Looks like 500 RWHP and 25 MPG is possible. At least if it's kept under 60 MPH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3Vj9KOe5gM
That is just an awesome truck. Can't say I like all the junk under the hood, but having a modern drivetrain would be nice for a long haul driver. I imagine the truck is probably at least half a ton lighter than its modern counterpart, so that certainly helps with mileage. The dash gauges, while being modern, still don't look bad in there either. You, sir, have one hell of a nice truck!
Thanks Doug!
Since I already have 3 1966 Trucks that are FE powered and 2 1966 Trucks that are FT powered for what I wanted in a long distance driver with little to no maintenance a FE was just too costly to do especially at this HP level. I should easily be able to go from Phoenix to Southern California and back home on a tank of fuel. Yesterday I was out driving and had forgot to hook up the electric fans and temp never got over 176 deg. Hottest days of year now with 116 today and 118 forcast for Thursday and Friday.
Underhood is a little busy yeah but if anything goes wrong I can go to about any dealer in country for off the shelf parts.
Not only that but it was a HUGE Challenge to get this done and make it all work. Intention was a 1966 Truck I could take on a Lower 48 state trip with hopefully minimum issues and reasonable on gas. 4x the cost if I had done so with the 482.
Modern stuff is nice for daily driver but the cost of depreciation alone for just a year or 2 tops paid for this entire job! At a fraction of cost of what a same power FE would be.
My other daily driver is a 1966 F100 with a 352 and 3 spd OD good truck but getting a bit weathered. Building a clone of my dad's out of this one. I have a very basic .020 390 with proper machine work on engine stand ready to go together. The current engine will go in yet another '66 F100 or F250.
With 10 1965-66 trucks all told can't make em all FE's
I also have another 1966 F100 Ranger 352 Factory OD but it's scattered all over shop all apart.
