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While hanging out on the coast for the holidays, I scored a decent 390 short block for cheep, bored 30 over, reputedly low mileage. Bores and bearings look good so with a little freshening up, it should be a good replacement for the old 360. I've already got a lumpy cam and kit for it so it should give the Herc a bit of a boost in HP. Also picked up a 9" pumpkin with the 2.75 gears I was looking for so I just have to swap the gears to my posi.
Spring project all lined up....:)

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Just got home from Yuma and it was a decent day so I took the Herc out for a putt. Tomorrow I'm going to pull the diff apart and do the gear change to the 2.75, a little crowded in there...
 

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Drove it today with the 2.75 rear gear, what an improvement! The granny low 1st gear is usable now, I can drive it like a regular 4spd except 1st is non syncro - no big deal. Plus highway revs are now way down, better long distance cruising. :giggle:
The 'ol 360 comes out tomorrow to make way for the 390.....
 
Got the 390 landed in place, only a couple of snafus - this is a 1961 block and didn't have the threaded hole in the front of the block for the alternator mount bolt - just a drill and tap job. And the motor mount bosses on the block are farther back and closer together than on the 1973 360 block - made a couple 1/4" adaptor plates, problem solved....
Tomorrow I should get the rest buttoned up, add fluids and find out how the Thumper cam sounds 🙂
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