You knew this was coming.... Anybody here ever put a Y-block in a fat fender? If so...any advice? I plan on using a pretty much stock '60 truck 292 2V engine with an Edelbrock 553 intake w/3 Ford-Holley 2 barrels and headers (unless I can score a pair of ramshorns). I've got the truck bellhousing and a 4-speed that'll bolt right up to it. I've got an 8" Ford rear from a '68 Mustang that I plan on using (with parellel leafs) to back up the Y-block. I'm shooting for a low buck resto-rod type build up with long distance (read: coast to coast) hauling as a requirement. The car needs to be simple, cheap and anvil reliable. Anybody see /find engine mounts out there for a Y-block into a Fatty...or is this an all fabrication swap? The front mount I have from the pick-up truck probably isn't gonna work....especially if I use a dropped/modified front cross-member. I'll have to get my measuring stick out tomorrow but it also looks like I may need to notch the firewall for more clearance around the Y-Block distributor. Has anybody used the modified '41-'48 front cross-member (3" drop) available from SpeedWay? The front suspension on this car looks as sorted out as it gets for a straight axle (sway bar, panhard bar, slight drop in the later 41-48 axle, etc). Other than a new SuperSlide, tubular shocks, some fresh bushings and a clean up I'm gonna leave it as Henry designed it.....or would a drop front axle be a better way to go as I'm leaving all the original sway bar and panhard bar intact? I also think I'm gonna need room under the car where the wishbone currently resides. The hairpin and four bar front ends I see out there on the market typically have 2500 lb ratings (limits). I'm capable of building my own HD bars or hair pins....but are there any out there already done that'll handle a 3500lb car? Thanks for your help! -Bigchief.
My 48 ford 3 window coupe has the raised cross member, 4" chromed dropped axle, in-dirt spring with reversed eyes and I still need to channel it to get it low enough to drive
I did this back in 1964. Hooked it to the stock tranny. I used a mount crossmember from a 55 Ford car to mount mine, slipped it down into the frame and welded a couple plates to hold it. Of course you probably can't buy a 55 crossmember for $2 any more, so a tube crossmember with plate mounts would be the way to go. A car pan will clear, but not by much, with a dropped front end you might need a rear sump truck pan. Firewall clearance was fine, stock radiator worked with modified outlets. The oil filter hit the steering box, mine had the cartridge type filter, I cut it down and used a short cartridge, Later Y blocks have spin on filters, there are some short ones available, should be no problem.
The Jalopy Journal
