Has Everyone Lost Interest in Y Blocks?

Two or three years ago it seems like Y Block engines were a hot topic on the HAMB. As I recall, there used to be lot's of discussion and tech dealing with those "traditional" engines. Now it seems like they are rarely mentioned anymore. Has everbody lost interest? Or, just got tired of the h***le of trying to keep them running reliably?

One of the reasons I am wondering about this is that I was offered a Y Block today that has a set of those beautiful, flowing Ram's Horn exhaust manifolds. I haven't made up my mind about getting it yet (but, of course I would get the set of Ram's horns if the guy will part the motor out).

Anybody running a Y block who is really happy with that mill???

 

I have a "Y block" in my 56 Ford..Never delt with them before so Im sure there will be more posts about them in the future..AS I am "Engine Retarded"

 

Hell, no!
My favorite motor to mess with. I put together a 292 for my wife's car about 4 years ago. It's really reliabe and runs strong.

My dad raced a y-block on the strip for years in the mid 60's. I'm collecting parts to build one for drag racing.
I really dig 'em.

 

Yeah, I heard that they are pretty reliable too. We got an Edsel w/ a 292 down at the museum that seems pretty healthy, never rebuilt.
-Crew

 

How hard is it to find GOOD dress-up parts for them? Valve cov., intake man.,Valley pans,ETC.Stock manifolds or headers?

 

By the way, were the Ram's horn exhaust manifolds a fairly low-production option? I've seen lots of Y Blocks in wrecking yards, etc., but this is the first Y Block that I've seen with these beautiful manifolds (except in the rod magazines).

 

I never lost interest...I just never had any.

 

Yes, everyone is rapidly losing interest in them. Please send all the old Y block junk cluttering up your garages to me.......

 

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Yes, everyone is rapidly losing interest in them. Please send all the old Y block junk cluttering up your garages to me.......

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I was thinking the same thing. I got 3-312 one in my 56 convert and on in the RPU I am building. And you should always have a spare. There is cool stuff for Y-blocks just have to hunt more.

 

I like my Y block

it's a '62 292 block bored .060 over, forged TRW's, Holman & Moody #882 cam, lightweight valvetrain, Factory aluminum intake with Holley 4000's, "Towering Inferno's"
my buddy and I built it in 2003, I've got abt. 8,000 miles on the T-bird since then. Drove it the long haul on power tour and although it got terrible mileage in town( i couldn't keep my foot out of the carb's), I was getting 18.7 mpg on the highway running between 70 & 80 mph
The Rams horns came in the large trucks, F-500 & F600 from 62 thru 64 I think.

 

hey guys, I got some y block stuff for sale. I grenaded my 272, let me know what you need, i don't have too much left but i have some.

 

The T I'm getting has a 272. First time I ever dealt with a Ford V8, so it'll be a learning experience, anyway.

If anyone has a 3x2 setup for it, please let me know, as I would like to put one on. The Holley is just gonna be to damn fast for me.

Jay

 

Here's the motor in my Fairlane.
292 two edelbrock 600s on an edelbrock 257 intake, Red's fenderwell headers, John Mummerts Y274f cam, backed by a T10 4 speed. Runs strong, nice idle, and I haven't checked it officially but not to bad on gas if you can keep the secondaries closed, but that's no fun.
My father loved y blocks. Built and raced quite a few in his day. First motor I ever built with him was a 292 for his truck. Even though it was backed by an industrial 4 speed he still couldn't resist putting an Isky 3/4 race cam in it, and Holley 4 barrel with ECZ-G heads and exhaust manifolds he had laying around from back in the day. If it wasn't for the trans that truck would flat move. Motor sounded great and he drove it daily.

 

y-blocks are still hot to me one of my good friends has a 292 in her 61 ford w/ a t-10 4spd behind hit that motor can run plus she just redid it moon finned valve covers, finned valley pan nice paint. u can find alot for em but ya just have to look. actaully a buddy of mine has a six pack setup for a y-block dont kno if hes selling just thought it was real cool

 

Love it

 

Great looking motors! I never had one, but was thinking if I ever change the flatty in my 47 coupe that a 312 would be cool in there..

A local guy has a 302 in his 39, but he made adapters to put Tbird aluminum valve covers on it

 

I had a 292 in my '56 Fairlane. Nice motor. Sounded great. Combined flamethrowing (opening myself to ridicule) & the dragstrip, broke it on the way home. Replaced it with a 351W for the simple fact it was cost-effective. I sold the engine, but still have an aluminum manifold, headers, & Mallory Unilite (this one's still in the box)

 

I have a 292 that is going in my tall t sedan. I already have a 6 - 2 bbl set up for it and is it bad to the bone.

Larry

 

i have one in my t....its a good motor...ive blown one up....and ive ran the **** outta my current motor.good mill.but is gonna be a FE next time.im kinda rough on stuff.and i kinda like the over powered thing...ya just wont get that from a y motor.good motor..id own another one.

 

I ran the **** out of a 312 in a 57 pickup. I would love to have one for my currant project. As a matter of fact I would trade the rebuilt 49 flathead for one in a heartbeat.

 

Nice engine pics. Love that T Bird with flames (lust, lust)! 'Think a Y block might be kinda cool in a T coupe project - especially with rams horns and multicarbs. This engine I mention has a manual trans bellhousing on it. Must be out of the early 60's heavy truck. What ******s will bolt up to that bellhousing? Anything decent?

 

You must be reading my mind, I have a 26 coupe & a 292 with a offy 3x2 project, I have gathered up parts, but have not started to even come up with a real plan yet for the car. I was thinking 60's kustom T ? How about a slight angle chop, some molded in tail lights, bobbed fenders and a slight stretch in wheel base 103-106 inches? Model A frame? T bucket frame? I can not make up my mind.
The 292 on the engine stand looks big and wide sitting next to the T.

 

I gotta freebie 292 to put in my 49 shoebox...Bought an old crower u fab 6x2 manifold for it, but I ran out of money, hopefully someday I'll get it built and put in the car..Who knows......

 

I've been driving my '57 Custom sedan for 10 years now. It's running a warmed over 292 and it's dependable as hell. Sounds good and looks good too.

 

Lost interest - no way. Currently building a 312 with 3 deuces for my 54 Ford.

 

Also got a freebee...but a 272. It's going in my 34 pickup, eventually.
Pulled it from a ragged 55 2-door station wagon that was too far gone to save.
It's too bad, really. It would have been a neat car.

 

Funny you should pose that question Southfork -- I was going to post some Y-Block questions soon. If I ever get enough money to replace the tired flathead in my F1 pickup, I've been thinking Y-Block would be a cool way to go.

And thanks to everbody for posting the kick*** photos -- gets me even more sold on the idea.

BTW, anybody know what a Y-Block weighs? How much heavier is it than a Flathead?

Dave

 

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Anybody running a Y block who is really happy with that mill???

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I just remembered, my brother had a '56 f100 years ago with a sort of run-down 292 in it. He lost interest in the truck, and I had too much other stuff going on (evil, posessed '64 Impala headache, mainly), so it sort of got forgotten.

Nobody really maintained it, it sat untouched for weeks or months at a time, and was generally taken for granted. Yet it still fired up, ran well -- even in bitter cold. Had occasional carb trouble (vapor lock, I think), but the basic engine ran like a champ, despite our efforts to let it die.

So yeah, I guess I have to say I really was pretty happy with our Y-Block.


Dave

 

Y Blocks ****! I hate both my 292 in my '57 and my 312 in my '29. Those inefficent stromberg 97's, it's obsolete Mallery dist, bulky generator, and 4spd toploader just draws too much attention to my "A". Anyone wanna trade me for a SBC with a holley 650, HEI, and a turbo 350?