stock 390 block HP capacity?

Just curious but does anyone know just how much HP and torque a stock 390 block can handle safely?

I built a pretty racy one that made 550 HP at 6500 RPM, and I necer heard from the guy again.(428 crankshaft)

JOE SHERMAN RACING ENGINES

I was hoping to get around 500+ horse out of mine. What kind of setup did you use with the 428 crank? Also what kind of heads did you use? if you dont mind me asking.

You probably scarred him Joe when you built that 550hp. That's alot of power to handle. He's probably got a permanent smile for life...

I used a fully ported set of cast iron heads and a pretty big solid roller cam. I am just getting started on a 428 stroker buildup for Hot Rod magazine. It is going to be 464 cubic inches,with Edelbrock heads that I am porting as we speak. I am looking for 600 plus Hp from this bigger version.I have a bunch of trick parts I am going to use in it.I do not know anything about the Ford engines, so I am learning as we go.

JOE SHERMAN RACING ENGINES

To start a stock 390 block was rated at 375 hp with 6090-h heads mostly unless you had a gt 390 with gt heads I think was 6090-R .

You could add 6090-N heads which were 428 cj heads and a cj aluim intake with headers to boost a 390 pretty well . A stock 390 say 4 speed the tranny will not shift over 5000 for the clutch spring will not disengage to handle the rpms .

To get higher hp why would anyone goto trouble to build a motor stock with intentions of the motor having high hp without a strong bottom end ? All that is no good unless you use a good set of rods , say aries pistons and a stroker crank of choice .

If you going to the trouble to build a fe find a webbed 390 block or a 428 block . Those will hold up better and use a scat crank which is a cheaper stroker crank . Stroking a motor is a great way to get higher horse power for the money .

If going with a automatic you will need a stall converter , size depends on how strong your motor is going to be . You can get by with a 2800 stall pretty cheap .

Spped sho is building a motor for me to go into a 66 fairlane , 4 speed car . Never run a strong motor without useing a good scatter shield bellhousing as such lakewood . If the motor would exsplode that will keep your legs if it blew back into the car , I've seen a man loose his legs when motor blew .

My block is a 428 and still we x-rayed the weak side of block to sleave it to the weak side then line bored it . A good stroker crank , lamons rods , aries pistons ,apr bolts ,pinned bearings , better oiling cross drilled . Heads are by dove aluim but a good flowing cj head would do well . I use a tunnelwedge intake , hooker headers .

Depends on how much money you wish to spend , if limited buy parts and save them . When you get all good parts then have it put together . As for your question of an answer , around 375 to 400 is what you will get out of a stock 390 . Start additives on top the stock block willnot handle the increase hp without a good bottom end . All is about how much money you can spend but mostly finding great deals on parts , they are out there .

Ever seen Charlie Booze's 1962 Ford Galaxie??
He's got a high winding 427 based Tunnel Port and a trick Liberty 4 speed.
Its a 3500+ lb. car that rides the back tires and runs mid 8's in the quarter mile...all motor!!

Of course that has nothing to do with a 390

Originally Posted by TorinoStyle2

Ever seen Charlie Booze's 1962 Ford Galaxie??
He's got a high winding 427 based Tunnel Port and a trick Liberty 4 speed.
Its a 3500+ lb. car that rides the back tires and runs mid 8's in the quarter mile...all motor!!

Of course that has nothing to do with a 390

Charlie and Brian Booze's 62 galaxie (Pale Rider)is a all out race motor with around $50,000 in that 427 . BBR Performance : Street, Drag, Oval Track speed products

Yeah, that's definitely not a everyday or weekend warrior motor to drive on the street.

Thanks for the replies.
I was just wondering if I should put a better bottom end in my 390 or start fresh with another block, say a 428 or so. Money being a concern I was hoping to stick with my 390 and try to get 500+ horses out of it.
Right now its just a rebuilt original with stock heads and a performer intake and cam.
I've seen a lot of guys have luck with a SCAT crank but I've seen a lot of them break. They seem to lighten their cranks up too much in my opinion. but then again the ones ive seen break were in a Chevy haha.
Just bouncing some ideas off you guys so I can make up my mind. My 62 Galaxie is a heavy car and I'm almost done with my dad's 68 mustang, so I cant let his be faster than mine