I'm building a 300... 5/19/12 SHE'S ALIVE!!!

[fomocoguy]

Well, I've made an executive decision. After chasing down some parts for my 390 build the other day I filled up the truck and calculated my mileage again, as I always do. As usual, it came out to just a hair under 8 mpg. I cringed and went on my way, but it caused me to do some soul searching on my engine choice and I've made up my mind; I'm gonna build a 300. When I look at my criteria it makes perfect sense.

1. I want big low end torque.
2. I don't really have the funds or facilities for a diesel swap.
3. I REALLY want to get out of the single digits for mileage.
4. It's a bolt in swap.
5. I've always wanted to do a 300 build and the opportunity is perfect.

So, here is what I'm thinking. I already found a 300 out of a 75 Ford pickup that is complete with the trans and all accessories for $200. It's been in dry storage for a short time and supposedly has about 100k on it. Here's my mod list I've worked out:

240 head (for ~9.0:1 cr), lightly ported
Offy dual plane intake
Crane 503901 cam (.458/.487 lift, 204/216 duration @ .050)
500cfm edelbrock carb
EFI manifolds into my existing 2.25 exhaust and spintech mufflers

SO what do you all think? Any advice from anyone who's done this swap would be greatly apprieciated. I do have a few questions that some of you may be able to help with. First, do you know if the bellhousing from the three speed trans on the 300 will swap over to my four speed without any issues? Does the clutch use the same z-bar? Also, will the trans still sit in the same spot or will it move back slightly because of the extra length of the block? I know the engine stands just need to move foward, but somebody mentioned something in another post (I think it was sideoilerFE) about the drivers side perch being different if you have a saginaw power steering pump. Some details on that would be greatly apprieciated! Do any of you know if the pump mounting brackets are the same? Also, is there a difference in oil pans between the 2 wheel drive and 4 wheel drive like FE's?

Also any advice on performance mods that are worthwhile that I'm missing would be fantastic. Thanks!

[ToughOldFord]

I'm with you, I've considered this swap and probably will do it someday. Mileage isn't everything, but breaking into the double digits makes a truck much more drivable.

[fomocoguy]

Yep, I just keep remembering when gas was $4+ a gallon and the truck got drove once a week, MAYBE. If it gets back to that someday 12-14 mpg will be much more tolerable than 7-8.

[JEF199]

I like your build ideas for the 300. But I don't think that you will gain much milage w/ it. I had a 68 lwb with 300 3sp. I put a 84 ltd 302 w/ aod the only thing I changed was I added a 66 cast iron 4v intake and holley 600. With the stock 300 I got 13mpg and w/ the 302 I got 18mpg....Oh I had 3.25 gears for both set-ups and that was highway milage 25miles each way to work. If you do some mods to the 6 you will probably loose some milage. Although it will a nice build.

[fomocoguy]

I would really like for it to sound like this guys:
He's got 2.5" duals going into a dual in/ dual out flowmaster and duals out the side next to each other. If mine sounds bad I may try and copy his setup; it sounds like a mini cummins to me!

[fomocoguy]

I like your build ideas for the 300. But I don't think that you will gain much milage w/ it. I had a 68 lwb with 300 3sp. I put a 84 ltd 302 w/ aod the only thing I changed was I added a 66 cast iron 4v intake and holley 600. With the stock 300 I got 13mpg and w/ the 302 I got 18mpg....Oh I had 3.25 gears for both set-ups and that was highway milage 25miles each way to work. If you do some mods to the 6 you will probably loose some milage. Although it will a nice build.

You could be right, but I won't be too awfully dissapointed if that happens. It'll still be neat.

[1971ford]

Don't calculate mileage and you're good to go!
Actually every day i think about how bad my '71 with 429 is going to be when im driving it daily all over (starting tomorrow). The 390 build should be better but not much.
I'll be watching the build.

Oh, and what parts did you save that you won't be using?

[fomocoguy]

Don't calculate mileage and you're good to go!
Actually every day i think about how bad my '71 with 429 is going to be when im driving it daily all over (starting tomorrow). The 390 build should be better but not much.
I'll be watching the build.

Oh, and what parts did you save that you won't be using?

Not much actually. I'll still have the manifolds, but the machined block, turned crank, performer intake, rods, and misc parts are all called for. I've got a buddy that is buying it all, and I should end up with enough cash to fund the entire build (or at least most of it). I'm already hunting for parts as we speak!

[sideoilerfe]

You've got a 4x4 so regarding the motor mount towers i am not sure on those as I haven't done that swap on the 4x4. You might want to consider an EFI 300. With a better cam and some head work it might be pretty sweet.

[fomocoguy]

You've got a 4x4 so regarding the motor mount towers i am not sure on those as I haven't done that swap on the 4x4. You might want to consider an EFI 300. With a better cam and some head work it might be pretty sweet.

I was seriously debating on if I should do a carbed or efi setup (this is the kind of stuff I lose sleep over). The thing is the stock efi motor is around 150hp/260tq, and I'd like to be somewhere in the range of 250hp/350tq. It would take a mass air motor to handle the kind of mods it would take to get there, which wouldn't be a big deal except mass air wiring harnesses are supposedly a big tangled mess and a real pain to deal with. Then I thought maybe a mass air motor and megasquirt cpu, but I got on there site and it's really a bit out of my realm. I know squat about efi. I do believe though that with an injector swap from 12 to 19lb injectors, a good port, and a tuned megasquirt that it would be pretty close to my goal.

Then I thought maybe I should just build the motor first and get it going, and if I decide to later I could always swap the carb setup out for an efi setup. Plus there is something inherently cool about that big 4 barrel offy manifold....

[sideoilerfe]

The thing is the stock efi motor is around 150hp/260tq, and I'd like to be somewhere in the range of 250hp/350tq.

True but you don't want a stock one. That is why I mentioned that with a better cam and some head work it might be pretty sweet.

Then I thought maybe I should just build the motor first and get it going, and if I decide to later I could always swap the carb setup out for an efi setup. Plus there is something inherently cool about that big 4 barrel offy manifold....

I think the motors are a little different and there's more than just swapping intakes however, I hear ya on the 4V. I think a two, 2V would be cool as the runner to carb distance would be more equal. With a single carburetor you have the outer cylinders with very long runners as the middle ones have shorter ones. I don't know if this makes a difference or not but I would think it might. There's been some pretty fast 6s built and I've considered it myself. For EFI, I would just buy a beater '92 or something and take everything like computer ect. It could be a cool project. If I could get the same power as my stock 360 2V but get 18MPH, I'd be happy.

[JMcTurnan]

I think that still seems low, is your engine running right? Im thinking you should pull off about 11. Unless your counting city mpg, i get about 10 city mpg, and about 15 highway. But then again, I got a 351w.

[sideoilerfe]

I think that still seems low, is your engine running right? Im thinking you should pull off about 11. Unless your counting city mpg, i get about 10 city mpg, and about 15 highway. But then again, I got a 351w.

FE's are fuel eaters, especially the 360. My stock 360 runs like a top and get's 8 MPG.

[Ranchero50]

I'd just put an OD tranny in and enjoy both worlds. Tremec 3550 should be about as much as a 300 rebuild and be twice as fun.

Jamie

[1967AceStroker]

My '67 F-100 I got about 11 mpg, driving nice, it had a 352, automatic.

My '94 F-150 I get about 16 mpg, its has an efi 300, 5 speed.