need some help here yall

i got this '55 fairlane that has a 292 y block in it. the lower piston bearing is going out. don't know how much longer i got. so heres my issue :

1. i can either "have" the motor rebuilt here in austin for way to much $$
(don't have a shop, just a driveway)


2. i can find another motor and put it in at my house saving my broke ass a ton of money. if i do get another motor i would like to keep it the same or have something that will match up with my 3 speed tranny.

so..... any suggestions? any ideas where to find a motor?

thanks so much for the help yall!

 

Running parts car...then you can sell the rest and make back your investment.

 

I believe if it were me, I would tear into the bottom end, and see what kind of damage you have, before I did anything else.
Might be able to clean it up, and rebearing it cheap.
By the way, nice car, but the one in the pic looks like a 56.

 

is it knocking bad, does it have oil psi, or burn oil,

 

was talking about that with my bud. he said it might be worth it but it might just be putting a band aide on the problem. thanks for the reply shadetree.

 

who diagnosed your "piston bearing" problem? I'd make sure (2nd opinion?) before I started shopping or spending if money is that hard to come by.

dj

 

Re: need some help here yall
<hr style="color: rgb(229, 229, 229); background-color: rgb(229, 229, 229);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> is it knocking bad, does it have oil psi, or burn oil,


you can hear it tapping pretty bad. it does burn oil but not to bad.
thanks 61 chevy

 

DJ,

3 friends of mine said thats what it is. all 3 work on cars and 2 are mechanics.

 

I would drop the pan and take a look at all of the rod bearings along with the mains. Find the one knocking and mike the journal to see how bad it is out of round or not.
My father used to have a crankshaft grinder that would turn rod journals with the engine in the car. Saved a lot of time and money. Also be sure to replace the oil pump and clean out the oil passages to the rocker arms and return holes. That engine was known for sludging up and not oiling the top end. So bad that an overhead oiling kit was made for them. Worth installing one if you keep the engine.
It looks like a 56 to me also.

"Wasn't anybody there except me and Little Skeet"

 

yep it has a 56 front lights and hood but its a 55 other than that. thanks little skeet.

 

bump

 

I ain"t never heard anybody call it a piston bearing,but hell,if crankshaft isn"t hurt rod bearings aren"t that big of a job,if all engines were kicked to the curb for a rod bearing,there wouldn"t be many left around,