Thread: 390 buildup help/input

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Hi Mike. Welcome to the forum. Also thanks for your service and be safe!! Your 69 Merc came with 280hp with the 2bbl from the factory. You might want to think about a stroker kit and better cam shooting for that 500hp mark. Jay Brown is working with Barry Rabotnick on a 390 buildup artical that should debut in the Dec-Jan issue of Car Craft. They are kinda tight lipped about the numbers as not to spoil the issue. But the 390 build is $5700 finished and you have some of the parts already. Should be an interesting read. If your 2x3 is a 63 lowriser intake the port match to the Edel heads will not be that good. It will work tho but it's not the ideal port match. Also your going to want to think about a stud girdle or crossbolting over 500hp. The parts you have now will make a nice build. Personally I'd build it with what you have and go from there being the engine only has 51k on it. You can sell old parts and buy new parts to upgrade. My guess with what parts you have you'd be somewhere in the 360-380 hp range. Or if you have the cash to throw at it by all means have at it. Jay and Barry are on the www.fordfe.com forum. I'm sure when the artical hits the stands you'll get the skinny on the forum as well. I'm sure Car Craft will cover it on their website also. Barry also has his own company (Survival Motorsports) and in the "links" there section you'll see his website.