Which route would you go?

[RustyNCa]

I have the orginal 352 pulled from my 58 in the garage, its issues in life, ran great till a small piece of the umbrella seal broke off and caused the oil pump to sieze, break the oil pump shaft going down the Freeway and by the time we got the car off the road was knocking. Pulled the pan, the number one main was dry of oil... and the bearings had part of babbit melted out, crank is blued but smooth.

So rebuild the thing or purchase a 390 from a 65 Parklane that has....

"The 390 is a standard 65 four barrel in the Merc. The four barrel motors were 10.5 to one compression. I got it from a guy that his father pasted always. He said it ran great from two weeks then started smoking. The bad gas allowed a lifter to stick and bent a push rod. It looked like a "C". I put a new one in and that allowed it to run normal. It does not have a carb on it now."

He wants $200 for the thing and $50 for the C-6.

Just looking for thoughts...

This would be for my 59, I haven't figured out what the motor in it is yet, but it has a 2 barrel factory manifold on it and has sat for an unknown number of years out.





Thanks
RustNCA

[tbird430]

Rebuild the 352cid.

[Dan Leavens]

RustyNCa I would agree rebuild the 352, if for no other reason, it would keep the motor period correct. These squarebirds certainly have enough power to control with the 352, let alone going larger. Just my thoughts.

Dano Calgary,Alberta Canada

[frank58]

In my opinion (purist speaking )I would agree to rebuild the original engine..... yeah, yeah, the 390 is a stronger engine.... the C6 a beefier transmission..... Do you want to speed around and beat it up or just cruise around, take in a few shows and turn some heads? The surest way to increase the cars value for the future is to keep it as much original as possible.. again this is my opinion....
If I was sneaky, I'd recomend the 390 and beg you for the '58 352 lol... I have been searching for a date correct one for my 58 for about a year now.
Good luck

[RustyNCa]

One thing I am wondering with the 352 is if the crank is still any good or not. This is an orginal never apart till me motor, had I think 62k miles on it. I got the car from the second owner who got the car in 68 and he assured me it had never been apart and based on what I found when I started working on it, I would believe him.

I wish I knew then what I know now about the old umbrella seals...... I would have replaced them and probably still have a good running 352 .

I replaced it with a rebuilt cammed 390 I got from a friend.

[FeFranco]

I am not clear on what you are asking, but here is a thought. If the 390 does NOT need to be rebuilt, than hook it up to the Cruise-o-matic and get it back on the road to enjoy. Nobody will no the difference. Then tear down the 352 and see what it will need to get it rebuilt. I would not get the C6, unless you know what you need for the conversion. Unless you have a convertible, 430, or sunroof, I don't think anybody can fault you if you decide to stay with the 390. JMO

[byersmtrco]

My conv hasn't seen a 352 for 35+ years. It has (most) all of the 352 tin and hardware (or I have it stored) so no one could prove it is a 390. It's actually on it's 2nd 390 now.
It runs like a scalded cat. I LOVE it !!!!!! I don't beat it up or do burnouts or stupid stuff. I do like to embarass a Chevelle now and then.

I drove it tonight. Popped 85 mph like nothing.

I really like the 390. They are a great engine. probe the best big block Ford ever made for durability. A good idea posted earlier was run the 390 and keep that 352 and rebuild it as time and $ permit, then you could flip it back to orig in a weekend.

I just want mine to look close to orig. I want a solid road car with good brakes and power to spare

[dgs]

I drove it tonight.

Sure, rub it in.

Got an inch of snow here today.

[ncbird]

options

I would have to agree that if the 390 is a solid engine with out smoke or oil use I would dump it in for that price and rebuild the 352 as funds permit. I just spent $3000 dollars to have my 352 done. I had the original motor bored and used 390 pistons, rods and crank to turn it into a 390. All the numbers match what should be in the car but it is a hot 390 in reality. Engine was then balanced, blue printed, with 428 CJ cam, CJ stainless valves and head work along with a factory 352 360hp aluminum intake. I figure that will make some of the "experts" at the local shows scratch their head. Don't worry about the crank, it can probably be turned and if not they are easy to come by. I have a full set of rods if you needed them and a 60 bird 4 barrel intake. The early motors had a flat intake instead of the angled one of later motors. Check the head numbers on your 58 motor if they are the EDC machined chamber heads you may have some gold. Grant