make my 390 sound like a 351w

[68monster]

i have a 390 fe that no matter what exhaust i put behind it , it stays pretty quiet, i love the sound of the 351 w they have a lope to them, what do i need to do to make my 390 sound better?

[td]

If your looking to spend some $ to do it try some 2.5'' diameter pipe and some flowmaster mufflers.

[DuckRyder]

Well, it would help to know what the specs of the 351 that you like the sound are, but two big things are:

Compression
Camshaft

[convincor]

like said above... if the 351 has a lope to the idle it's probably not stock.

[Redcap]

Well, it would help to know what the specs of the 351 that you like the sound are, but two big things are:

Compression
Camshaft

Exactly.

[papabug71]

Firing order.

You will never make an FE sound like a Windsor motor. No v8 sounds better than a properly cammed FE engine.

[TNIceWolf]

I have to agree with papabug...is no amount of mods you can do except just get used to an FE having an FE lope and sound. They arent built to do anything different.

[ximy]

Perhaps you could put a 351w in your truck and tell everyone it is a 390

[68monster]

ok ok maybe i didn't mean make it sound just like a 351, what i really want to know is what headers/cam/intake/carb/ should i run on my 1968 380 fe to make it a little more badass

[dbusedautoparts]

I would not recomend using stock springs and locks with a aftermarket cam. Exspecially a ford the factory valves springs are not designed for a high lift cam and will bind/break. Using a huge cam like a 292 it will make it sound mean but it will fall on its face when you get after it you will also have to check piston to valve clearence . In an FE your limited with RPM as well (unless you do a ton of machine work ) so you want to keep your cam profile in the idle-5500 range a 280 or 292 duration comp cam are made for bracket racing these cams will put you in the 2500-6000 rpm range. You should also look at valve lift as well as duration and your centerline , for best results the cam should be degreed in, when it comes to Cam's and Carberator's Bigger isnt always better. I have a 390 with a 268 duration comp cam and matched valve springs 9.1 compression edelbrock intake and Carb(650 cfm) , I have a set of Black Jack headers with 2.5 inch exhuast and thrush glass packs, At idle it has a nice loupy idle like a mach1 mustang and when you get after it the throttle responce it crisp and and the glass packs talk loud. At any rate not matter what you decide to do save your self a lot of time and money and put in matching parts the first time.

[68monster]

wich carb ?

http://www.jegs.com/i/Barry+Grant/132/1 ... E/10002/-1
or
http://www.jegs.com/i/Edelbrock/350/1826/10002/-1

i can pick up the deamon for 200 and the edelbrock for 100. what do you think?

[68monster]

btw i am building a 4x4 but it will mainly see asphalt driving, (show car) the area that i live in has the largest car show in utah (cache valley cruise in) there are tons of cameros, corvettes and mustangs, chargers, gto's, there is everything from ricers to show quality vig rigs, all in all there is a great cross section except 67-72 ford trucks, and the ones that are in the show are either 2wd stokers or lowered. mine will be only the second bumpside that is a 4wd. i have attended this car event from the time i was born, so i have always wanted to enter a car, but instead of buying an old muscle car like everyone else i decided that i loved my old truck so much that i would the time to really make it shine so that i may be able to get a group poss a club of bumpsides going! that is really my goal!

[Redcap]

btw i am building a 4x4 but it will be a asphalt driver, (show car)

So...you are building a mall crawler?


I'd pick up the Edelbrock for a hundred. They are simple, easy to work on and usually operate fine out of the box.

[68monster]

yep i'm building a
"mall crawler" this truck has been in the family since 1969, it has been owned by my uncle, my dad and then me, all my cousins, and my uncles and brother and sisters rode in it and everyone has a story or a memory of riding in it so this truck means too much to destroy! i have a 1999 super duty that is my work horse!

[fomocoguy]

If your looking to spend some $ to do it try some 2.5'' diameter pipe and some flowmaster mufflers.

They will give you the sound you want without going all out on the engine. Just use some 3.5" slash cut tips that are at least 18" long for that nice "echo".