol' thing before I rebuild it.. but when rebuild time comes, I'm thinking it'll get stroked up just because; If the it's not that much to make it a 390 than why not!?

Thanks.

~ Suave'

[convincor]

I'm thinking it'll get stroked up just because; If the it's not that much to make it a 390 than why not!?

Thanks.

~ Suave'

Not much more to make it a 410 either.

[hotrodfeguy]

I would go 390 or 410, but thats me. Stroke= torque and thats what gets you up a hill.

[suavematt]

410? I'm assumin' this is just an aftermarket stroker kit like the 308 or 347 for the 302's? I like the sound of a 410... More the a 390 but not quick a 428 .... A guy I met in New Mexico had a 1970 22ft DODGE A-class motor-home with a 413 V8 & the same Dana70 rear-end/ 4.10gears as mine (but his was locked) his could go uphill where mine could only dream ... He also had a 4bbl carb' though, where mine is a 2bbl too

Does Summit or Jegs sell a 410 FE stroker kit? or whose the best "bang for the buck" provider?
Thanks

Later!

~ Suave'

[ToughOldFord]

Generically speaking a 410 is a 360/390 with a 428 crank. This thread will help:

Chunk Long

[suavematt]

Right Awn! Thanks for the link man... Very in depth & clarifying read on the subject

360 block bored 0.030 over
428 crank 20/20
OEM rods ARP bolts
Sealed Power 381P pistons
CJ valves, mild porting
Performer RPM intake
Holley 4150 carb
FPA Try-Y's (future installation)

Compression is 9.6 to 1
Temperature is 160 with 4 row radiator
(I am sure it will go up this summer)
Oil pressure is 3/4

So this is the magic recipe' for this "coveted" 410FE eh'? .... So did this end up runnin' on 87' unleaded or not???
Thanks again.

~ Suave'

[court1100f]

Actually the .030 over makes it a 416.27Cid a 410 would be standard 4.050 bore like a stock 360 or 390.........a 410 was a real factory motor built by ford for Mercurys so basicly it's not a quote on quote stroker kit as such but rather an OEM Mercury 410 replica and a Torque monster