We had a 74 2WD crew, 390 4bbl, 4 speed when I was in my late teens, it was a blast to toss 5 buddies and some coolers in it and go get in trouble.
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Oddly enough on the short bed crew thing, ford didn't make crew long boxes of this generation or earlier, but later only made crew long boxes, no short box crews again until 96.
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Personally I wouldn't bother with the FE at all, they are cool engines and all, and if that's what you're going for then so be it. But they are hugely impractical simply because they are odd, very little swaps, the aftermarket is thin, and everything FE is expensive. Just about any other Ford engine is more practical even a 400/351M.