What is a Ford Raceing 390 worth? It has about 10k miles on it.

[lowbush]

I am getting close to the end of my build and one of the last things I wanted to do was put a diesel in it, I am still debating on a Cat/Perkins or a Mercedes but I do know I am going to make the switch. The rolling chassis I bough came with a Crate Ford Racing 390 in it, it probably has less than 10k miles on it but I figure it is a very safe estimate. Anyways, it has a a Edlebrock 20364 carb on it and the Edlebrock manifold as well as the MSD high output ignition. I am just trying to get a feel for what I could recoup from the engine to put into a diesel swap.

 

[Lmfp]

Man thats gonna be a tuff one.. Just because of the fact that it has been run is gonna steer alot of people away... 10k miles isnt much at all really. But it is used.

 

[lowbush]

Man thats gonna be a tuff one.. Just because of the fact that it has been run is gonna steer alot of people away... 10k miles isnt much at all really. But it is used.

Yeah I know I am not going to get anywhere close to retail out of it. It just happended that the chassis I bought had it in it and the guy just wanted to recouped some of the hard cost of the engine so I got a pretty good deal on the whole thing, but I have no idea of what a reasonable price for a used Ford Racing crate is. I was thinking 4-6k but I don't really know if that is too low or to high. I know they are 12k new and the carb is 1500. I just figured someone on here would have a better idea of what they go for, it will be a little while before I get seriouse about selling it, at this point I am just trying to clarify things in my mind.

 

[Amac70]

If you are wanting that much, I'd suggest haveing it on a stand and running. Thats a lot of money to commit to a used motor. If you can't see it run.

 

[lowbush]

If you are wanting that much, I'd suggest haveing it on a stand and running. Thats a lot of money to commit to a used motor. If you can't see it run.

I don't really know how much I am wanting, that's the thing, I really don't know the resale value of these type of engines (i'm a diesel guy). It's in the truck now, I don't think it will come out until it is sold, so the way I see it, they (a buyer) can hop in it and will run it up and down the road. But what I can get out of it will effect how much I am willing to put into a diesel and it's the reason I am asking now. I am going to purchase a diesel here soon, rebuild it with some performance parts and when it is ready to go in then I will start actively looking to sell the 390. I just have no idea what the sell for, if 4-6k is close then a 4BT is in the mix, if not then I am going to stick to a Perkins or a Mercedes.

So I guess if I where to rephrase the question, what kind of price would make someone in the market for a performance FE engine, think to themselves I have to go take a look at that. When I do get ready to sell it I will want to move it quick, not maximize profit as I am just looking to recoup some of the cost of the conversion. So that's what I am really looking for, the magic number that will move it quickly so it is out of my way.

 

[broncosbybart]

I think that 4-6k is way high. Of course, I am not a 390 guy. Maybe check some mustang forums, if you haven't already. The 390 isn't a popular EB swap.

Even if it was a worked 351w, I'd say $2500 to 3k tops. Free advice, take it for what it costs.

 

[broncnaz]

Going on on a limb here but Im guessing its not a 390FE engine. Not sure ford racing ever offered a 390 FE engine at least not in the past 30 years as its been out of production since 78/79 maybe 77 was the last year you could get one not 100% positive on that but its right in there.
Maybe its a 351W stroked to 393? They were about $8K new. but your paying for fords name usually you can pick up new strokers for 1/2 that.

Now if it is a built 390FE in good condition and you know all the parts in it well you might get some good money for it start out high and see if you get any offers. But if you just want to get rid of it well maybe $2500 and be flexible but it will help if you know the specs on the engine as few people are going to pay good money with no specs.

 

[lowbush]

Going on on a limb here but Im guessing its not a 390FE engine. Not sure ford racing ever offered a 390 FE engine at least not in the past 30 years as its been out of production since 78/79 maybe 77 was the last year you could get one not 100% positive on that but its right in there.
Maybe its a 351W stroked to 393? They were about $8K new. but your paying for fords name usually you can pick up new strokers for 1/2 that.

Now if it is a built 390FE in good condition and you know all the parts in it well you might get some good money for it start out high and see if you get any offers. But if you just want to get rid of it well maybe $2500 and be flexible but it will help if you know the specs on the engine as few people are going to pay good money with no specs.

It's definatly a big block, when we where working on it, my brother said it looked like a 390 (he knows Ford gas stuff to some extent), so I assumed that is what it was. It may be a 427 but I do know the guy that built it, got it from a guy that he was building a race car for, apparently there was some fall out and the engine became the form of payment, so he stuck it in the chassis that he sold me, so that it had an engine in it. It's a big block that I am sure of, just not as positive on the 390 thing. I know Chevy gas stuff and old Mopars but Ford gas is a little foreign to me. Thanks for throwing out some numbers, that is what I needed just a pulse check to see what I may be able to recoup. Do you know if and where there are any numbers I can pull off the engine to verify what displacement it is.

 

[ElkhartBronco]

http://mach1firebird.lefora.com/2008/06/24/ford-big-block-casting-numbers/

Take a look on the passengers side rear by the starter and they should be under there

 

[broncnaz]

a 427 would be worth a lot more still probably not a ford racing crate motor tho. Can be pretty hard to know if its a 390 or 427 as they both have the same stroke but the 427 has a larger bore. As was suggested you might start looking at casting numbers to give you a hint. If it turns out its a 427 then $4-6K should be fairly easy to get. might even get more if its a crossbolt block or a side oiler. then comes heads there were several different 427 heads and they are all worth money.

 

[Lmfp]

Is there a transmission bolted to it? If so what kind. The 390fe will only bolt to a c6 if i remember correctly..

 

[lowbush]

Is there a transmission bolted to it? If so what kind. The 390fe will only bolt to a c6 if i remember correctly..

Yeah it's bolted to a C6, I emailed the guy I bought it from, because I am now doubting my memory of what he and my brother told me. Tomorrow I will look at the numbers and see what I have.

 

[lowbush]

So apparently my memory is crap or I am just totally retarded, I just got the email back and the guy said it is not a FE, The guy said that it is a 347 from Ford Racing, that it is a boss 302 block and that the engine was built in 97, that the guy the bought it was going to put it in his son's mustang but his son wrecked the car before it ever went in, so it sat in his shop collecting dust, until he traded it to the guy I bought the chassis from for some work on a race car he was building. The good part about this is he said he thinks the guy still has the receipt for it, and is going to check for me. My brother denies ever saying it was a 390, so now I am at a loss as to where I picked up that it was a 390. The interesting thing was I was working on writing a fuel management ECU because I was going to EFI it, and thinking it was a 390, I thought I was going to have to write it from scratch, but if it is a 347, then I could pick up an EFI system for it, the carb was what was making me want to go ahead and get the swap out of the way, but if I can EFI it, I may do that and run it for a while.