New Ride - Survivor 1956 Ford Fairlane

Hey Jeff, get that 312 built and cruise on over to Mt. Sterling Kentucky in September for Lloydfest 3!

 

I'm getting excited now. Pretty sure I just found a steering column, linkage, clutch pedal, etc. to convert my car to a manual about 30 miles from the house.

 

Wouldn't it be better to work on the car at home? 30 miles is a hike if you forget a tool...

 

Lol...yea, that wasn't necessarily worded very well. I found the parts 30 miles away. The work will happen at home.

On a serious note, the guy that has the parts deals in mostly 55-56 Ford parts and just happens to be local to me which is sure handy.

Also, dropped off the block, crank, and the one head that I may use at the machine shop last night. He says he has some y-block heads buried somewhere there too so will see if he by chance has what I need. Chances are pretty slim that he would have a set of ECZ-G heads stuffed away in the back somewhere...but, who knows.

 

I think I have a G head in my stash...but I also recall someone whining asking about some so they may have evaporated...if your buddy has one, it certainly is closer.
I ask my buddy about column shift stuff and he laughed at me...long covid has really changed his personality so I am glad you have located the needed parts closer to home...

 

I'm sure you are going to replace the cam bearings, but take a good look at the journals on the cam. The cam on my 312 had a lot of wear on the cam journals. I got a cam from Mummert, a Y-256-F and was very pleased with the performance and the smooth idle. I assume you already know about the timing marks on the crank and cam. They aren't timed like any other engine I ever worked on.

 

Thanks for the information. I am planning on replacing the cam bearings and the cam but will also check the journals on the cam I just pulled. One thing I haven't researched yet is the timing marks on the crank and cam. But, after blowing up a SBC about 30 years ago when I didn't get that right (timing set I had was for TDC, and 4 degrees either side and I lined up the wrong two dots...), I am definitely sensitive to making sure I get it right now. I have been going through this book the last week or so. I've also been checking out the yblocksforever forum as well as watching some of the videos from Mummert.

 

Unlike every other motor I've worked on, you don't line up the dots. From Mummert's web site: Timing gear installation. Some people try to align the timing marks on the gears toward each other as is common on newer engines. This is bound to happen more often now as the replacement timing chains no longer have the pins marked for correct alignment with the gears. The marks on the Y-Block timing gears aim toward the oil filter side with 12 pins between them.

 

That is the way the Buick straight installs.

Ben

 

Out of curiosity.....think it'll wind up with lakes pipes?

 

Not planning on it. Only cosmetic changes will be the seats. Otherwise, I’m just rebuilding the mechanicals and cleaning things up a bit. I would just keep driving it as-is if it wasn’t worn out.

 

That's the nice thing about old cars though. When things need fixed the hooligan part of our brains thinks we might as well upgrade while in there. So with each repair there are subtle changes. Enough "repairs" and one day you wake up and realize you somehow ended up with a killer custom lol

 

I mean.....look at the before and after on your car. Without any drastic changes it looks like two different cars lol

 

Yep, but I’m saving all that time, energy, and money for my Merc. I like this one like it is for the most part.

 

I sort of have a similar situation going on with my 53 bel air and 54 210. 53 is going to be a daily driver. 54 is going to be an attempt at show quality (even if only county fair level show quality lol). Kinda putting off starting heavy on the 54 so my 53 will actually reach a decent level of "finished" before the 54 distracts me lol

 

Needed to go work on my FIL’s power wheel chair at the nursing home this morning…So, what better service vehicle to drive.

 

Making a trip to Missouri for the weekend so stopped by @okiedokie Joe’s house to pick up the Posies 3” dropped springs. I’ll swap those out soon now to see if it ends up low enough or still needs blocks.

 

What part of Missouri?

 

Near Lebanon

 

Ah. Bout two hours from me

 

Picked up my springs over the weekend, so just need to get them installed now. That should happen shortly after I get the front brakes back together this evening on my beater F150 that is currently taking up my lift and then get a few oil changes done over this week.

Anyway, another update is that I have done quite a bit of research on head castings lately including trying to find out what I can easily get my hands on somewhat locally. From what I have learned, the next best heads to the ECZ-G casting is the 5752-113 which I happen to think I have access to at least a couple sets. One of those sets is sitting on the floor in my shop on the 59 292 out of my son's Edsel from when we put the 57 312 in it. And, the other set is from a guy in Oklahoma that said he would give me the complete 292 out of a 59 Ford parts car that he is wanting rid of. So, I seem to be good on a set of heads as best I can tell between those two sets. Now, I just need to start figuring out cam, etc. Oh, and still waiting to hear back from the machine shop on measuring everything to start ordering rings and bearings.

 

Trying to finish wearing out the 292 on a nice January evening with a 60 mile round trip.

 

Beautiful weather! Great picture.

 

Ended up with a real foggy drive home tonight. This was after it cleared up. Anyway, good to go for a drive.

 

Trying to recover from a heart attack after getting off the phone with the machine shop. Sounds like this engine needs bored .030 and the crank needs turned .010 on mains and rods. All that on top of what pistons, rings, bearings, cam, etc. cost adds up to what a nice daily driver might cost me. I am better understanding why people put later model motors in stuff. Anyway, since that isn't an option, I may just have to find lots of junk to sell to fund this project.

 

I kind of thought the wearing out of the 292 might be a little premature

 

Just means more ci and less parasitic loss

 

Considering a plan B that might just be swapping to the standard transmission and limping the 292 along until it is completely worn out or I come across a good deal on a fresh(er) y-block that someone is pulling to swap to a later model fuel injected engine. I know where one of those is and may hit him up soon.

 

The lack of snow on the ground confuses me.

Glad you can get out and use it this time of year. This car is so cool.

 

Big swings in temperature here lately. It was as low as 5 degrees last week and is supposed to hit 70 this weekend. We had a bit of snow here recently, but it didn't last long.