Thread: Starting it early, 41 ford PU

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Welcome to CHR! Sounds like a great project, and that picture looks like the truck is in pretty good shape for the start. I'm one of those Ford in Ford guys, so I vote for grabbing that 302 from your buddy, or looking at some of the 302/331/347 crate engines you can get out there. Check Ford Racing Parts for a start. The Tremec five speed, TKO500 or 600 depending on how much you push your engine build, is a great choice for what you're wanting. You can pick up a used T5 cheap, but too many of them see hard duty and are "grenades waiting to explode" IMO. The flathead is very cool, and gets you lots of points from the purists, but when you start looking at towing across the state at 70+ I'd wonder about the reliability long term. Plus you'll spend two to three times what you spend on the 302 and top out at about 225 to 250hp/200ftlbs torque if it's the big flathead. Just look at the prices of a flathead "crate" from someone like H&H for comparison - $10K and up and you've got maybe a 50/50 chance that your block will be good since they're susceptible to cracking. Fatman is good stuff!

Lots of good build advice from experienced guys on here, and you can pick up a ton of tips on "how to" by reading through some build threads, especially for working metal. Hope we see you here through the build, and that you like to take pictures as you go.

Originally Posted by rspears

Lots of good build advice from experienced guys on here, and you can pick up a ton of tips on "how to" by reading through some build threads, especially for working metal. Hope we see you here through the build, and that you like to take pictures as you go.

Thanks for the welcome. I have seen you all over the forums while i was creepin haha. You seem to really know your stuff. Yeah not lookin to drop that kind of coin right now for a motor/trans. I think i can get this 302 off him for cheap (chevy guy ) he wont be using it. I have already learned a lot while looking at some of these other threads. And yeah, i do like to take pics. Going to try to get some more pics tonight and check it out some more.

Originally Posted by 41HalfTonFord

Thanks for the welcome. I have seen you all over the forums while i was creepin haha. You seem to really know your stuff....

Kind words, and I probably spend way too much time typing! I'm not in any way in the group who "knows their stuff" around here. I jumped into this process late in life, and bring some book learning along from my career, but I don't have the "street/strip cred" that others bring, which means I may know just enough to get into trouble I turn a good phrase and can find lots of support info on the net, but there's others here that know the path from experience, and they're the guys you want to listen to and respect for their opinions and suggestions.

Bottom line, I'm glad you're here and look forward to watching your build!