CRAZY 360 Backyard Build~

[Ford428CJ]

Got them! They look great! Thanks Cody!!! Cheap build so far LOL

[Tommy-T]

Wow, Wes, I never thought this post would get the interest it has.

I've been an advocate for using the skinny 352/360 rod in odd-rodd builds for years. I haven't ever broken one...but I also have not used one in a "race" motor or a motor I intended to take to 6000K regularly. I am building a 428 that will be using the skinny 390 rod, casting # C1AE-B for my '65 Cyclone.

As for the 352/360 build, been there done that. I am no engine builder, but I was never able to get out of my head "I had a couple 390 cranks sitting there, what if"?

When I built the .040 428 I had in my '56 'Bird it had all the toys, Edelbrock heads, Engle solid cam, M/T cross ram, TRW slugs. The thing ran hot in LA stop 'n stop traffic and I tried numerous things to fix it for several years. One day I'd had enough.

I bought a set of .060 TRW forged 352 pistons off Ebay for cheap. Took a standard C1 390 block and had it honed .010...instant .060 352. The pistons were in the hole .040. Not ideal, but a lot better than a 360. Could have probably fixed it with an offset crank grind but didn't. Stock skinny C1AE-A rods with ARP bolts.

I put the Edelbrock heads and a Crower copy of the solid 427 "A" cam, and a Scotty Vincent ported Streetmaster with an 1850 vacuum Holley. Also a vacuum advance distributor with a Pertronix and MSD 6A.

The car runs fine. If you go to a car show that has a cruise line, it's 100+* outside and you sit still for 2 hours idling in gear, it does not care. Has plenty of power...but it will not break loose the 13x31 tires. Hooks 'n goes. I always thought I NEEDED to put a 445 in it...until I'd actually get in it and drive. But still, in the back of your head...what if??

Have fun with your exercise. I did with mine. It'll make plenty of power to run anything you want it to, but a 390 will kick its ass.

[Ford428CJ]

LOL, a 390 will kick its ass! No doubt.... Been thinking about 360 stuff since you where here last Tommy-T. When I was building the Boat engine. Always disregarded and a little easier to find than 390 stuff now. But I don't think this little 360 should be taken too lightly now. But than again, I could be totally wrong. I won't have much into it. That's the nice part about all of this. I learned some things from you Tommy-T.... Went to my junk pile to see what I could drum up.

Next time your looking for a 360 piston.... Check out the 361FE piston. They will come up zero deck on a stock deck height Tommy-T. They are a Hyper piston but fit the build for a street build!

[Ford428CJ]

I never thought it would get the interest myself

[FElony]

How hard is it to get custom length connecting rods in FE journal/pin size?

[TomP]

I have some pistons out of a 361 FT somewhere. They didn't strike me as being anything i'd ever want in a performance engine. Have to find them but as I recall, heavy, full skirt, big rings and maybe even four rings.

[blykins]

FElony, not hard at all.....any rod manufacturer will do it if you have a good contact.  However, it's the price that will kill you. 

[Ford428CJ]

I have some pistons out of a 361 FT somewhere. They didn't strike me as being anything i'd ever want in a performance engine. Have to find them but as I recall, heavy, full skirt, big rings and maybe even four rings.

Tom, not the same piston here. This is late 50's I'm talking about. A 361FE and not a FT! Big  difference here. The compression height is 1.88 on that 361FE piston.  Look under Speed Pro P/N H994P. And you will see what I'm talking about. Not  to be confused with the FT stuff.

[FElony]

FElony, not hard at all.....any rod manufacturer will do it if you have a good contact.  However, it's the price that will kill you.

Yeah, because it's SO expensive to make a rod a little longer in the middle (isn't this 2016 already?). Maybe get a price break on, oh, 250 sets or so.

[blykins]

I just can't see the justification in taking that kind of a leap.  I've been a member of the other FE forum since about 2006.  In the last 10 years, the number of guys that have talked about building a 352/360 could probably be counted on one hand....two of them were me and Wes....hahaha

Unless you're doing a resto or something CRAZY then it's just too stupid easy to snag a 390 crank for $75, a set of 390 rods for another $75 and buy a set of Speedpros for $250. 

[FElony]

I just can't see the justification in taking that kind of a leap.  I've been a member of the other FE forum since about 2006.  In the last 10 years, the number of guys that have talked about building a 352/360 could probably be counted on one hand....two of them were me and Wes....hahaha

Unless you're doing a resto or something CRAZY then it's just too stupid easy to snag a 390 crank for $75, a set of 390 rods for another $75 and buy a set of Speedpros for $250.

But then you've done what everybody else has done. Bo. Ring. Call me silly (call me anything you want; the more despicable it is, the more apt I am to answer to it), but the idea of telling an LS jockey he just got stuffed by a 360 out of a pickemup truck makes me all giggly and drooly. A pathetic visual, for sure, but I can't help it.

The cost will kill me, you say? Vague, for sure. Narrow it down?

[Ford428CJ]

When I got home today...  I had a big old box waiting on the porch for me.  Thank you Brent!!! Very nice looking crank and pleased with it! I will post pictures of it tomorrow for sure. This is gonna be a kick in the pants!

Not sure on what it cost to have a crank turned like that but I'm sure it's not cheap by any means. I can't see buying up 250 sets of Pistons for others to do. Maybe I'm wrong here. But small stroke stuff are the yesterday's for sure. I would be shocked if that many people would build something like that... But me... I like to be a little different than the rest of the FE guys. Not that you don't know that already LOL

[Ford428CJ]

Here you go!

[Ford428CJ]

Milodon Gear drive came in Thursday for my future build here. I had to snag this!
Thank you Jim Voyles for selling me this!!! It will be put to good use.

[Ford428CJ]

Well, I've had this cam for a # of years now. I got it from a buddy of mine. Jim Wiltrout . He had his FE stuff and other things stollen. Long story short, made a few phone calls. He was lucky and got his stuff back. So in a nice gesture, he sent me a cam that he wasn't going to use. Since then I lost the stupid cam card.
You run the P/N and it comes up as a BBC 396 cam for a Marine App. But it's on a FE Cam shaft here. It's a old grind they don't list anymore but it's a good one! Talked with Comp on Friday about it. So here are the spec:

Lift with 1.76 In 660 & Ex 646
Lobe Sep 108°
Intake centerline 108°
Duration at .050 In .254 & Ex .264
Advertised duration In 285 & Ex 295