400 or 460?

I have chance to buy a fully freshened 400 m ford motor, that has had 30,000 put on it, and a 460 bb pulled from a 78 car, that doesn't smoke, but has 76 thousand and some odd miles...... They are the same price...... Which ever one I get will be going into my 1978 ford f250 that has the parts for the 460 swap bought for it.... The truck came from factory with a 400...... So, its a tough one for me to decide.... On one hand, the 460 power would be nice, but I'm not going to be towing anything with it, just turning it into a little street rod....

easy decision.. 460.. it will outlive the 400 by about 3-4 lifetimes.. the 400M is a mongoloid of a motor.. a little 351C, a little windsor, so on, so forth.. the 400M's have the 351W crank journals, which is a big kick in the stomach. they are prone to rod knocks after reving over 4800rpms. don't get me wrong, they are low end torque power houses.. but you get more life out of the 460 due to design flaws in the modifieds

What's the downer of having a car engine over a truck engine as far as swap goes concerning the 460's

i don't know the complete breakdown on the 460 car motors, but i believe the motor mounts are the only concerning difference. otherwise, the only differences i know of are the intake and valve size.. the truck motors had slightly larger valves and a taller intake if my memory serves me right.

street rod = 460


DO IT!!

how to you turn an F250 into a street rod? lol

i forgot to add, there is 1 HUGE bonus to the 400M.. NON-CATYLIST meaning no cat and you can't fail for emissions!

I don't have to worry about emissions........ And to turn the f250 into a street rod, I'm lowering the front just 3 inches with a coil spring swap, and the rear is getting tubbed, dropped 4" and taller wider tires..... I'm looking at 15x8 inch rims, and 16x10 inch rims, 8 lugs, while keeping the weight capabilities of it.... Its got 4.88 gearing in the rear end, and limited slip...... I'm not wanting a cruiser, but something somewhat decent for friday night main runs/ the occasional feed store run for the ranch.... As well as hook on to a stock trailer and haul it around town. For a day.....

then yes. go with the 460

does your truck have the dummy 'front axle'? it's been a long long time since i've looked under a 2wd 250 lol if so, you have to watch your clearances.. i think a 3" drop would put things VERY close

I can pull my stock trailer with my 4.3 S10, with my horse in it..... I used to pull the stock trailer with the 78 and the 400, it'd pull the 12 percent grade at 1 mile, pulling 12 cows at 75 mph....... Power isn't the issue... Just the best for the application

best for the application is a 460.. more aftermarket parts.. better bottom end strength.. more factory horsepower.. relatively same amount of torque

It does have a dummy axle if that's what you call it....... Its an I beam axle, and I have looked into the drop, there is about 6 inches of clearance at full compression of the front suspension.....

oh, ok.. wait.. i was thinking 4x4 with a pumpkin lmao brain fart!

Well, I didn't ever specify 2 or 4 wheel drive... My bad

well when you said lowering, i automatically figured 2wd.. but when i was thinking of the front end, i thought 4x4 axle for some reason.. it was just a brain fart on my part lol

i say go with the 460. I think the exhaust manifolds may be different

well, The truck already has a 2 1/2 inch dual exhaust into polished stainless steel magnaflow glasspacks, out into dual 3 inch pipe and bend behind the tires into 4 1/2 inch polished stainless tips..... OH, all the tubing is stainless too..........So depending on how the 460 runs, It'll go in, if I have to, I'll build some stainless steel headers(I have access to a full machine shop) and go that route........ Does anyone have and idea of a good rim design that goes well with the 78-79 ford trucks?

And NOTHING over a 18 inch rim..... I HATE big rims, and 18's are pushing big in my book

a nice set of 17's would set it off.. some 7" wides in the front and nice 10-12" wides in the rear with a nice beefy tire.. i bet a set of torq thrust-II's would look sweet

im likin where this is goin.

hey.. wait a minute..

What do you want them of? I can try and get some of the underside, and of the dead motor under the hood....

lol i'm just breaking your balls.. but it'd be sweet to see what you're starting with

For real??? Someone had to ask 400 or 460??? Thats about like asking, do I want to sit at home and watch the news on Friday night, or do I want to go out with that super fine hot chick. Tough decision.

OH dang, I didn't recognize the new Avatar. Of all people Batty is asking this?? Dude !!! I'd sure think you knew better.