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Projects Its Y block time

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by junkyardjeff, Oct 19, 2019.

  1. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    Picked up a nice running 1955 272 that will be going in my 55 sunliner,also will be getting the trans and rear end from the donor car but not sure if I will use them. Its a 2 bbl engine and will be getting a set of 4 bbl heads to get the compression up a little from the 7.6 that the 2 bbl has,it will be getting 57 intake and exhaust manifolds along with a 62 distributor and the better ratio 57 312 rocker arms. I am not 100 percent sure on the trans but heading towards using the FOM bellhousing,torque converter and front pump from the 55 FOM on a FMX I have so it will bolt togather without any expensive adapters. If that FOM would start in first when put in D I would use it but with the FMX it will have a normal shifting trans and look original to the untrained eye. 100_9567.JPG
     
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  2. When I was a kid I had a 55 with a 272. I did the 57 intake and "modern" Holley 4 barrel along with the 312 rocker arm upgrade. All good choices. A year later I lucked into a '67 Ford 289 engine with almost no miles on it. I put that in and it performed a lot better. Today though, Id be happy to have a good 272 or 292 with the upgrades you talk about.
     
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  3. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    My dad bought this 55 new so I want to put it back kind of original with some improvements,it presently has a 351-W and C-4 but the guy I had build it did not install a RV cam like I wanted and installed one that comes on above 2000 so it does not have the low end torque I was expecting. I got the C-4 hot while in Florida last year so it needs rebuilt again and I think I can install the 272/FMX cheaper then what the shops were quoting me to rebuild the trans.
     
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  4. Cool! Glad to see you put a y-block back in your 55. I get people constantly asking me why I don’t put a late model engine and transmission in my 56. I tell them that the ones in it have kept it going for 63 years, why would I want to change...
     

  5. about a year ago I tried mating a Cruse-o-matic with with a Ford-o-matic pump. When doing that I had to use the FOM input shaft, that input shaft was a little longer and would not work. (shaft was longer or the COM case was shorter, something) If I remember right the FOM is a mid length case and the COM was from a '65 T bird with a 390. Was I doing something wrong or did I just have the wrong combination of parts?
     
  6. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Just use the FOM, while it does start out in second a partial throttle, for smooth operation, it will start out in first if you put the gas pedal on the floor for maximum acceleration. My first car was a ‘55 272 with a Ford-a-matic and it worked flawlessly I can’t imagine any other three speed automatic transmission behind a 272. If you want to take off in low at partial throttle, just pull the lever into low. Easy! Now a three speed overdrive, I could understand!






    Bones
     
  7. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    I will get more info on what I have to do to use the FOM parts on the FMX,I would like to keep the highway gears it presently has but I am getting the rear end too. No matter what I do its going to get a 57 flywheel since the converter mounting tab rivets are loose and made noise.
     
    46international likes this.
  8. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fordtransmissionforum/
    I hope this works, but this is a forum site that deals with Ford transmissions, a guy that is the "tech" guy is all knowing on this topic name is Stuart. a lot of FOM/COM/FMX info there. If you search back far enough I'm sure you will find when he was helping me.
     
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  9. I still have the FOM and this is what I do. works fine.
     
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  10. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    The Y block purest will probably not like this but, I would rig a PCV system on the new engine. It could be done with too much noticeable hardware.







    Bones
     
  11. Corn Fed
    Joined: May 16, 2002
    Posts: 3,278

    Corn Fed
    Member

    20 years ago I went down the road of putting an FMX behind the Y-block in my ’57 wagon based on a Street Rodder magazine article that said it was a cheap and easy slam dunk. Like you, I thought it was a good option instead of making all the adaption of using a C4. So I started down that path. I ran into all sorts of fitment issues with the torque converter snout to crank socket when I went to bolt it all together. Since I was already a bunch of bucks into it I had to forge on and have a modified convertor made by Phoenix Transmission (great business!). If I had know all the difficulties I ran into and the final cost, I would now use a C4 and an adapter kit.

    BTW, when I had my issues, I contacted the author of the SR article to ask him what I was doing wrong. He admitted he actually never completed the swap and was only going off what he’d been told. URH!!!
     
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  12. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    No purist here, but installing a PCV valve and making it work correctly is more complicated than it sounds. If it had a PCV from the factory I wouldn't convert it back, but I don't see the point of going through the contortions either. It is what it is and it works fine as it is.
     
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  13. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    If I was going to all the trouble to adapt a newer automatic transmission to a y-block I would spend my money on an overdrive transmission. Swiping a three speed in place of a Ford-a-matic is spending a lot of money and time......and coming out with another three speed transmission. The Ford-a-Matic is plenty good enough to handle the y block horsepower, if it’s a good one. I know parts are getting hard to find.






    Bones
     
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  14. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    I understand, but my reasoning is for better crank case evacuation, for longer engine life. But the main reason those old atmosphere evacuated engines had a tendency to smell bad at an idle. I know... don’t let it idle. Adapting a PCV system wouldn’t be hard.
    I’m old enough to remember that smell on hot Oklahoma Summers quite well. Don’t miss it!





    Bones
     
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  15. Seems to me adapting a Pcv would be super easy.
    I don’t see any problem at all.

    Tommy
     
  16. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Tommy, I have some ideas, but all seem to have a little problem. What are you thinking on how to put one on? Thanks






    Bones
     
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  17. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    I do have a factory PCV system that will be going on the 272.
     
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  18. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Anybody can bolt one up, sure. Making it work correctly, well OK. If you say so. I keep the oil changed regular, though I'm not a fanatic, and there is absolutely no sludge in the engine. Maybe if it was a daily driver year round with short trips.
     
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  19. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    They had a PCV system around 62 or 63 and I took one off a 64 truck,the original road draft tube will be blocked off and installed.
     
  20. Boneyard,
    What I was thinking of was just like all the engines out there already.
    Drill and tap a place for the fitting in the back of the intake,,or use a carb spacer and use it to plumb a fitting.
    I would use the tappet cover plate instead of the valve cover,,,,,so no modifications to the valve covers. The Y block valve covers kind of have their own look as they are !
    I would modify the tappet cover to accept the tube,,,and would have to put an oil shield or deflector under there to block sucking oil.
    Would probably have to run a tube out of the cover and to the rear to Feed the vapors to a small homemade block to act as a receiver for the pcv valve.
    Forgive me if I have oversimplified my ideas,,,,I have left out several details I’m sure.

    Tommy
     
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  21. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    The factory PCV hooks to the valley pan at the rear and the PCV screws in the intake,I have all the parts and will go on.
     
  22. Sorry,,I wasn’t trying to rob an idea from Ford,,,Lol
    I have never owned a Ford,,,I just was looking at some pics on here and assumed that would be where to put it,,,,lucky guess,,,I guess,,,,Lol.

    Tommy
     
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  23. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Tommy, thats how I first thought, it would be cool and out of sight. But then I got to thinking that that might kinda shortcut the vapors and possibly lead to sludge in the valve covers? I too, didn’t want to mess with those cool valve covers. I also though about plugging the oil filler cap and use the road draft as an intake to better scavenge the engine, but then thought that might not be so good! Ran several ideas, but if Ford did it your way..... it has to work!






    Bones
     
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  24. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    Just picked up a set of C heads from a 55 292 that are fresh with hardened seats,should bring the compression from 7.6 to 8.5. I also got the 4 bbl trans linkage in case I put the FOM in but not sure what trans I will use,never seen any 4 bbl parts in the junkyards so I had to grab it while I could. 100_9593.JPG
     
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  25. Wanderlust
    Joined: Oct 27, 2019
    Posts: 787

    Wanderlust

    I used the 64 valley cover, cut the road draft tube off 1 1/2 in. from top put in 1 x 3/4 in. Grommet and ran the hose to bottom of the air cleaner along with the usual ford foam filter. Filler cap still open to atm. Yesterday pulled valve covers to retourque heads ( new rebuild), found a little cream cheese in both and more in the filler tube, not thrilled. Might have to plumb to more direct vac.
     
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  26. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    Found all the PCV 100_9594.JPG 100_9595.JPG 100_9596.JPG parts and put them with the valley pan and fit the FOM bellhousing to the FMX. Since the pan needs to be dropped to change the kick down lever I need to see what linkage I want to use before it gets rebuilt and need to get the shift arm off the 70s truck in the junkyard since it will work with the rod from the column.
     
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  27. sunbeam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2010
    Posts: 6,213

    sunbeam
    Member

    [Steve you might want to rethink using the road draft as an air intake it's in the dirtiest place you could find . I'm not sure picking up oil with a valley pickup is a worry it is not a SBC there is not much oil in there
     
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  28. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,752

    Deuces

  29. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    Hey, Paul, I guess I didn’t explain myself too good when I mentioned the road draft tube. Since Ford used it to create a minus pressure in the crankcase so that the atmosphere can push air through the engine via the oil fill tube. I though it might be a good place for the PVC valve. It would be better than what Ford originally had, as it would create more “ vacuum”. But this or, the way Ford did it in later years, still does not address the valve covers, by my way of thinking.
    I also thought of using the road draft hole for an intake, but plumbing it up to the air cleaner to source clean air. And put the PVC valve in the valley plate and plugging the oil fill.
    But that kinda runs contrary to later Ford engines as they take the air from the very top of the engines.
    But the Y-Block survived for years with the road draft.








    Bones
     
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2019
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  30. loudbang
    Joined: Jul 23, 2013
    Posts: 40,276

    loudbang
    Member

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