Projects Bought a Mercury on purpose

Dang skippy.
I’m way ahead on this merc over my other one.

 

Cleaning on the front seat.
Not bad.
Got some dark spots on the bottom.

We’ll work on that

 

IMO suicide doors make it cooler than any two door hardtop.

 

Are those covered? Sometimes we would find NEW seats under the cover. Some dealers had a deal on covering new seats when you bought a car. It was an early 1950s thing.

 

Yep. Looks like the original covers are under it.

 

Wish I could tell in person you how much I appreciate your working with kids and teaching them all these metal working skills (and I think they're doing a great job!). Guys like you and Wray Schelin are my heroes, hope you can keep doing it for a long time!

 

Did some test fitting

 

Spring break is next week. Only had a handful of students. So we experimented with the y block

 

You’re getting a lot of good work done. Keep it up.

 

We just test fitting. Still not 100% on which engine yet.
It’s bolted to the stock trans in the stock location. The y exhaust hits the master cyl.
The front x-member would need cut to clear the pan and timing cover. The oil pan would need height removed.
No surprises. Just wanted to see it in place.
We will fit the 283 after spring break

 

Could you offset it an inch to clear everything? The cross member is sturdy enough to take a cut for sure.

I was looking for the axle hole in the oil pan, a sure sign I have been doing too much model car work lately...

 

Is the Y Block a physically larger engine than a Small Block Chevrolet? I’ve never been around Flatheads, but I’m guessing they are both larger than a Flathead?

 

I think the biggest difference is length.
And design.
The y block is longer past the crank centerline. The timing housing and water pump are longer.
I’ve got both on the floor in the shop. I’ll do some comparative measuring.
The sbc gives you a lot more exhaust options.
I can raise the y up probably an inch to inch and a half and still have drive shaft clearance in the chassis.
That would reduce the pan depth issue but not totally eliminate it.
And help with the oil pan some at the front x-member.
To use the Y bell housing, I’d have to add a Z-bar for the clutch fork. Not very difficult but adds to the clutter in that area.
The same would be needed for a gm bell or mopar bell.
Using a Y to flathead trans adapter would eliminate the Z-bar mods.
I have that for the 283 but not the Y. But those aren’t difficult to locate.

 

You know I’m a Ford guy and how hard it is for me to say it, but the 283 would probably be the easiest to use given that parts for them seem to grow on trees everywhere. It’s a cruiser so you’re not going to need big hp to move it around, and you’ll probably keep the hood closed most of the time. I’m not anti-Chevy, I’ve got a 350 I’d like to build something around one of these days.

 

I’ve got a 350. I dig ‘em. Students asked why not consider using it instead of of the 283.
I got blank looks from em when I tried to explain
Whatever happens, they’ve got introduced to the flathead and ford y block so far.
The 3 on the tree blew their minds. Thats kinda why I want to keep it.
Yesterday I was asked how you use a gm engine with a ford trans. More blank looks.
I chose yesterday to fit the Y because I knew I’d only have about 1/4 of my students. Kind of a goof off day.
They measured, fit different pieces, looked at pics here………
A problem solving activity.
“If we move this here, what mods are needed”
We will fit the 283, then make a decision.

I’ll add that I have another merc flatty on an engine stand.
Hmmmmmmmmm

 

Always good to have options….

 

Almost too many.
I’ve been saving up bits and pieces for about the past 25 years.
I’d go pick up junk at friends shops, grab up cheap pieces at swaps, scrap yards and marketplace or swap labor for parts.
Everything in this y block fitment represents less than a $50 investment.

 

@dana barlow did a really neat job massaging SBC header tubes to fit Y Block exhaust flanges, the end result is on his roadster.

 

Checked that out.
Even fit a set of sbc headers I have to the Y.
A modified block hugger might work with the engine moved off center for steering box clearance
.

 

Some notes on "Y" headers from Chevys; Should work same if block huggers.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/headers-ford-y-v8-from-old-chevys.776744/
Like many engines,the Ford "Y" has two types of oil pans an pick-ups to fit each of them,a front sump or a rear sump. So if the sump is in the way,likely the other would fix that. EX deal on "Y",is that Chevy copyed the cly spacing from the earlyer Ford "Y",so other then Ford Y center 2 EX ports having enough extra space between them=has also a bolt{ on the older "Y" design that keeps the center EX gasket from blow out all the time;that happens to the newer Chevy a lot.
In the 1950s,I was hunting my first hotrod engine,an found a "Y" . Used it in my 28A.
Later I got Henry J,an lucked out,getting a Olds Rocket for it.< fit right in,with some big big hammer action on lower fire wall hump< Hydro on Olds was big.
No matter what cool V8 you deside on,having one with the factory tranny still on it,save a lot of head pain !!

 

I’m fitting it with the truck rear sump pan set up.
The pan depth from crank centerline is over an inch and a half deeper than the flathead.
The center link is close with the flatty as is.
The sbc pan (eye balling) is deeper as well.
I’ll put both side by side soon.
But the biggest difference seems to be the length for the y. Not necessarily the overall from the back of the block to the pulley. But the pan length/shape at the timing cover housing area.

an upside for the 283 is exhaust. Lot of different choices for manifolds.
I’ve got rams horns I’ll fit. But looks like the 265 style would work great on the drivers side.

 

Well crap. I messed with merc flathead #2.
Pulled the other head. So far, even with heat and patience, I have 3 broke head bolts.
Haven’t pulled the pan. But the oil was clean.
Looks like the drivers side head is busted.

the good news is it turns freely. Last tagged in the early 80s/late 70s.
Bores are clean.

4 inch stroke?

 

No stamping for oversize on the piston I cleaned.
I got this flatty from a good friend that recently passed. He was an old hot rod/custom guy.
Owned several mercs.
Might investigate further in this flatty.

 

Maybe truck style exhaust manifolds on the Y-block . They dump out the front.

 

Hey, Anthony;
Nice! Opportunity-to-Upgrade! . Aluminum heads, here we come? Better Studs? . & then, since we're started, 2-pot manifold, &, &, ... .
Marcus...

 

A little more investigation into merc engine #2.
Ford bearings


pitted from sitting a long time. Journal looks great.


I’ve got a set of EAB heads as well

 

Old merc FH looking ok so far.
Got to rig up a valve spring compressor. Both flatheads have valves stuck in the guides.

 

I'd drive it

 

Anothony, be sure you check block #2 for pan rail/main support cracks. ^^^^ This looks like a freeze crack.