430 or 352 which is premium?

[Guest]

I am considering selling my 1960 Convertible. I started looking for pricing information on the internet. On one site I find a premium for 430 engines over the 352. On another site I find a premium on the 352 over the 430. What gives?

Where do you suggest I find pricing information?

Where do you suggest I advertise?

Scott

[Alexander]

RE: 430 or 352 which is premium?

The 430 is an uncommon option. It commands a 25 - 30% on the worth of the car.

See:

https://www.NADAguides.com

https://www.oldcarspriceguide.net

The 430 engine was only an $177 option for 1959 and 1960, yet few ordered that bigger engine. The option was dropped in 1961 due to lack of demand and the tighter engine space of the 1961 Thunderbird.

Be aware that many of the mounts and accessories on the 430 Lincoln engine is unique to the Thunderbird. These parts are hard to find and very expensive. The 430 engine also has some unusual complexities that give the owner problems. It has three thermostats instead of the usual single one. It has an odd combination oil/vacumm pump. The other disadvantage is that extra weight of the 430 engine stresses even more the undersized brakes of the Squarebirds.

The best part of the 430 powered T-Bird is that when you take it to a show, the unintitated will wonder what kind of engine it is and how you shoehorned it into that engine space.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Alexander]

RE: 430 or 352 which is premium?

You can advertise on this message board for free.

You can also sell it on www.autotrader.com on the web. If you want good places to advertise in print try Hemmings or "Cars and Parts."

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: 430 or 352 which is premium?

Alexander

Thank you for the valuable information.

Please tell me more about the three thermostats. Where are they located? Known issues etc… Same with the oil/vacuum pump? What issues do I need to look out for?

Thank you again.

Scott

[Alexander]

RE: 430 or 352 which is premium?

There are three thermostats in the 430 engine - one is conventionally located in the intake manifold like in the 352. There are two more located in the engine block behind the water pump. These are pressed into place. These three thermostats are used to help to to make the warm up of this large engine more even and to get the heater core to get hot coolant more quickly. These press-in thermostats are not rebuildable and are difficult to find.

The combination oil pump/vacumm pump is prone to failure. The diaphragm in the vacumm pump can easily rupture which causes the oil to be aerated. This thinned oil can cause engine damage. The 1958 to 1960 430's are only ones to use this oddball combination, since vacumm wipers were last used in the Ford cars in the Thunderbirds in 1960.

Alexander
1959 Hardtop
1960 Golde Top

[Guest]

RE: 430 or 352 which is premium?

Again, thank you Alexander.

In either case, the oil/ vacuum pump or the press in thermostats, what are indicators of failure?

Scott

[Alexander]

RE: 430 or 352 which is premium?

A broken diaphragm in the oil/vacumm pump will cause the oil to be foamy.

The two thermostats in the block near cylinder heads open at 140 degrees allowing coolant to flow from the cylinder heads into the block. the thermostat in the intake mainfold opens at the usual 160 to 195 dgress alllowing coolant to flow into the radiator. If the cylinder block thermostats are seized in the closed position, you will have overheating. If they are seized in the oepn position, you will have slower warm-up. Most commonly you find these thermostats are missing. If is not easy testing these thermostats, as the flow is from the heads to the block, a place where you cannot easily or safely put your hand. Probably your best bet is geting an infra-red thermometer and see if the block suddenly heats up when the head temperature reaches 140 degrees, just as you can test the manifold thermostat by holding your hand on the upper hose and seeing if it suddenly gets hot.

[Guest]

RE: 430 or 352 which is premium?

Thank you so much for the advice.

Scott