Author: Ross Mills

Ford Motors Engine Series the “Y” block 1954 to mid-’60’s

When the design engineers have an end view of the new long-skirted block as it sits on an engine stand, it looks like a capitol letter “Y” and so the name sticks.

 Chevrolet Coupe 1950 (1)

Ford maintains the overhead valve “Y” engine is a big improvement over the less refined flathead, but this replacement is only the second step on the road to a perfected V8. The new engine can fail particularly when run at high RPM for a sustained period. The fault is in the one inch offset oil passage through the block  that restricts the oil flow because it is too small. The insufficiently large passage is easily clogged by sediment, which reduces the flow even further. The top end of the engine is the last vital system to get lubricated which exacerbates  the problem. The poor oil circulation in the top end of the engine can cause valves to burn and other rocker assembly components to over heat which leads to premature engine failure. This can be easily remedied with the after-market external oilier kit which had been originally used in Ford racing cars of that time. The kit includes a new copper oil supply line to install which will not only increase the oil flow, but brings the cooling lubricant directly to the camshaft from the pan.  The main reason Ford abandoned the “Y” design is the engine block cannot be worked to safely increase the size of the firing chamber beyond about 340 cubic inches. This engine remains another success for Ford Motors because the statistics then, now and forever, will show Ford had the upper hand over Chevy in both power and torque from ’55 through ’57.

Ford Fairlane Crown Victoria (8)1956

The 1954 Mercury is the first Ford product to have a “Y” block 256 cu in (4.2 L) V8 under the hood and is advertised as the new “V-161”. The engine has a Holly #2140 (V4) carburetor mounted on the intake and will produce 161 hp at 4400 rpm while the peak torque of 238 ft-lb is delivered to the wheels at 2200 rpm. This engine has a 3-5/8 inch (92.075 mm) bore with 3-3/4 inch (95.25 mm) stroke and has a 7.5:1 compression ratio. The 292 is in show rooms for the 1955 model year for the Thunderbird, Mercury plus the uptown full sized and intermediate Ford vehicles, including the truck line up. There is also a 292 that has been bored to 312 and in the newly introduced F-100 pick-up though 1964. The 312 is called the “Thunderbird Special V8” and has always been a favorite Ford engine to hot rod, although nowadays hot rod  nostalgia would be the attraction. The 292 has a forged steel crankshaft making it a popular item for high performance street and racing upgrades. A little machine work and custom made pistons the 312 engine would be upstroked to 340 cu in (5.57 L). Depending on the model and the year the 312 could have fuel supplied by a two-barrel, a four barrel or for the 1957 model year only could have been equipped with a McCulloch (Paxton) supercharger.

Thunderbird '57

The 1956 Mercury line-up and high end Ford models are equipped with the 312 and would have a four barrel carburetor. This combination with a 8.0:1 compression produces initially 210 hp (156.59 kW) in the standard transmission equipped models and the automatic has a higher 8.4:1 compression ratio producing  225 hp (167.78 kW). Part way through the ’56 model year a new version of the 312 will develop 235 hp and has a still higher 9.0:1 compression ratio. The ’56 Mercury engine has the head and block painted gold as a standard factory color. The 210 hp version sports red valve cover/air filter, while the valve cover/air cleaner are blue in the 225 hp units, but the high powered 235 hp has the valve cover and air cleaner painted silver when they leave the factory. January ’56 Ford introduces a dealer installed “M-260” engine upgrade kit which would give the customer a hopped up camshaft and a new intake manifold with two four barrel carburetors which kicks the hp rating up to 260 (193.88 kW). The 312 was used in Mercury models until 1960 and although it is touted as high performance for ’56-’57. By 1960 the 312 is a low compression, economy V8 equipped with a two barrel carburetor for the remainder of its production time. There is still aftermarket demand for the 312 now from the hot rod hobbyists and history buffs. With a slight modification of the bell housing the engine can be coupled to a modern Tremec T-5 transmission with overdrive using the original factory clutch assembly. The 1957 heads are still sought after because they are known for high performance, with large valves and the unusual stacked intake runner design. The ported ECZ-G castings can have a flow rate up to 235 cfm at the top port.

The “Y” engine family filled in very nicely for the Ford Motor Company, at least for a few years, before it becomes obsolete in the N. American market. The demand for higher performance, plus power sapping options such as air conditioning, power steering and power brakes are what dictated the need for bigger blocks very soon after the new engine families introduction. A version of the “Y” engine is in every Ford passenger vehicle powered by a V8 from 1954. The “Y” families are superseded at the end of 1957 by the MEL and FT/FE engine line up for intermediate/full sized passenger vehicles plus the Super Duty family is also introduced for larger trucks. The Lincoln Division independently developed a new “Y” block for the luxurious full sized line in ’54, but it is larger and not related to the Ford produced unit. The ad campaigns were aimed at celebrating fifty years of Ford during the 1964 model year and this is the last year a “Y” block engine is installed in a vehicle manufactured in the USA. By licence, both Argentina and Brazil produced their own version of the 292 from 1958 until 1975. Some sources say the 272 and the 292 displacement engine parts are still available from wholesalers there.

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Pontiac Beaumont 1966-1969


Our Canadian cousins had a Pontiac Beaumont available as an option for the Acadian from 1962-‘65, but it is a separate model from ’66 through “69. For these four years the Beaumont looks almost identical to a Chevelle from the same period. The tail lights are the only exterior feature that is unique to the Beaumont.

Pontiac Beaumont 1968 (3)

The  Beaumont has a dashboard the same as the Pontiac Tempst/LeMans high performance GTO. Poniac’s arrowhead motif has either the fleur-de-lis or two red maple leaves added as a distinguishing feature. Body styles offered include two sedans, two hardtops, a convertible and a wagon. The four door hardtop was not a big seller and is the rarest of the Beaumont line, making it highly collectable today with any drive train. The trim levels are basic, custom, Deluxe and the performance Sport Deluxe (SD) line-up which compares to the Chevelle SS.

Pontiac Beaumont 1968 (1)

Prior to 1968 the SD is a trim option, but for the last two years it is only available with the 396 under the hood. The SD package could have been ordered with the two door hardtop or the convertible models. Like its sibling, the Beaumont SD has the bucket seats and center console available, but would also have body striping and chrome trim identical to the SS Chevelle. The Rally wheels are borrowed from the Chevelle, but they would be fitted with LeMans wheel covers. The engine and drive chain are from the Chevelle, with its full range of three six cylinder engines, including the  OHV in-line six, five small block V8’s and the big block Mark IV 396 producing 350 hp. The transmission could be the two speed Powerglide or three speed Turbo-Hydramatic, or the three speed standard on the column, but the four speed floor shifter is the top performance choice.

Pontiac Beaumont 1968 (4)

The most desirable Beaumont to collectors is the SD396 with a four speed standard transmission and could have been ordered through-out the models production run. In 1968 there were only 65 Beaumont convertibles produced, all of which had the 396 under the hood. Harsher winter conditions north of the border coupled with low production numbers have made the Beaumont a very rare, but highly collectable. As a separate model, there were only a few more than 72,000 Beaumont models leave the Canadian production line in four years for the domestic market. The Beaumont was also exported from Canada to Costa Rica, with GM South Africa and GM Chile manufacturing them domestically.

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Pontiac Trans Am custom Hurst Edition 2013 – stand out from the crowd

It is not a cheap proposition to turn your fifth generation Camero into a custom Trans-Am look alike, but should you have a Camaro in your possession it can be done by the skilful and experienced staff at the Trans Am Depot in Tallahassee Florida. The conversion will take about eight weeks with a base cost to you of $29,995.00 but they pay attention to all the details. They try to use original Pontiac performance parts but if they need to settle for an aftermarket reproduction item it will be revised to look as much like the original factory issue as possible before its installed. The cost of a 2013 Camaro equipped with all the goodies you will want in the automobile will run somewhere in the $50,000.00 upwards range and is equipped with the six speed standard transmission. This will make the minimum investment somewhere very close to $83,000.00 all totaled. The supercharger kit for the 6.2 liter engine kicks up the HP as well as the cost-$10,550.00, then an additional $7,500.00 for a “T” top would be a nice touch and is a detail that should not be ignored, but puts the ultimate bill topping $100.000,00. You should move quickly though because they do have a production limit on some custom components and I am certain there will be a cap on the number of Firebird units produced.

Camaro Z28 (1)

Generation five Camaro (2009-2015)

This Pontiac Trans-Am “could be car” is a work of art that sports an eye catching retro theme complete with the gold logo covering the hood. The exhaust notes are ear catching as well when you cruise the city streets. This car is equipped with LED’s for the tail and headlight configurations. A nice finishing touch is the appropriate downward sloped quad exhaust pipes.. The Hurst Edition trim features include front fender extractors, the shaker hood, and a long low tail section as well as the 20 inch gold colored aluminum rims to finish off the look.

The Hurst Edition interior has little of the flashy metallic trim used in the ‘70’s, but does have  a Pontiac designed “T” roof,, classic black and gold color motif, new patterned seats, an upgraded instrument display, with a eight ball knob to grab ahold of on top of the short throw Hurst shift stick. Carbon fiber is extensively used for interior trim pieces and the sill plates as well; while  the embroidered head rests give the interior an added flair.

Camaro Z28 (5)

The engine is a 6.2 liter V8 that, with the optional supercharger puts 575 horse power to the rear wheels and will do 0-60 mph in under 4.0 seconds. The supercharge kit will boost the engine to 720 hp but the big-meal-deal is a twin-turbo version developing 1,100 hp and this will insure you are the first one away from the light every time-almost.

Camaro Z28 (2)

The basic V8 Camaro is available as a two door coupe or a convertible and comes equipped with a six speed standard transmission with an optional six speed automatic available. The direct injection Pontiac 6.2 Liter engine puts out 432 hp (318 kW) a 5900 rpm and delivers 420 lb-ft of torque at 4600 rpm and gets 16/24 mpg city/hwy.

The changes made to the suspension are significant and include the high tec Eibach sway bar to help assure the handling is more refined than the basic fully equipped Camaro when you began the upgrade.

Camaro Z28 (6)

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Cadillac 1954 to 1956 Series 62

The series 62 Cadillac, for 1954, is closer to the ground and sleeker looking than its predecessors. The front fascia sports bullet shaped guards mounted on the inverted gull-wing styled front bumper and the new windshield is a wraparound Eldorado style for all trim levels. The sedans have a unique reveal molding looking like an integral sun visor with a chrome bezel while coupes have a new longer “Florentine” style rear window offering the driver a wider field of vision. All models of the series 62 have a distinctive chromed visor to shield the inset headlights, a full width inlet ventilator cowling across the base of the windshield and jet age dual exhaust pipes exiting though vertical extensions mounted on either side of the all new rear bumper, while the rear fenders have lost the louvers used previously. Standard Cadillac equipment in ’54 includes the four speed “hydra-matic” transmission, automatic windshield washers, 12-volt electrical, a parking brake reminder light and aluminium alloy pistons are now a part of the basic equipment list. Options for the most discerning Cadillac owners include power windows, power seats, power steering and an auto-headlight dimming feature. The luxurious Cadillac is a heavy car and Popular Mechanics rate the ’54 at 0-60 mph (97/km/h) at a little bit sluggish, but very comfortable 17.5 seconds.

 

Cadallac 1956 (1)

Image 1956 Cadillac

Cosmetic changes in 1955 include a wider space in the grill grid and parking lamps now mounted directly under the headlights. The chromed upper most grill piece, separating the hood and grill, runs into a continuous line, as a body dent guard, down each side, ending to the rear of the doors, in vertical trim piece which accentuates the streamlined body. From a side view, the chromed belt molding/protector with the vertical trim piece look a little like an inverted hockey stick. The ‘54 coupe Florentine style rear window is now a feature point in for the complete Cadillac lineup in ’55 and Cadillac sales are up to record high of 118,190 units this year. Additions to the long list of basic equipment in ’55 include tubeless tires, backup lights and turn signals.

 

Cadallac 1956 (3)

For 1956 the grill goes a little retro with a finer grid pattered in the grill and the parking lights are moved to the bumpers below the wing guards. The grill would be fitted with a more traditional satin finish or you could option a gold finished version. To be offered alongside the Coupe-de-Ville this year is now the Sedan-de-Ville and is also higher priced, but far more opulently appointed than any other series 62 sedan. The convertible Eldorado is now called the “Biarritz” to keep it separate from the Seville version. Power steering is a standard feature for the 1956 Cadillac and it has a turning radius of 43.5 feet, with a ground clearance of 8.25 inches. There were 41,732 of the two de-Ville variations purchased by discerning buyers in ’56. Popular Mechanics records a more improved 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 12 seconds flat this year. A well calibrated speedometer is a feature this year and your new Cadillac offers an average of 8.3 miles per gallon of fuel or 3.3 kilometers per liter in a combination of driving conditions. There is another record high sales year with 134,502 units sold in 1956.

Cadallac 1956 (4)

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1970 Plymouth 426 Hemi ‘Cuda

’Cuda was the moniker officially applied to the highest performance versions of the Plymouth Barracuda beginning in 1970. There were, in addition, nine very bright unconventional colors to choose from and a large choice of decal kits, and the shaker hood was also on the options sheet. Added together, these features gave the new ’Cuda a menacing, in-your-face look. The Barracuda was an all-new model and no longer only an option package and bore no resemblance to its economical Valiant beginnings. The sheet metal on this “E” platform Plymouth is model specific, and Plymouth enlarged the engine compartment to accommodate the largest power plant that Chrysler made. Both the 440 and the 426 have the same suspension with some structural reinforcing  to handle the amount of torque and horsepower generated by these high output engines. The Barracuda was on the Chrysler “E” body, which was a little wider and shorter version of the existing “B” platform. The entire Barracuda lineup is 186.7 inches (4,742.18 mm) long overall, on a 108.0-inch (2,743.2mm) wheelbase and has a curb weight in the neighborhood of 3,395 pounds ( 1,539.95 kg).

Any Barracuda from the third generation was one of the most coveted muscle cars ever made, but if it had a 426-cubic-inch (7.0L) Hemi engine under the hood, the car was in a class shared by very few vehicles. This generation Barracuda seemed to transcend manufacturers, with dedicated Chevy and Ford fans also admitting the model as an achievement that’s hard to match.

 Plymouth Barracuda 1970 green(3)

1970 Barracuda with the shaker hood but without the Hemi engine

Plymouth Barracuda 1970 green(4)

All the street Hemi ’Cuda units were assembled in the Hamtramck Detroit plant, and 652 of them, including 14 convertibles, went out the assembly room doors in 1970. The fender tag was on the driver’s side under the hood and read from bottom to top/left to right, but required some skill to decipher. For example, in the fourth three-digit grouping from the left, on the bottom line, the last character should be a “B” to show it was vehicle manufactured at the Hamtramck plant. All the information on what options were originally installed on the vehicle from the factory was on the tag, but it needed decoding to accurately decipher the meaning. The basic 1970 ’Cuda as ordered from a showroom set you back around $3,164 MSRP, although if you could come up with an extra $871.45, then the 426 street Hemi engine was an option.

The transmission was a three-speed standard, but an optional four-speed manual added $194.85, or the “727” TorqueFlite three-speed automatic had a similar price. There were 368 of the automatic transmission, 264 with the standard four-speed, and the balance had a three-speed. You could have also optioned an AM radio with a built in eight-track stereo tape deck for an extra $196.25, and a rear speaker for full stereo sound upped the ante another $14.05, but a working version of this setup may be a priceless option to have now.

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Ford Galaxie 1963 images

The only full sized 1963 Ford is the Galaxie, which could be ordered in the higher performance 500 or top of the line Galaxie 500XL.  223 cu in (3.7 L) six cylinder engine is available. There is also a choice of six larger power plants including a 427 cu in (7.0 L) SE series V8 at the top of the list. The engine could be coupled to the three speed Cruise-O-Matic automatic or the three speed standard transmission on a factory correct model.

 

Our thanks to Gateway Classic Cars for the images here.

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Chevrolet Chevelle SS Custom 565 CID V8 Supercharged Muncie 4 speed 1966 images

This is a newly restored Chevelle SS with no more than 50 miles on it since its over-the-top rebuild. The vehicle is jaw droppingly attractive and the build, from start to finish, was done by professional craftsmen. The red metallic paint is flawless with all badging present and correct. The engine is 565 CID and with the Supercharger its putting out 750 hp; coupled to the four speed Muncie manual transmission it will likely blow the doors off anything else on the road.

MCF thanks Gateway Classic Cars for the images provided here.

click any image to view a larger picture

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