68 250 cruiser project.. help or ideas

[thebullitt]

alright like the title goes, ive been back and forth on what to do with my 68 250. 2wd truck, it was originally a 360 truck manual granny. the trans is still in it, motor is long been gone. My idea was, lower the thing, shoot it with some fresh paint, keep the steelies and just have em powdered or prime em and roll with some whitewalls...motor wise, ive got a 89 bronco fullsize..5.0 efi to use as a donor..im thinkin rip all the wiring out and droppin that motor in the 68..have a pretty reliable, easy runnin truck to cruise...i know those 5.0s arent the greatest, not being the h.o motor and all, but it runs good and they take a pretty good beating..anyone know of this bein done before or what to do to make it work? thanks much!

[Dirty Offio]

You will need to find a 289/302/straight 6 bell housing for the transmission and frame side motor mounts. I have always had a hard time finding the small block bellhousings, since the FE blocks are more common, in my experience. Other than that, the 302 should drop right in. Change the intake to a carburated intake from the EFI, and drop a points distributor in it with an electronic conversion and you should be cruising in no time. Oh, some of the 5.0's do not have a place to mount a mechanical fuel pump I have been told. Even if they have the hole, covered with a block off plate, you will need to pull the timing cover and attach the fuel pump eccentric to the front of the top timing gear. Either way, an electric fuel pump mounted on the frame rail might be easier. Not sure about the the dropped I-beams, I don't know who makes them. Other than that, sounds like a great truck, post some pics when ya get 'er done!

Offio

[Dragon]

You can lower it by putting a Crown Vic front end under the truck and guess what you can get 302, 4.6 or 5.4 engines to mount.

[thebullitt]

thanks for all the help. Ive changed my direction with it already... did some hunting and asking around and came across a 360 out of another 67 or 68. Needs a basic tune up and some cleaning but runs like a top. swapped the guy a trans for a 60's bronco i had laying around, now im in business! anybody know what these factory 360's need to get em churning better? I got extremely lucky with the motor find, but atleast now ill be as close to factory as i can get mechanical wise.. Any good places to find parts for the 360's? ive looked through a jegs magazine and havent had a whole lot of luck. thanks again guys!

[Dragon]

Before anyone says they are too small get a 390 or ...

How much do you want to spend. How fast do you want to go and what do you want the truck for?

I can easily get 1 hp per Cubit inch so a 360 is 2360 horse and the torque is more.

Anything that fits one FE fits them all except for SOHC top ends. Heads and manifolds must match styles Low Riser, MR, HR and so on though LR and MR heads and manifolds will easily fit either.

Intakes up to 5000 rpm http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive_new ... r-bb.shtml.

Cams from mild to wild are available. From Crower this group is better than stock to GREAT Street power.

360 cams.jpg

Headers well I prefer Hedmans in my trucks Flowtech, Hooker both Holley brands, and a few more will help t breath.

If the Dizzy is the original or an old one after about 20 years the bushings are shot and timing goes to hell. You can go electronic real easy with DuraSpark II from a 1976 360. Get a new dizzy for good bushings and get a junkyard module and harness.

Roller timing chain and oil restricters in the heads,

Now you have something to think about.

[thebullitt]

haha thanks for the help ... now youve turned my night into an endless headache of what exactly im gonna need and what exactly i wanna do with it. In the end, most likely ill be doing a DD build up, mild cam, maybe pull the stock heads and have a lil work done, do a alumi intake, headers, run some mufflers and pipe, and a carb... ive got a 390 that came out of god knows what. it was stored up in my grandads barn for forever and i have no idea what kind of condition its in internally.. im savin it for my next project after i get the 68 going...66 f100