New here with some familiar dillemas. . .

Motocentro · Post by **Motocentro** » November 8, 2007, 10:45 am

Hello all!

Really glad to find this site - I've been bleeding blue for 15 years and I have wanted a Slick (65-66, specifically) for nearly as long. Never liked a truck like I love these.

From what I understand my little slicker was bought and sold at least once @ SS, so when I get a picture posted let me know if you remember her.

OK

Right now I am running the original 240 with 87K and it has started getting cold outside . . . Ooohh, she hates the cold.

I dig the 6 and all, but I grew up on the SBF, and I have a healthy respect for the FE. I've never driven in a 302 powered truck, so I don't know how well it translates acrosplatforms. I now live deep in the city (yeah, yeah, bring it) and a SB slick is great for the light lifting I do. Of course I want to warm up the engine a little bit and I am having some misgivings about the 240 and thinking that a 302 might better suit my driving style - Straight city, and not that suburban crap that most people think is city. I'm talking block to block, lots of sitting. Mileage is important, but I don't drive far as I live 5 blocks (10 minute walk) from where I work and it's neighborhood driving. Heck, I think I warm it up more than twice as long as it takes to drive it.

Whew!

I want something that scoots, has the potential for good gas mileage and won't promote too many headaches. Can I get a straight six cam hot enough to make the 240 rev and squirt in and out of traffic like I need to?

What do you think? Of course you know what the cats at Ford6 think. . .

(Of course, disks up front, sways, new shocks and improved windshield wiping are happening regardless of the engine situation).

Combat_Medic · Post by **Combat_Medic** » November 8, 2007, 12:26 pm

Welcome to the site Motocentro! I'm somewhat of a mechanical retard, but the fellas here have helped keep my old beast of burden on the tarmac. Really great group of guys and gals here - can't recall hearing any ladies comment, but I'm sure there are some!

Anyhow, my situation is somewhat similar to yours, except that following my 4-5 block rush hour stint I jump on the freeway for a quick 12 mile jaunt out of the city to the ol' jobsite. I am not blessed (yet) with a fancy-pants automatic, but I do have the good fortune of tooling around with a 390 under the hood. Nothing too shnazzy, not hopped up or anything, but plenty of go juice for sure. Depending on how heavy my foot is I get between 9-12 mpg, and that is with a '66 3/4 ton, so I'd say you'd get even better despite the auto. As far as the warm up thing goes, I just let the oil pressure get up to where it should be for a few seconds and take off - no worries.

Personally, I'd have to say the 302 fulfills its purpose powering cars -i.e. mustangs and crown vics- or trucks that never get put to work. As for the 240... I'm afraid to give my opinion out of fear for my life (if those guys are crazy enough to think that a 240 is good for anything, they're probably crazy enough to come after me)

Just my opinion :roll:

GLindley · Post by **GLindley** » November 8, 2007, 2:56 pm

Combat, what "freeway" are you talking about? James River? That ain't no bigger than I-44. Ya gotta go to Kansas City or St Louis to see a "real" freeway.

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » November 8, 2007, 3:14 pm

Regarding the cold blooded thing, you might make sure your vacuum advance & choke are working properly. Sometimes a accelerator pump that's going south will act worst when the engine's cold too.

Anyhoo, welcome aboard! :hello:

Looking forward to pics of your new toy.

Motocentro · Post by **Motocentro** » November 8, 2007, 3:40 pm

GLindley wrote:Combat, what "freeway" are you talking about? James River? That ain't no bigger than I-44. Ya gotta go to Kansas City or St Louis to see a "real" freeway.

That's cute.

Really, I mean it. . . It's touching what you midwesterners think of traffic and such

Oh, wait. You were talking to combat. . .Sorry!

Of course I'm just ribbing you. I live in Atlanta and forgot to mention as much. The traffic is a bitch. I wasn't kidding when I meant I drive in some hellacious s%$t storms down here. I used to drive an SVT Focus and though I know that that kind of performance is tough to find in a Slick, I still need to dust some folks off occasionally - along with stop on a dime, change lanes and burn the tires :twisted:

Atlanta is a temple of the American highway - we've got 'em all, wide 12 laners, narrow and twisting golf-course thoroughfares, neighborhood streets. . .I see supercars on a regular basis and old American Muscle is hard to avoid.

There are only about 3 or four other slicks in the streets, though. . .

So basically I need a truck that can scoot like a scalded dog and it seems like the 302 might be what I need to do. I'm afraid that an FE just might put me a lot closer to the poor house than I am comfortable with . . .

Phil · Post by **Phil** » November 8, 2007, 4:41 pm

I like the 302.
Revolver reliable, pretty OK on gas, GREAT with an AOD
Pulled my 4300lb Torino wagon to 135mph. SWB slick is like 4100lbs.
Parts available anywhere
plenty of swap kit options
Sexy when dressed up shelby style

FORDMANLCRACKEL · Post by **FORDMANLCRACKEL** » November 8, 2007, 6:01 pm

Lonnie

Red62Uni · Post by **Red62Uni** » November 8, 2007, 6:40 pm

i am a big fan of 302s. there sure are a lot of them and parts are easy to get. i never really had a problem with them and if you build them right they are dependable and fuel effecient, plus best of all they are still powerful.

blackagatha · Post by **blackagatha** » November 8, 2007, 6:53 pm

"run like a scalded dog" haha that is pretty good. I saw my dog run thru the hose aafter he swallowed an over-heated hotdog. That is runnin pretty good.

The 302s are pretty good if set up properly. One of my friends had a 80 somethin truck with a 302 in it, he said it was teerrible. But it's all in what else is in the drivetrain.
I got a warmed over 390, she has a buttload of torque, although I'd probably still be disappointed from a dyno run. But you are Definitely correct about making you poor. Stuff for these engines is expensive. Sometimes I wonder why I went for an FE instead of a 351, but most of the time, I love it. More than anything, I like the pentroof Mercury valvecovers. Maybe I went with it because it felt more period correct, although they never put an FE in a '63.

When running like a scalded dog, my truck gets about 8 mpg. If I was to put on a big heavy spring to keep me out of the secondaries, I might get about 12-13- my dad has a '68 LTD with an "identical" driveline that gets about 14 most of the time, because he drives it nicely, and might be a wee bit more aerodynamic than these "rolling birthday cakes", as my cousin put it. I think I also need to get a calibration kit and a manual for my carb, I think it may run a bit too rich...

norville · Post by **norville** » November 9, 2007, 7:23 am

i would keep a 6 for the city. You can lug that sucker down the about 450rpms. If you set on an engine swap you may want a 300.

I have a warm 390 in my slick w/ a 4spd OD manual tranny. Sometimes I wish I had a 6banger. I have a hardtime keeping my foot out out of the 4's. I did pick up a ton of HP's and MPGs when I dumped my dieing c6.

Did you ever thing of fuel injection?

I love my FE but if I had to have a differnt v8 a 351 would be my choice for a slick. Many variables to concider. If it's just to haul your butt a 302 is great lots of options and easy to get parts.

I have a 71 landcruiser w/I6 man I love lugging around at idle with that thing.

Maybe you should look into a tranny swap for more gear options or a rear end swap.

sorry for the ramble,

bob

norville · Post by **norville** » November 9, 2007, 7:26 am

Oh, wipers get a set up from a early-mid 70's. motor back to switch. easy swap. I have 2speeds, self homing arms and a squirter.

2hours to swap

bob

turtle1056 · Post by **turtle1056** » November 9, 2007, 8:04 am

I just finished putting an AOD EFI 302 combo in my truck and it is head n heels over the old modded 351W C6 for power and drivability.

Gas mileage is better as well.

And I sure dont miss the 2800 rpm drone that you have with no overdrive.

Jerry D · Post by **Jerry D** » November 9, 2007, 12:34 pm

I'm with Norville. Stick with the six, and maybe switch to a 300 if you want. There's a ton of stuff you can do to it (4 bbl w/ offenhauser manifold, efi exhaust manifolds, etc.), all on the cheap. There's a ton of info at the ford six performance site. Dare to be different!!

unibodyboy · Post by **unibodyboy** » November 9, 2007, 3:03 pm

y block w/t-5.

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » November 9, 2007, 5:19 pm

One more for the SBF here. all the best power/gas mileage ratio vehicles I have had, had a 302. They are a nice balance IMO.
none of that "Are we gonna get up this hill?" thing on the highway either.