Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The Engine Shop 292 pre vs post 1977??

Not really- - - -the 250 was a light duty engine, while the 292 had several heavy duty upgrades- - - -longer stroke, yes, but also a taller block, heavier duty connecting rods with bigger crankshaft journals (same rod bearings as a 350 V8) and a bunch of other modifications intended for medium-duty truck use. In the process, the gas mileage dropped like a bowling ball off an interstate overpass! The old saying was something like "A 292 can pass anything but a gas station!" The 292 engine was designed to compete with Ford's 300 cubic inch six, but it never quite managed to do that successfully.
Jerry

So the 300 got better mpg huh. I had head about this hich is why i decided to go with the suggestions here, adding a 5 soeed and reasonable rear gears keeping the rpms below 2k on the bway. In addition the more efficient carb with good breathing. Keeping it humming under the tq curve is apparently key. I like the 292 compared to the other options. Wondering what the ford motor does other than add 8 cubes that makes it stand out?

Keeping RPM’s under 2000 is not an efficient range, be best to add 500 or so to that.

ED

Ford 300's aren't famous for gas mileage, either. They have a 12 port cylinder head that breathes better than the Siamese-port Chevy, particularly since the Chevy engineers chose to put a cylinder head bolt right in the middle of all the intake ports. They must have been smoking some killer weed the day they designed those heads! A smaller, more efficient inline six is the Jeep/AMC 4.0 liter six, which also has a 12 port head and better breathing than a 230/250/292. Its ancestor was the 232 and 258 cubic inch International six, which AMC started buying in 1964 to put in their Rambler cars and Jeeps.
Jerry

The 292 is a great engine. I know at least 3 guys running over 1000 HP out of them but HP in a straight is pricey. 400 HP is not that hard to achieve reliably and for a reasonable amount for a built street engine on pump gas. There has been more interest in the past few years in the inline Chevy 6's so aftermarket performance parts are becoming more available. The inline 6 from a physics point of view is a superbly balanced engine design. When you start with that it's hard to go wrong. One of the guys I know is running sub 8.50's and has 7 seasons on the same engine so far. It helps that they are not running at 8000 - 9000 RPM's. Thank you for your time.

Pretty cool info guys!

Just get a Jaguar twin overhead cam six, or its modern clone, the Toyota Supra DOHC engine. Most of what the hotrodders are attempting to do with a Chevy truck engine has already been accomplished by a major auto manufacturer with more research and development staff than a back yard tinkerer could ever hope to have access to. There's even a turbocharged version of the Supra engine!
Jerry

Or the GM Atlas engine.

Ed

Can you put a Weiand 6-71 and a couple of shiny carbs on those? You don't put a tutu on a pit bull.

Eye candy. Better carry a big box around to haul the pieces home when it scatters like a hand grenade!
Jerry