Good find. I have become somewhat partial to 56's since I got mine a couple years ago. Sounds like you are making progress.
Thanks again all. 57 custom 300, I think you nailed it. I cut the power steering belt off today and topped off the cylinders with ATF. Gonna let her soak a bit more.
No it looks like a typical teapot carb AKA towering inferno. Have a fire extinguisher handy when you "fire" it up the first time. My burst into flames after a backfire a few months back. Luckily no real damage occurred.
I'm replacing my firepot with an Autolite 4100 from 1957 with 1.08 venturis and a B manifold. I'm going for a period correct swap.
I'm still waiting for my "magic potion" of ATF/acetone to loosen her up. Been trying a breaker bar on the crank bolt, but I'm not too crazy about that. My friend suggested putting the generator belt back on, tightening it up and using the fan to hand rock the crank back and forth. It's only been a couple of days, but I'm open to suggestions.
It may very likely have a bunch of stuck valves. I would pull the rocker arm assemblies from both sides. Then the crank assembly could turn easier and you could check each valve for being stuck. Good luck...I love 56's
Awesome! I love my '56 four door. If you go with 3" blocks on the rear it will ride on the bump stops on rough roads. What I did was use Gabrial High Jackers and an Air Lift compressor paid a little over $100 for the whole shebam on Amazon. Also get youreself a '57 Intake with an adapter and a newer four barrel carb. They are super fun cars though! I have fallen in love with them ever since I got mine! Oh yeah also get a '57 and up dizzy for her!
Good advice Mitchell. I was thinking Petronix for the distributor, but a 57 setup at minimum. I like the rear end advice too.Are you saying you used the high jackers WITH the lowering blocks for rough roads?
If the engine still won't turn ovet, pour some MMO inside the block to "pickle" the engine. I did this, and it spun over very easy after letting it sit for a week. Dave
I just need to be patient. I didn't really have the pistons covered with ATF till mid Tuesday. If all else fails, I will be trying everyones suggestions.
Still waiting. Added some diesel to the mix today. Also found the original rocker arms in the trunk. Original owner came by and said that the rebuild on this engine probably has about 300 miles on it! 300 miles and you let it rust under a tree. Damn it!
It makes me wonder if something else started acting up after the rebuild. It takes a lot of time, effort and money to do all that. It seems odd to do all that and then park it under a tree and let let it rot.
The owner I got it from was the son of the guy that had it rebuilt. The rebuild- owner passed away not long after the rebuild. The car did need a new generator and it ran rich when they parked it. The pallbearers rode in this car at the funeral.Other than that, it's supposed to be fine.
That's a sad story. My car's PO passed away not long after he bought it from the original owner. Luckily my car was kept in dry storage, but for over 12 years until his widow was finally pressured by her family to let it go.
Update: Nothing. We are building a house, so the last few days, weeks, have been reserved for priming and painting the inside of our house. Never prime and paint the inside of your house. Hire someone.
Frustrated. Started looking at 292's,312's and 302's on CL. May have a line on a 64 F100 with a 292 , running, for 500$.
OK, Fine!!! Meet this 64 F100 that my buddy scored: Has a running 292. Has the updated single vacuum dizzy and a 2bbl Holley. I get the motor, he gets everything else. Eventually, I'm gonna tear my old 292 a new asshole.
cool car, I put petronix in my 61 caddy and my grandfathers 63 thunderbird. It was really easy and so far so good.
Better idea http://spokane.craigslist.org/pts/3723781403.html EZ to do and much more wallet friendly than the Y-Block.If you keep the Y-block get a later distributor and send it to member GMC Bubba and convert to a Ford Dura-Spark, parts are EZ to find and more reliable than a Pertronix,might want to give this a read https://www.google.com/search?hl=en....1841.0j15.15.0...0.0...1c.1.8.hp.QvB7TIKYGOQ Quality is not as good as in the past.
Seller of the Mustang engine says it still needs to be gone through so the 64 engine is still the best bet.
Good score.Like my Grand Father used to say."Slow and sure beats the hell out of quick and dead". Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
Jeff - that 302 is in Idaho, about 5 hours over and 5 hours back in my F250. Not fun (or wallet friendly)! My buddy is going to pull the 64 292 and drop it off at my house. The 64 has the single vacuum advance dizzy in it already, so that's a good start.
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