352 or 390?

[farmerdave]

I've always been a Camaro guy, but always liked the 427 Cobras. Now my work has given me some exposure to wrenching on a few FEs, and they're growing on me. I can have a 390 or a 352 for scrap value, likewise on a matching automatic transmission.
I'm not buying a Cobra, I'm going to build one just like fabricating a CJ5 frame.
I can't find any headers, but these have truck exhaust manifolds. I'm at high elevation, and I can't afford flat-tops to get the 390's compression up. since I'm stuck with low compression and no OD anyway, I figure I may as well do the 352 for better MPG, since I think I'll be okay with 300 HP in a 2800# car.
The 352 is a 2-barrel, the 390 has a 4-barrel Holley.
The 352 is supposedly rebuilt, but the crank won't turn. There's no carbon in the heads, just rust, and the bores are cross-hatched with no real rust.
The 390 is very worn.
Probable cam for the 352 will be this: 33-206-3 - Dual Energy
Probable rear is 3.55:1, probable rear tires are 295/50R15

[DanEC]

If the question is which to buy - might as well get the 390 because they both sound like they need a lot of work.

[crASH]

Originally Posted by farmerdave

I can have a 390 or a 352 for scrap value, likewise on a matching automatic transmission....The 352 is a 2-barrel, the 390 has a 4-barrel Holley.

Disclaimer first: I am no FE expert.

I did however have the pleasure of driving my dad's two mid 60's Ford Galaxies with FEs when they were onyl a few years old. One was a cherry 1965 with 352 4 bbl. The other a 1967 with 390 2bbl. I don't know whether the gearing changed from 65 to 67, but the 352 had no snap at all, especially off the line compared to the 67 390 which would spin the tire off the car. The 352 was low miles and drove great, make no mistake, but the 390 was just a whole other animal, and with only a 2bbl. He owned these two cars at the same time so my comparisons are not colored by time and distance.

[farmerdave]

I just brought home both pairs of heads, and the 4-barrel intake with Holley. Tonight I'll pull the valves.

[farmerdave]

These heads aren't identical, and that doesn't surprise me. What does is which heads have what features. The 352 heads have larger intake port openings at the intake manifold face, larger exhaust ports under the seats, and a lower but more radiused short turn in the intake ports. These look like the better choice for a 390 if big-valved and ported. Right now, both sets have the same valve sizes.
These 352 heads are marked 6090A C1AE, while the 390s are simply C6AEU.
The intake manifold shows 1L17 and C2AE 9425C
So I want the 390, or maybe add a T76 to the 352

[DanEC]

The C1AE heads are early 61 to 62 heads I believe with small chambers. For low riser heads I think they are pretty respectable heads. The C6AE-U heads are 390 GT heads according to Barry Robotnick's FE book and probalby other applications also. Do they have the 14-bolt exhaust manifold pattern? They have a little larger chambers but I don't think they are anything special except to someone trying to build a replacement motor. You can use the 352 heads on the 390 without problem.

[WildBill1965]

The trick back in the day to make a 390 better was to put a set of 428 heads on, but now there is aluminum. To raise the compression up ford had .015 steel shim head gaskets, if you can find some of these they were recommended in the Ford Musle parts book along with a couple different cam options! Part number for the steel shim is
C3AZ-6051-B and fit 390-427-428 if you can find them!

B i l l

[rpatton3]

The 352 has a short 3.50 stroke and the 390, 406 and 427 had a 3.78 stroke. The 410 Mercury only and 428 had a 3.98 stroke.

The 352 had a 4.0 bore, the 390 and 410 had a 4.05 bore, the 410 and 428 had a 4.13 bore and the 427 had a 4.23 bore.

The 360 pickup was 4.05 bore x 3.50 stroke.

From 64-66 there was a regular gas 352 4v but it was replaced by a 390 2v in 1966 through 1970.
It had more power from regular gas and a 2v carb and single exhaust.

You can mix and match quite a few parts except 410 and 428 engines are externally balanced.

[farmerdave]

Thanks guys! I'll have to order me a copy of that book.
All 4 heads are 8-bolt exhaust, but the Us look like they could be drilled and tapped to 12-bolt.
I got the 390 and got it on my engine stand, definite ring ridges, looks like it'll need a serious over-bore, which doesn't worry me.