56 Ford 312 Y-Block Engines

Perhaps you H.A.M.B. Folks can answer my questions? Could a 56 Ford Car be bought with a 312 engine that was not a special order in 1956? Did all 312 engine equipped 56 Ford Cars come with a flat top radiator rather than with the round one? Thanks G.S.

 

As far as I'm aware, the 312 was a catalogued option for all '56 Fords. Sorry, but I can't answer your question, definitively, as to radiator shape, but I'm sure I'd seen 'em with round-topped ones way back when. By the time I was messing with that model, I'm sure that more than one would have had its radiator replaced sometime in its life.

 

rumor is that if an automatic ..... and I think water cooled .... it is a 312 ??

I heard recently, but not clear.... I'll try and follow up with the yblock wizard I was talking to. CJ

 

The best way to tell what engine the car came with is look at the serial number. The first digit is the engine code and in 56 "P" would indicate a 312. But just because it came with it does not mean it still is a 312.

 

All slushbox '56 T-Birds came with 312 engine, sticks had 292. Most non-Bird '56's as I remember had 292's, not sure if the 312 was special order.

 

I would check on the Y-Block Forever.com web site,many knowledgeable people on there. ROY.

 

I think the flat top radiators were for the water cooled trans and the round top radiators were for the air cooled trans,my grampa had a 56 with the flat top radiator and it had a 312 and my 55 came with a air cooled trans and a round top radiator.