Technical Educate me on ford engines

Local towing company in lock-up;
I've been checking this out for two years- complete car with a Y-block V-8 that needs a lot of work.
Looks like it was headed to the roundy round track a long time ago.
Guy wants 2500 for it- I'm thinking more in the thousand dollar range--- --------
Picture it black with a straight axle, skinny fronts and big *** slicks.
Dream on...................

 

Yeah these cars arent bad looking. Thats more $ than the solid 6 cylinder im thinking about buying


What'cha got in there, kid?

 

Looks to be in half decent shape.

Would look good slightly lowered, black with black steel wheels. Kinda like a stock car and of co**** a solid lifter FE in it.

 

For a traditional an fe or a y block would be best. For a ****** a toploader would probably be good.

For cheap though you can probably get a cheap old rotted out foxbody and just swap everything into the car your looking at.

I'm in The same boat as you. Im still in school and I've got my 47 ford truck with an fe swapped into it. Swapping motors that were never supposed to be in there is a headache. Especially when there as big as a fe.

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Honestly, I don't care whatcha do..... but I will cast a vote in favor of the FE. Excellent part is they all look pretty much the same externally. So you can have an original look in a car that came with a 352 and it can pretty much be any size within reason. Plus they are hands down one of the best looking Ford engines (in my opinion). My latest build is a 446ci aluminum headed FE with a date correct block for my car: (and YEAH, I painted the aluminum heads)

 

17 is the perfect age to start buying heaps. I had a 57 Ford w/ a strait six and three on the the tree, pulled that car all over California freeways for years and years just fine, super easy to work on, look under the dash there was a handful of wires and that's it. 59 Fords are even better looking IMHO, I like them way better than GMs (even though that's what I have now).

Here's the strait dope; there's no "just buying an old car for a couple thousand dollars and driving it around for awhile then selling it for what you paid", everything starts to need replacing as you drive it more and more, any old car will take lots of time and $$$$, in the end you will probably not be able to sell it for anywhere near what you put into it. Everyone here can tell you that it's true, we don't care because it's not about the $ for us, we do it for the love of old cars. Honda Civics are for driving and neglecting then selling to some shmuck or shmuckett. You spend a ****load of time and money on your old sled because you love that thing.

Chevys are innocuous, but if that's ultimately what you want you should get one.

 

BTW I don't know if you've thought of this but like people have said before, it's not as simple as just swapping the engine, the suspension has to be able to withstand the weight and power of the engine

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Considering your cir***stances the best thing if you buy the car, is to keep the six. Tune it up and drive it. If you have to change the engine consider a 302 and matching trans. They have good power and quite economical on gas, not hard to find or expensive to buy.

Yes the Y block is cool but the newest one is 52 years old. Figure on rebuilding if you can find one and it's not cheap. The FE is cool too but a very big, heavy engine and a real gas hog. I'm afraid the 302 makes the most sense from a practical standpoint or maybe a 4.6 if you can handle the electronics.

 

There we go, quoting mythology / propaganda that won't die again. As has been pointed out countless times, the FE isn't particularly big, is in fact one of the lightest big-blocks, and while not thrifty like an EFI engine, is not by any means a "gas hog". You must be thinking of the BBC lol... "Practical" when referring to a hot rod? If you want practical, get a Prius. If you want cool and fun, a nicely dressed FE can be your huckleberry

 

It's got to weigh more than a six. The 302 is much lighter, practically the same as the six. Maybe less. Have owned a few Fords, including a 302 pickup truck that got better than 20 MPG and a 390 that never got over 12. The 302 could probably use the same rad, springs, rear axle, brakes etc which should be upgraded if you use the big engine.

The OP made it plain that he is a student and does not have a lot of money. I agree for you an FE would be great in that car. I am suggesting the other guy not over match himself.

 

I bleed Ford blue, but I drove a Chevy van for about a year because I got a good deal on it.
Every time I looked at that bowtie on the steering wheel, I knew I had made mistake.
If you want a Chevy, buy a Chevy.

 

All this cryin about "...can't afford what I really want..." and sounds like exceptional cir***stance. Wrong, *****es. I can't afford what I really want either...
Only about $2.7M and worth every penny:

Ok, so instead of a Custom Dietrich bodied 12, how about a production body on the smallest 8cyl platform? Only $85K, a low mileage survivor:


So I decided "**** it..." and spent most of my life restoring em for the ones who do have em. Sometimes vicariously is fine because like grand kids, they go back after a visit. Not without means completely, my have/had list would make some cry, and currently it includes a 65 GTO and a 39 std Tudor. I bought and flipped my 1st old car before I had a license, a 36 Buick humpback 2dr. Flips also include several Mustangs including a 500KR and a Boss 302, a couple Packards, too many Model A and early V8 Fords and parts to remember, even an Auburn V-12 Speedster and a 47 Cadillac Model 62 Conv. More to life than our cars, sure, but this game has been good to me. Even though nobody really needs any of this ****, and that's a harsh reality because it's the 1st to go when the **** hits the fan, I've managed to stay into it for well over 40 years. I was about your age when I got serious about it and made the 1st moves. Read some car history, local history (I was always close to and lived in Dearborn, MI), get to know what folks want, ask questions, consider a trade vs a 6 figure degree. A trade can net you over 6 figures a year well before your 30. A trade also builds and supports crossover skills. And by trade I mean electrician, carpenter, plumber, even brick/block or cement mason. And those guys have $$$$$ and want cars too.

"Knock-Knock-Knock"...anyone home? I mean all of this in the best possible way in spite of the 40 grit tone it has. Many have "been there" but don't say much for their own reasons. And truth be told a lot of your generation are a bunch of momma-lucs with their hands out and and a sense of en***lement. Good luck in your choice and keep asking questions.

 

So RaginPin3Appl3, is the car in your avatar the car you are thinking of buying? If so, it looks like a pretty solid car to me.

 

Gene, if you are gonna hang around here, you'd better get used it.

 

LOL George, yeah I just have a low tolerance for obvious BS in perpetuem- when the same old baloney comes up, I'll call BS again. BTW, just got another cherry std bore 427 sideoiler block hehehe. Saw a post the other day where a guy claimed he had a high-nickle 360 block- jeezus...

 

Yeah, I'm sure Ford mixed a different batch for low performance pickup truck engines

 

Yep, the "high nickle 427 block" myth was disproved long ago, never happened but the myth still pops up once in a while- usually in craigslist or epay listings. First time I heard anyone claim it for a 360 lol... IIRC he said his expert machinist told him it was

 

I have 2 Chevy's, 2 Fords, 1 Dodge, 1 Jag, 1 IHC - always considered myself a Chevy guy, but will buy anything if I like it.

Buy the Ford, keep the 6, you'll have plenty to do just keeping it a driver.
Who knows, you might even become a Ford guy

 

Was this in my thead? I remember someone saying something about high nickel fe's in my thead and I have a 360.

 

Hmmm... Where did I read the 360 truck blocks were 'high nickel'?
My favorite machinist repeated that when he sonic tested my 360 prior to boring it.
Who starts these stories? Edsel? Henry lll? Parnelli?

 

Probably someone selling a 360 block......

 

Save yourself a lot of Time and Headaches and come buy my 59. It don't need anything but a new address. It already has a FE and an automatic. Damn near everything is new and that's where all the Old Cheep deals end up. All your going to miss is spending to much time, money, driving all over Hell and ending up with lot's of Wrong parts you'll try to find a place to store. In fact I'll load the trunk with all kinds of Wrong parts just to help ya out. By the way my Aunt bought this car new in 59 and it's still in her name. Think I'm kidding?
The Wizzard

 

Ranks up there with the guy selling a yblock saying "it's a 312". Been more "312's" sold than were ever built.

 

Same could be said for 327 "Corvette" engines. Every Chevy ll had one.

 

The 59 6 cyl did not have 8" ring gear 8" did not come out until 60's. Parts catalog from Ford lists only 9" gears and housings. Acutally the early ring gears were 8 3/4"

 

Wizz, that car makes me smile. Not enough to **** it up mind you, but damn if that ain't a real sweetheart. Could save an enthusiast a fortune in chasing parts and restoration.

 

But Gene I thought that they were all "Built Ford Tough with Chevy Stuff."

Maybe your belly ****on scrub comment was a little much and no more called for than the GM motor option but you are right on given that the OP asked for Ford motor options.

By the way you are aware that anything without a belly ****on is an alien, right?

 

theHighlander; Your right, it's a nice piece. What it needs is a Watson style paint job and a set of Astro Supremes.
The Wizzard

 

Whatcha got in there kid? means what's under the hood, the proper response no matter what you got under the hood is "Oh I dunno whatever they came with."

I actually put the motor and ****** out of a wrecked gremlin under the hood of a '54 Effy once. I had the wreck, and the F-100. The F-100 needed an engine, it was a match made in heaven. I took the time to make it a clean install because I could and I actually had a "ford guy" look while I was checking the oil and say, "Well you ruined that old truck when you put an alternator in it."

Never the less "I dunno whatever they came with"

Back in the early '60s they were doing everything that they have always been doing. Automatics were not really popular with the hot rod crowd but they got used. Floor shifts were cool but column shifts got used as well.

The SBF was alive and well in the early '60s and it was not a "mustang " motor, they got used in small and mid sized cars a lot, even some found their way into full sized cars, they looked like a pea in a 55 gallon drum but they got used. The average "ford guy" doesn't know by looking if it is a late 5.0 or a 260. Its not as easy as looking at a GM motor and saying well its got holes in the front of the head so it must be late model. hell the average "ford guy" can't tell a Gremlin 6 from a Ford 6 evidently. LOL I am still **** hurt by his alternator comment though.

 

This is the car. Going to hopefully get it this week or next. Not exactly sure on plans yet obviously lol i do know where theres a y block in a junk yard though thats been under a closed hood for a long time so it may be good still.

I know for sure the car would get a Mexican blanket interior and i'd lift it slightly in the back and put some reverse steel wheels on it and white walls. The rest i'm unsure of. I'm hesitant messing with the paint because they're only original once but i also want to try another color on it. And of course engine options are still in the air.


What'cha got in there, kid?