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Hot Rods The all inclusive,almighty Y block thread

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Roothawg, Feb 16, 2021.

  1. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    I have one of these threads going for the Cadillac power plant, but I also have a 292 that I am pulling out of my 55 for a rebuild at some point. I love the sound of a Y block through short glass pack mufflers.

    I know that the Y block forum is a great place to hang out and suck up knowledge, but I also know a lot of those guys frequent this board as well. I figure we should put as much info as we can in one place.

    I know that HP per CID, they are expensive to build. But, if you want to keep a Ford in a Ford, nothing gets more respect in a traditional hot rod. They are a little longer for some builds, but in a roadster or other open hood application, they can't be beat. I am going to put links to other Y block threads in this thread to try and help those that are scavenging for info.

    We know you can build 2 sbc's for the price of one Y block, but we aren't here for that. This is about preserving a legacy.

    So, let's get started. What do you know about a Y block? Tell us about the things we need to know. Myths, common fixes, good upgrades. etc.

    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/ford-y-block-dimensions.616216/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/respect-for-the-y-block.1035968/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/engine-choice-help-y-block-vs-w.1092754/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-swap.1164478/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-photo-thread.990531/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-pros-and-cons.399434/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/ford-y-block-identification.1169601/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-performance.981662/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-guys.1049334/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-development-history.114441/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/car-y-block-vs-truck-y-block.1068473/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/what-can-be-done-to-a-ford-272-y-block.1065427/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/question-for-y-block-guys.1181658/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/292-y-block-value.810160/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-header-thread.1089276/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/50-y-block-score.1068963/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-into-a-35-ford-help-needed.1068147/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/y-block-into-35-40-fords.213706/
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/who-has-a-y-block-in-a-35-36-ford.1030986/
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2021
    Deuces, UNSHINED 2, MJW and 14 others like this.
  2. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

  3. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,419

    jaracer
    Member

    I've been driving a 57 T-Bird with a 312 for the past 25 years. The old Y block has a sweet sound and plenty of power. My first Y block powered car, also my first car, was a 54 Mercury. I also had a 55 Ford wagon. Love those old Y blocks. Rebuilt and freshly installed in the T-Bird about 15 years ago. New Eng in Car1.jpg
     
  4. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member


  5. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,442

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Kool! A 312 was the first engine, I ever built with my Dad! Actually he built it, I watched and learned! He took his time and showed every step in detail! We put that 312, now a 317 in our 1956 Ford 1/2 ton pick up, with 3.93 and 6:70x15 mud grip tires. You could be going 50 mph on a dirt road and put it on the floor, and it would start spinning both rear tires and throw dirt behind you for twenty/thirty feet! It would tear that road up! Had more torque than most any engine I have ever built since!
    That started a love affair for me with Y-blocks that still exist today! At last count I have eight Y-blocks..... including the 312 my Dad built in 1964, sitting in the 1956 pickup!


    Edit: this is the truck that we put two passenger side 312 exhaust on the engine! The one on the driver side facing forward. The drivers side exhaust manifold dumps right on the steering box in a 1956+ pickups. That is why Ford did that cross over thing! But two passengers side work great! Kinda looks funky, though! Lol :D



    Bones
     
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2021
  6. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    I bet it's crowded in there..... :)
     
  7. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,801

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Mines just fine. A 1956 .040” over 292 with a now 62 CruiseOmatic and little extra power on top. Engines are air pumps with some gasoline and a timed spark. I see no reason to change. Roothawg... thanks for promoting Y’s again. 37E2641A-CB66-4BD8-A4A6-34CBDC6FB230.jpeg
     
  8. sunbeam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2010
    Posts: 6,214

    sunbeam
    Member

    The high point for the Y block was the 57 312 After that the Y block went to being the economy v8 The HD truck 292 did offer a forged crank and tuffer rods but they were shorter. I did use a 239 crank truck rods and 301 Plymouth pistons with 57 312 top end in my 56 Bird before the street Hemi. The motor made good power from 3000 to 7000 rpm
     
  9. I will just be following along trying to learn things for the rebuilds that my 292 and 312 both need.
     
  10. williebill
    Joined: Mar 1, 2004
    Posts: 3,274

    williebill
    Member

    Thanks for starting this thread.
    Growing up, there were 2 Y-block cars in the neighborhood. A neighbor I've written about before drove one that was a little loud, running duals. As a nerdy loner kid, I'd sit on the porch and watch the goings on around me. Thought it was cool when he'd warm it up, and I'd watch it smoke a bit out of both pipes. I was so young I hadn't even discovered my dick, but I knew that car sounded better than any other car when he pulled out, and got on it. Another older neighbor had a buddy with a red and white 56 hardtop, and his sounded the same when he raised hell in the neighborhood.
    It's a small thing, but a major reason why my Merc is getting a Y-block, and I have 5 of them sitting around the garage.
     
  11. Rick & Jan
    Joined: Apr 9, 2008
    Posts: 536

    Rick & Jan
    Member

    Put the Y Block on hold to build 2 Flatheads, by the time they are done I'll have to Refinance the property to do the 292 Merc!! Being a Die Hard Ford Fan is Spendy, but KOOL! IMG_2904[604].jpg
     
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  12. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,190

    bchctybob
    Member

    I had a super sano ‘58 Ford 2dr hardtop years ago with a 292. It had that unique starter sound and it just purred like a kitten. Once I figured out how to work the Fordomatic it was fun to drive too. I never had to pop off a valve cover, just change the oil and filter and keep it gassed up. Great car.
    Same could be said for my ‘55 2dr wagon, 292, 3spd/OD. I added dual exhaust, T-bird valve covers and an Edelbrock with three ECG 2bbl carbs. Great car but unfortunately there was a world of rust lurking under the paint. Neither car was fun to set the points on but I’m definitely a Y block fan.
    McTim’s Y block dragster is one of my contemporary hero cars.


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  13. Here you go, @mctim64 to the white courtesy phone please
     
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  14. 32Dan
    Joined: Nov 22, 2017
    Posts: 137

    32Dan
    Member
    from Chino, CA

  15. 55blacktie
    Joined: Aug 21, 2020
    Posts: 793

    55blacktie

     
    Irish Mike likes this.
  16. 55blacktie
    Joined: Aug 21, 2020
    Posts: 793

    55blacktie

    Sunbeam, you had to bore that 57 312 0.112 to use 301 Plymouth pistons.
     
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  17. dwollam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2012
    Posts: 2,322

    dwollam
    Member

    @Boneyard51 my 1st car at 15 years old was a hand me down junker '61 Falcon that Dad and I shoehorned a '57 312 into and ran 2 '57 passenger side exhaust manifolds on. Worked so much better than the typical big curved pipe off the front of the cross over flange on regular manifolds! Only car that ever beat me in a drag race was Dad's '69 340 4 spd Swinger and I still beat him off the line every time.

    Dave

    Crap, that was 51 years ago!
     
  18. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Home made speed parts an tricks;;
    Back 1959 when I was lucky enough to find a Ford Thunderbird "Y" V8 for my hot rod 28A.
    I wanted something more sexy looking then just a 4bbl carb,an did come up with a 2x4 intake with out any carbs on it.
    More hunting turned up a matched pair of 2x4s off a crashed Cady .
    Those worked super well,right off the Cady.. A few years later had to sell those off for needed $. Went back 4bbl for a time.
    Then made a homemade 4x2s intake by cutting up a driveshaft.
    The trick part was to build it with lower runner from tube to heads with divider between IN ports< most alum.aftermarket intakes are open between intake ports. Y-block right bank forward cyl fire next to each other=one if open with out dividers will mess up some of other.
    Rocker arm oiling,block off the bleed off tube,force a liitle more oil too rockers.
    For racing,an yes I raced Y-blocks,you can make more HP with a built 292,then stock 312. Boring out a 292 an using a 312 crank with cut down mains,so it has 292 main size in a 292 block=Y-block can turn more RPM an live vs 312 main size stock is too big around an over heats oil at high RPM>fail of burn out mains in stock 312.
    Won a lot of races with that combo.
    I still drive my 28A an still has Thunderbird Y power.
    001 (4).JPG
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2023
  19. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    Kinda what I figured. No one around OK that does much with Y blocks.
     
  20. Ted Eaton is down in Texas. Great guy, knows his chit. https://www.eatonbalancing.com/
     
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  21. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    Yeah, but he's still 3.5 hours away. I have talked to him on the phone about doing some work.
     
  22. Jhook
    Joined: Nov 26, 2020
    Posts: 11

    Jhook
    Member

    I was always different in highschool,all the so call rich boys drove the so called fast Chevy's so being different and my dad having a junk yard I wanted to beat the big boy's with my old junky y block. Man that was a blast 292 bored 110 over G head's ported by me an isky cam. A buck an hour back then went along way
     
  23. Sat in the pits at Speedweek few years back and just listened to Ted for about an hour and soaked it in. Smart man.
     
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  24. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

  25. I'm going to enjoy this one......
     
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  26. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Y-Blocks are great engines, and I say that being a Chevy guy. I rebuilt the 56 312 in my 34 , it´s .030 over now, the heads have been reworked and shaved a bit, but nothing fancy. I was very surprised how well it is running. Very good torque and it revs nice, but it´s only running on the center carb as of yet, so the show ends at about 4.5 k rpm. I reused the cam, I have no clue what it is, but I doubt it´s a factory grind.
    IMG_5027.JPG IMG-20170402-WA0004.jpeg
     
  27. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    That's awesome.
     
  28. 55blacktie
    Joined: Aug 21, 2020
    Posts: 793

    55blacktie

     
  29. silent rick
    Joined: Nov 7, 2002
    Posts: 5,207

    silent rick
    Member

    thanks for starting this up...
     
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  30. Baumi
    Joined: Jan 28, 2003
    Posts: 3,043

    Baumi
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thank you!
     
    Spooky and loudbang like this.

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