Howdy folks,

I'm new to the forum. Had a '67 Fairlane w/428 back about 20 years ago, and really loved the FE engine.

I'm just starting a journey on a 390 powered '74 F-100 I got from my dad. He bought the truck new, and went through about 170k miles on it. Sometime about 10k miles back he rebuilt the driveline, installed a locker, and stuck it in a barn around 2000.

When he built the engine, he installed a Rhoads VVT cam & lifters. I had a Crane fireball in my Fairlane and loved the sound of it (silly, but I really loved the sound). I was thinking about swapping one of these into this engine, but when I called Crane, I found it was no longer available. I no longer have the specs on the Fireball... I wonder if anyone out there knows the Cam I'm talking about, and if there is anything similar to it available these days.

Thanks for any feedback!
Dave in NC

 

I had one of those but it was a small block version back in late 80's. I did not run it long, as my combination back then didn't like it. If I recall it was advertised at 292 duration?

Welcome to FTE!

 

I seen one actually 2 on ebay in the last week.. check on it..

 

Thanks, I'll check on that. Basically what I'm looking for is a cam that will work with my stock valve springs & flat top pistons, and have a nice lumpy idle. Dad built this engine from a '69 390 block & factory 4bl manifold, but said he used a set of cleaned up 360 heads (and installed adjustable rockers) because of the smaller chamber. He had a local shop to bore the block .030, installed flat tops, and has a set of tube headers on it.

Dave

 

I knew I had the specs for the Fireball somewhere. I ran one in the 428 I built to run in my race car in 1970. Well at least part of the specs. The car, a 1969 Torino Cobra notch back, weighed 3200 pounds and ran 12.96 in the quarter on it's first pass. Ran in the 12.50s at 120 mph after suspension tuning and a tire change.

296 duration
.509" lift with 1.73 rockers
.517" lift with 1.76 adjustable rockers

Thats all that is written in my memory book.

 

Had one of those in a 390 we put in my bro's F150 back in the '70's. Definitely a neat idle, and a good performer. If you can't find one on the 'bay, maybe the top end of the CompCams High Energy or the lower end of the Magnum series would work. The specs appear similar to what Bear recalls (wow, that's a pretty good memory, Bear!!), although the Fireball MAY have had a 108 lobe separation, which helped give it that lopey idle - the HE and Magnums are 110. Be sure to check valve/piston clearance in any event.

Crane still lists a replacement for the F294 solid lifter version - a cousin had one of the originals in a 428; nice clattery/lopey idle. Ahhh, those were the days.....

 

I wish my memory was that good. But I have a loose leaf notebook with all kinds of things written in it from my car racing days. A lot of useful and totally useless info in it. But I wrote it down and still have it. Have one from my boat racing days also but that's all 2 stroke stuff and tunnel boat info.

 

My guess was pretty close too! And I didnt' even have a notebook LOL!

 

IIRC, I choose that came because of the additional lift over the CJ cam.

 

Okay, so all these memories got me to thinking that a lot of those cams were also available through various aftermarket sources years ago. Some said they were even made by those guys and marketed through Crane and others (anyone else remember Manley's "Thunderstick" series?). Speed-Pro, TRW and others certainly showed grinds with similar specs, at one time, too.

Anyway, I dug around at the PAW site and found one that looks like it's close to the original's specs - 223/223 @ 0.050" & 0.513" lift. Look at http://www.pawinc.com/Ad_All-2.html#Ad2Top page 2, part #10355. Might be worth a call.

We've used more than a few of their 204/214 - .484/.510 grinds in 351's & 400's, and the 224/224 - .465 which is the hydraulic version of the small-block 289/271 HP grind, over the years, with no problems.

 

I have a old solid FE Crane Fireball cam. Specs it came with were 292 advertised duration, 227/227 @ .050, .523/.523 lift. 114.5* lobe sep. Came with a 406 I bought years ago with 3 flat lobes!!! But the cam card was included!!! LOL. IIRC it was the only FE grind in the Fireball series. I think I have a old PAW catalog with those in it somewhere. Cam is currently a door stop.

 

The old Holman-Moody HM310 worked with the GT/CJ springs too and had a wicked idle. It's specs were 310/310 with a .515/.515 lift. This is the cam I ran in my 427 back in the 80's.

 

If no one minds... when I dropped off the 390 parts at R&D John mentioned he has used a cam with about an additional 10 added to the exh duration as the FE heads have such a small exhaust vale and a large intake valve. He mentioned that you want about 85% of the intake for the exhaust and the extra duration helped with this. Opinions/Arguments/Couldgiveadamns????

 

If there is, you'll only see it on a dyno. The FE's just aren't as bad on the exhaust side as the other Fords were. Except for the crappy manifolds they were hobbled with.

 

was gonna email you but then realoized thats turned off. Then noticed only two posts on the board... well here goes nothing!!!http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FORD-...spagenameZWDVW
maybe someone can make use of it.....