Projects 1960 292 Y-Block Rebuild

It's probably safe to say that many people back in 1960 were towing trailers at speed without incident, I know we did - Mother and Dad in the front seat, us three kids in the back seat, the trunk packed, and a full trailer on the rear. Most times we probably weren't going that fast but there were a lot of 70mph roads, and my Dad was always in a hurry to get there.

Of course, today there are better options for brakes, transmissions, cooling systems and so on, but if the car is in good shape it should be able to do today what it did 60 years ago.

 

Isn't that only an issue with the early Y blocks (pre 1957?)

 

You know I got to thinking about towing at 75 mph. The last vehicle I had that would comfortably tow at 75 mph was a 76 Ford F250 Super Cab with a 460. At times it towed a fully loaded race car trailer even a bit faster.

 

That teardrop trailer will probably be all over the road at 75 mph. Just as dragsters have a long wheelbase for stability at speed, a longer trailer is more stable. You'll also find that longer trailers (to a point) are easier to back for the same reason.

Years ago, my wife's family went on a cross-country trip/w pop-up camper trailer in tow. They experienced numerous blowouts along the way. Tires probably have improved since then, but why chance it? If you're in such a hurry, consider flying.

 

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. You're not alone on the highway.

 

I wonder where you drive. Down here in Texas, every kind of trailer you can imagine is towed at 80 and faster

 

Y-block parts are neither cheap or readily available, also once the motor is rebuilt you still have the challenge and cost of finding a better transmission.

My advice is to replace the Y-block with a 351/C-6, I've salvaged several from those 80's conversion vans you see rotting in people's driveways, most were low mileage and came with a four-barrel carburetor, power steering and air-conditioning.

 

With todays oil most of Y blocks issues go away.

 

last thing i would want to use in my classic is a malaise era motor, Y blocks arent a bad engine, just gotta spend more because they are older.

If you dont want a Y block, go FE.

 

I don't believe that every Texan who tows a trailer is that reckless or has such little regard for their safety or the safety of others. You must be related to the person driving a Ford 550/750 who ran a 4-way stop, instantly killing my daughter's fiance.

 

CA has a 55mph limit for trailer towing and they are restricted to the 2 right lanes on the freeway. That said every weekend I see at least one jacked up 1/2 ton crew cab 4x4 towing an overloaded toy hauler going 70 plus in the number 1 (out of 4) lane on the way to the SoCal desert.

 

Thats awful, I don't know if I should like this post or not, because its a good point but a terrible thing that happened.

 

Thank you, Cat. Thomas would have been 28 tomorrow. His memorial service will be this Saturday. My family is hurting, but he was his parents' only child. The 63-year-old driver who ran the stop sign on a country road/w 55 mph speed limit, will have to live with his mistake for the rest of his life.

I don't understand why people think it's okay to do something, no matter how dangerous, because a lot of other people are doing it.

Having retired from the USDOJ, I know that our prisons are full of people who think FREEDOM means doing whatever you want, whenever you want, to whomever you want. Some of those people (and their victims) also take up space in our cemeteries. There is a name for those people; they are called SOCIOPATHS. If more people would accept responsibility for their actions, there would not be a need for so many laws. Imagine what it would be like if there were no stop signs, traffic lights, or speed limits. We would experience a pandemic of a different sort.

If I am being harsh, I mean to be. Sometimes it's the only way to get people to pay attention. Some will think about it and act responsibly (for awhile). The sociopaths, if anything, will drive more aggressively. If any of them respond to my post, you will know who they are; their words will betray them.

 

So, did you ever do anything with your Y Block @AndrewZ? Guessing not since he hasn't logged on since 2022......ugh.