Any of you guys catch desert car kings episode last night 2-9-2011. where the father just went off blasting about how bad Y-block motors were, & that its one of fords worst motors. What the hell i almost sprayed my soda all over the tv while i was drinking it, lol. He called it a pig motor & that no matter how much money you spend, you cant get anything outta them. He might as well bashed the flathead motor while he was at it.
i realized that its just one persons opinion. He must just be a "go fast, if it aint got 400hp dont talk to me" muscle car guys. oh well i hope since he hated that motor so much he sells all them y-blocks cheap!
its that show on the discovery channel that they quickie restore cars on. They're also a junk yard. Essentially, its like Boyd cottington's show, only with less flair, and the same drama. With all due respect though, the Y-block was a failure. It IS their worst v-8 engine design (we'll see how the 4.6/5.4s look in the history books to replace it). It has a lot going for it, and its the best looking, but it isn't the most powerful by any means.
i agree that y blocks aint everybodys cup of tea, but from what ive seen and in my opinoin there great motors. Love them over flatheads & any other vintage engine. I guess its just that he bashed them so badly on national tv lol. thought id just vent and share.
Y block a failure? let's check the history books and NASCAR records. How in the world could Karol Miller drive a Y block powered car to Bonneville, set a record, and then drive back home to Texas...in a Y block powered 56 victoria back in the late 50's? Sure there are limitations to the engine. The limit of cubic inch size I would say is what really limits the overall power potential like other engines (how much air can you get in and out in a hurry?), but this engine was not a failure in its day, and from the press it continues to get and parts availability that continues to spring up (why is Edelbrock retooling for BOTH sizes of their Y block intakes - 553 and 573?), I certainly wouldn't cl***ify the Y block engine as a failure today. Take a look at the latest EMC showdown and the Ted Eaton Y block and what it can do with those Mummert heads. Granted, Ford went for the FE pretty quickly and the cubic inch race was on back in the late 50's but failure is a little too much don't you think?
If they were a success, why did Ford drop them for the FE series, and why were ebu and eby engines such dogs? If the limiting nature of Displacement was the problem, why re-design the intake ports from Y to fe? Now, ALL OF THIS BEING SAID, I love y-blocks, I've got one in my car, they look rad, but they are not performers. Dollar for dollar, they are fords WORST v-8 engine. Why is Edelbrock retooling for Y-blocks? The same reason they make Flathead stuff, there is a market, with money. Anyone knows that makes power that you'll get more from a 4 barrel than 3 94's. Just saying, you cant argue that they were a booming success, because they simply were not. A stepping stone for the FE, yeah, you could argue that. Lincoln Y-blocks got all the way to 368, they were still not very great performers. Just being as objective as possible. Tear whatever I say to shreds, that's fine. I don't build engines, I'm just looking at a historical standpoint. The Y-block was an option v-8 for three years, then the FE took over for nearly of twenty. Edit: Just want to make sure that this comes across, I don't want any malice to be projected through this post, I'm just saying what I think. I love Y-blocks, my car has one, dad's A has one, and we've got a spare laying around for another model A. They did make power and were good for what they were, no one can argue that. You guys are good dudes, just wanted to make sure that last part came through.
The worst part was when they think that a 351m was as good as a Fe 390 ! They were just and were never a muscle car engine ! I thought the paint job was ****py as well . That didn't look like any candy color to me or my wife ! They are just coping that other show where the body shop built these high end muscle cars and hot rods and sold them at an auction to make money . There is no way you can drag a car from the salvage yard and build it to a high quality car in 2 weeks with just a few guys working on it . I still think they should have left the rattle snakes in the car ! Jim
My brother went up to desert valley and was looking at getting a battery box for hiss 59 f100. They wanted an arm and a leg for the damn box. We laughed and walked out. I was jusst talking to the prez of my car club the other day and he told me that he's got a hook-up up there. So we are gonna go back again next Friday. And I agree that there is no way they can turn out a show car in 2 weeks with just a few guys. This show is like a weak knockoff of wrecks to riches. I'll keep watching just so I can see them go deeper in the hole. They've only broken even and the lost money right? Just 2 episoes? Anywho, I'm bored now. Think i'sll go tinker with my y-block....
Did they really think they could get over 10K for that '62 with that ****py paint and the rear shackles flipped up???? And just curious, did Ford really put bucket seats and console in a 4 door in '64.
The show peaked my interest when I saw the ads, but I'm disappointed. These guys are just car flippers, spraying a quicky garbage paint job over a junked car to hide the flaws. The same kind of guy that sold me my Ford.
Yeah, Y-Blocks are Slugs... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLrFUTozcVU&feature=related How about low 12's...
its a cool idea for a show but it is exactly about what EchoOfGecko said... rushing something to get a quick penny back and to make a show that the average guy would say "that looks pretty good"
That might have been Mummerts 57 . I know McTim64 in our group has a real screamer for a pic up ! If you want to see some wild Y blocks , go to Tim Eaton's Balancing Shop in Texas and check some of his out . He turns out some huge HP numbers from his Y blocks . They have a huge Y block drags up and down the mid west up into Ohio . I have talked with Tim before and he is a really great guy and knows his stuff about Y blocks . Tim Eaton & John Mummert are the ones to go to for the big running Y block . Of course they aren't cheap either to build if you want a really good running Yblock . That is why I pulled mine and sold it . I wanted more HP than I can get for the money from a Y block . I really thought about getting a stroker kit from John Mummert but to spend $2500+ just to get a little over 300 hp just isn't worth it to me at all ! Big Blocks are the way to go for huge HP numbers But a stroked out SBF will get you there in a hurry too ! I still really like the Y block but just didn't fit my needs . Jim
Jim, Not Mummerts '57, That's John Feistritzer's Hoosier Hurricane F Code '57 out of Indiana. You mention Tim McMaster but don't give him credit for building "huge HP numbers" along with Ted Eaten and John Mummert. Ever heard of the Yellow Brick? LSR Ford truck with a Y in it, Tim built the engine.
Yeah, I couldn't see anything "candy" about that paint job either. Hell, the paint was so ****ty I could hardly see a reflection in it. While it piqued my interest initially, it just follows the same script as the other "reality" shows on TLC, Discovery, etc. lately: interesting concept, a few good episodes, then comes the fake drama in-fighting, tough guy posturing (notice everyone in all of the commercials crossing their arms and staring menacingly into the camera?), and goofy cutup shtick. Pretty lame.
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