I have a 55 Ford sunliner that my dad bought new and when he died I got it,well I yanked the Y block out and put in a 351-W/C-4 and lowered it a bunch but I am not happy. The tires rub the fenders and it bottoms out on big dips in the road and it s****es taking it on roads/driveways with big inclines,I dont think the granada brakes are that big of a improvement from the drums and I know the brakes on the maverick rear end are smaller then what originally came with it so I am thinking about putting it back original with a couple tweeks. I am going to retain the dual mastercylinder and 12 volts and going to put a Y block back in it but instead of the FOM use a FMX but put the original spindles back on along with a original rear end and get it back up to a closer to stock ride height so it will have a comfortable ride and get rid of the aluminum wheels and put the stock bottle cap hubcaps back on with whitewalls. Am I nuts to do this as I have been thinking that if I want a hot rod to get a 55 2 door post to put all the late model stuff on and make the sunliner a comfortable cruiser again.
use a small block ford 302 ,a c-6 ,and a 8.8 and im shure it will run great ,,put up some pictures of the way the car looks im shure after that you will get some good advice here ..
call jamco,tell them what you have and what you want it to be. they will fix you up with the right stuff and save you some headaches..then put the y block back in and drive it. the brakes you have on it should be better than stock 55 if adjusted properly.
Prolly a good idea. As far as rear goes, you could use a 8" out of a later (like early 60's) mid-sized. Easy to swap carriers and tough enough for a Y Block. You'd get Ford brakes and lug pattern. Likely bolt in. The way to build a better stopping 55 is with period Lincoln brakes. Ain't anything wrong with well cared for and properly set-up drums. They are much neater (no dust) and they work fine. The Y blocks can be made to run very nicely and they can make up to 300 on the street, 250 is not even a wallet buster. Lots of stuff out there for that. I'd slip a 292 in there, but that's just me. Did you keep all the original suspension bits? One way to make the ride nice is to watch the shocks. No point on over dampening a daily driver. I'd prolly set it up with 14s on front and 15s out back. That should give just the hint of at***ude while the look is stock and the caps will fit. Some very nice aluma-coated pipe for the duals with a H pipe up around the ******. Some long gl*** packs and it will sound good around town. I'd definitely install power steering. Makes cruising so much easier. Lots of options there too. Plenty of later Ford steering boxes should bolt in. As long as you are going back (Retro), you can do a few things that we did back in the day. Flip the bumpers and fill any extra holes. Some subtle striping. Remote the trunk release. If the front seat needs a rebuild, get one out of a Merc and re-upholster. Nicer base and better comfort.
Its been lowered with Fatmans spindles plus 2 inch lowered springs and its got a good case of bump steer and something needs to be done about it,I got the front end down more then the rear and I am thinking of more of a 50s look then what I have now. I rebuilt the steering box and it steers fine and will leave that alone but the bottoming out,tires rubbing and bump steer needs to go away. I am not going to build a custom and remove any chrome but I need to make it a cruiser and not look like a hotrod,I would like to retain the disc brakes but its not important as getting it to sit back up a little.
Use the Y-block. Lowered cars never drive as good as they did originally due to changes in the geometry. Put the original springs back in and I'm sure you will see some improvements.
I.M.O., putting that Y block back in is a step in the wrong direction. If I were you, I'd raise the suspension back up a couple of inches and see how that works out for you. Can you put the old spindles and brakes back on?
I sold all the old parts but I can get more as a local junkyard has a bunch and a friend has all I need,the new front springs I have in it are made for a 351-W/C-4 which is alot lighter then a Y block/FMX. I dont want to buy new springs for what I have in it now and then later put a Y block in it and have to buy more springs,new front springs would be the easiest fix and I can still retain the disc brakes and should get it up to where its bearable but I am tempted to buy a decent 4 door with the parts I need and put them in mine and be done with it.
Go for the Y block. You can go back to the original front end, and drop it by removing the rivets in the lower A arm, take the centre out, get 1"aluminum sq stock and put that in between, drill holes to match the rivet spots, and get some grade 8 bolts & nuts and bolt back together. Put the original rear back in, and put self adjusters on the shoes. Yes the original rear has more brake surface area than the Granada/Maverick/Mustang rears.
Is any one realy reading this??? If the car runs good, Lift it up a little and drive it. If you have access to a stock 55 drive train get it rebuilt over a span of time and put that rag back together stock. Transplant your current drivetrain into a tudor and rod it.
Not sure what some of these guys are thinking, but the y-block IS the way to go. If you can't get the front suspension the way you want it, I'm more than willing to trade you my stock setup for the Fatman!
I think for a trans. for the Y I'd get a adapter and put in the C-4 that you already for the 351. Their a lot easier to rebuild ( C-4) and if you wanted to build up a little more than the FMX. Michael
I guess I am pretty much alone here on the opinion that if was my car the last engine I would be putting in would be a Y-block. I drove a truck with one for a while. Had to adjust the valves constantly and the thing was super noisy. Had oiling issues as well. From talking to some old timers and reading up on them things my experience was by no means unique. If it was me I would shove in a 300 six in it. Good mileage, unique, and reliable I'll be honest though I am a little biased since I have had exceedingly good luck with every 300 six I have come across
The reason I want a FMX is I can use the original starter for the sound and since its been in the family since new I am leaning on putting it back more original,I started building it before I got a computer and I know a few more things about the Y block then I did then so I know where to get the info to build it right. I have been having dreams that my dad came back to life and I could not open the hood so maybe if I put a Y block back in it those dreams will stop and I can sleep at night and like I said before I want to get this thing to ride nice again. Well here is a partial plan,I will order new front springs and take the lowering blocks in the rear out so I can get it up about 2 inches all the way around so it will ride better next summer and continue to look for a rough but running parts car and then when I get it start the build on the Y block while still being able to drive it. Then after I get the motor built and the FMX adapted and rebuild the original front brakes install it over a winter,does anyone know if a 57 9 inch is too wide to fit a 55 as if it will fit I might look for a 57 parts car.
Hey Jeff,my brother has a 55 CV that he has driven for 15 yrs, he's running a 292 alum. 4bbl, edelbrock 600 carb,headers and duals,fom trans. He lowered the front just a bit left the rear alone and he is very happy with it. of course it could use better brakes but sounds like you already have that covered.and i think the 57 rear end will fit.
Well you did a ton of radical changes to that Ford . OK , I have a 55 Ford Fairlane fordor and this is what I am doing so you can get an idea . I am pulling the y-block and replacing with a 302 with a Comp 280 cam , 289 heads that have larger valves and roller rockers , 4 bbl Edelbrock on an Edelbrock intake . Black ford racing valve covers . The trans is a t-5 or AOD (have both) and the rear will be a 3.55 or 3.73 I have both but haven't decided yet . The suspension is the same with new shocks , stock wheels with 4 bar hubcaps . Dual exhaust with Smithys . I thought about lowering the suspension BUT I live in Pa. and these roads are ****ty as hell ! I would have left the Y block in but the Ford O Matic leaks bad . Now with all that you have done , the front disc brakes might be sticking out alittle more than stock ones and maybe the wheels you have are set out some more too or the tires are too wide so they rub . The 8" Maverick rear is fine but I would upgrade the drum size to the ones you had . Now if you keep the engine you have witch is a good one , I would change the springs to compensate the difference in the weight . I would consider this , fix the spring for the engine weight then measure and get the correct rims for the disc brake set up you have . That is the cheapest and easiest way to go . Don't change everything back to stock , work with what you have ! It's a lot less work and money . If you need some information on Y blocks or where to get all the parts you want , just ask me and I will help ! Just my 2 cent on this one . RetroJim
When I lowered it I was thinking it would work out with the dropped spindles and the lowered springs but I was wrong and if I get it to ride better I might put off the Y block and I was also thinking about changing the gears in the rear end as they are too tall,its too heavy of a car for 2.79 gears and I was thinking about 3.00 or 3.25 gears since I will be staying with a 3 speed automatic. Parts availabilty has me concerned with the original rear end so the maverick might stay and I am going to do some research and see if there was a larger brake made for the 8 inch and possibly a booster before giving up on the granda discs,a local junkyard has a 68 fairlane wagon and if it has a 302 it might have a 8 inch or do some measuring of the 57 9 inch.
If I didn't want a lot more HP from a motor I would have kept the Y block I have now and just put a different trans behind it . I just wanted a sleeper . RetroJim
I listened to a older friend who said he used to blow up 2 a year but he was trying to get them to go 7000 RPMs but the motor I had would hardly see 4000,I was going to keep the 272 but no one at the time could tell me they could be bored to a 292 which is possible and I was going to adapt a FMX as I dont like the FOM as I was used to GM 4 speed hydros so the latemodel stuff went in and now I am not happy. First thing is to get it back up and riding nice and then later will put a Y block back in. In a way I would like to try to trade my 65 country squire for a 2 door post or wagon with a rebuilt drivetrain and transfer all the parts and hotrod the sedan or wagon.
I have pics but I dont think I can load them from my computer from this site but if anyone can load them PM me your email address and I could send some pics your way.
I did some research and the 68 fairlane and 70 torino have a optional 10X2 1/2 rear shoes and I presume they are for the wagons,the maverick brakes I have on it are 10X1 13/16 according to autozones website. I dont have many other pics of my 55 as I did not have a computer when I started and it was on the road when I finally got a digital camera,that picture was taken right after I got it on the road and it got new springs all the way around and I think they settled some so its a little lower now then in the pics.
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