|
By tnt56 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Hi everone I ended up with a 1955 ford sedan racecar needs work HaHa! the track down the road from me is a 1/4 mile dirt track medium bank. rules for a factory stock are as follows, stock block,stock heads, stock exhaust and intake manifold can use 4-barrel intake with 2-barrel stock carburetor, engine 360 cubic inch or smaller, stock transmission either manual or auto. cams no roller also no porting allowed. can run 9'' ford rearend, my question is do you think a 292 .060 over can be built with these specs to compete or am I wasting my time. But it sure would be fun to drive by em' with a Y !!! thanks I will try and get pictures soon, I think the 55' makes a cool racecar. And no I don't beileive in hacking these cars up for racing, It is an original racecar.
|
|
By tnt56 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Boy, you sure don't have much faith in a Y?
|
|
By yehaabill - 15 Years Ago
|
|
TNT Y-Guy Man, I say go for it. Tell'um it an't real fast, no brakes either! "Don't get in my way down in the first turn, it don't turn real good" Jokes aside, Do it and have fun, you will have the biggest crowd around your "Y" and you can spread the word..... Put a YBM sticker and Y-Blocks Forever site listing also. Need some support? let "us" know. Bill
|
|
By tnt56 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Thanks Bill, for the support! No I'm not missing my front teeth and sponsored by the local piggly-wiggly, but 60 cubic inch would be alot to overcome thats why I'm on here wondering what I could really get out of it for horse, keep in mind it's a short track so torque would matter off the corners. P.S. where can I get a big Y sticker for the hood?
|
|
By Daniel Jessup - 15 Years Ago
|
Listen, depending on the gear ratios you choose, and assuming you can put a hi po cam in it (you said just no rollers right?), the y can be really good for torque coming out of those turns ,,,and no one can deny the fact that it is a TOUGH motor - it can take a beating, no doubt. I say go for it too! How about rocker ratios - can you use the hi ratio jobs? Dan
|
|
By tnt56 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Thanks for the support Dan, Yes I can use the 1.54:1 ratio arms and the cam there is no lift rule but no rollers. As far as the aftermarket higher ratio roller rockers, No. By the looks of things behind you in the picture looks like you have a project going on, How is it going? Thanks,Todd
|
|
By Daniel Jessup - 15 Years Ago
|
|
As good as can be expected - have you seen my post in the This and That section of the forums? It is under the title "Call me crazy, but a 1900 mile trip..." Check it out - its great!
|
|
By JeffB54 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
I ran y-blocks on 1/4 mile dirt in the late 60's and early 70's both 292's and 312's,we finished 2nd in points in a '57 300 Sedan 292 running "G' heads but we were permitted 4 barrels,setting the suspension so you could run the bottom was what worked best for us,the y-blocks would out pull the Chevys off the corners easily.In your case work on handling first,probably you could run a 500 CFM Holley 2bbl also setting up the distributor with a proper curve will help,I wish I could help there but too many years have passed.Let us know how you do!
|
|
By charliemccraney - 15 Years Ago
|
|
I say give it a try. If anything, you'll have fun. You will also be competeing with advances in technology of the small block Ford, Chevy, and Mopar motors. The stock head on any of these motors could be way out of the league of the best Y-block offering. What exactly does stock mean, anyway? Is it that the parts had to have been produced by the manufacturer at some point in time. Or is it that the parts must have been available from the factory for the vehicle being raced when it was new? I wouldn't call a 57 chevy with factory heads from the 80s stock.
|
|
By PF Arcand - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Todd: Charlie makes a point. What does stock mean in the rules? Obviously, the 360" rule isn't in your favor. ( sounds like the rules favor the 350 sbc, but what else is new?!) But here's something to encourage you. Micheal Henaults in CA runs in vintage races with a Y-Blk powered "T" coupe. He has submitted follow up stories to Y-Block Magazine in issues #81 & #82 of 2007. He has been quite successful, even winning a main event from the last starting position. He is also running against a field of largely 350 SBC's. He is also in the Y-Blk parts business, and might be helpful if contacted. e mail, henaults@jps.net or ph #209-852-2476, Calif time... Further,when our local short track was running in the late 60s, the stock car points championship was won one year, by a 292-57 Ford custom, much to the chagrin of the Chevy crowd..
|
|
By tnt56 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Thanks alot guys for chiming in on this , stock meaning what that particular car came with, but limited to any stock 2 barrel. Now my dad owned a 56 ford post ex police car with an interceptor but he does not remember what it was for size,heads, intake, cam, or is the interceptor in those days not much of anything? also do you really think there would be any older guys in tech, maybe a bunch of young guys that only know chevy's. Maybe i could get away with murder? Ha!! Thanks again guys P.S any help on the interceptor? and I'd love to have any of you guys on the team!!
|
|
By Doug T - 15 Years Ago
|
Of course this all depends on how much you can spend. It sounds like you could bore & stroke the motor and if so you could get it up to 340 to 350 CID. You can even bore a Y block up to 3 15/16" (sometimes  ) and with a 312 crank you end up with 333 CID. That could be done with a '55 292 block. Either way you would not be losing too much on the displacement limit. Another issue are the heads. Of course you could use '57 heads and manifolds and hope the officials don't know too much about Y's which is a pretty good bet. However win a few races and the competition is likely to start looking up what is stock for '55. Advice about the cam should come from an experienced cam grinder and I think the Berry cams in Minnesota or John Mummert would be able to give you a good cam. It really depends on what the competition is and how much they are spending. If you are racing against '80's Malibu Scrubs they will all have 350's (at least) so a lot depends on the weight of your '55. I suspect that the '55 is likely to be much heavier. If the competition is not too intense and the '55 is well thought out, well prepared, and well driven it might be able to surprise a lot of the scrubs. If you do decide to go ahead keep posting here, we will all be very interested.
|
|
By PF Arcand - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Yes, without seeing the rule book, advise here is just musings. "If" the displacement can be modified, towards the max that's one thing, but if the block has to be a stock displacement to the year of car, that's another. And just for the record, 78- 81 & maybe later Malibu's didn't come with a 350. A 305 was the biggest engine in that chassis.
|
|
By Glen Henderson - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Dirt racing is more about the chassis and driver than the engine. What good is a 500 HP engine if you can't get the power to the ground? The 292 Y Block has tons of torque and on a 1/4 mile track with a good chassis should do well. I would be looking at what tires and chassis mods are allowed such as can you change springs, shocks, tire stagger, rear gear ratio, or move weight around in the car. If you max out the rules with the chassis, and if you can drive it, you will do fine. Go with G heads, late four barrel intake, holley two barrel, late distributor, I'll bet that no one will know enough about a Y Block to know that they where not offered in 1955 unless they check out this forum. I'll also bet you a cup of coffee that the guy that is winning is cheating too.
|
|
By Tom Compton - 15 Years Ago
|
Sorry, Glen, I won't take that $1 cup 'o joe bet. I was born at night but not last night.  I went to a few dirt track races in the 60s. Saw a lot of tri 5 chebbies and great Fords beat up out there. Seems the 56 Ford that won points had a leather strap (piece of a belt?) screwed to the dash. It was slipped over the shift leaver to hold the tranny in 2nd gear. TC
|
|
By tnt56 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
as far as the chassis there is test and tune day before the season starts, and I had raced in the early 90's before. By rights I could raise cain with them about the malibus and monte carlos too, because I don't think either of them had 350's stock. I also found out there is a 3400lb. car weight minimum. But I cannot gut out the firewall or floor of the car. Once again thanks for the interest!
|
|
By Glen Henderson - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Red Farmer, one of the orginal members of the Alabama Gang, ran a 56 ford on the short tracks in the south for years, although in the later years I think he swaped to a small block ford. He replaced the body in later years with a 63 fairlane.
|
|
By pegleg - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Todd, Y's are heavy, so if you can move it back (and maybe a little toward the drivers side) that'll help. Also lower is better, but you know that.
|
|
By tnt56 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Thanks pegleg, You wouldn't happen to now how much they weigh?, Just curious. I see you probably drag race your 57'?, How do the bottom ends hold up w/ arp rod bolts, stock CAE2 truck rods ,and stock 312 cranks? thanks again for the info. Todd
|
|
By Doug T - 15 Years Ago
|
|
As Glenn H says, it is more about handling than raw power and handling would include braking. When you think about a 1/4 mi track, it is mostly turning with two very short straightaways. Coming out of the turns a little faster than the competition will get you to the next turn quicker. Getting down the straightaway a little further before you hit the brakes is the same as going faster. Getting around the turns is the question. 3400 lbs is probably within easy range of your '55 with enough left over for some weight tuning. Now if you must use the stock brakes you are sunk before you start. But if you can use disc brakes then you probably can build a car that will perform pretty well. Discs might be allowed in for "safety" reasons. Check this point with the class rules and get a reading from the promoter if it isn't covered. 4 piston KH discs brakes and spindles from 65 to 67 Fords Mercs and T birds will bolt into your front suspension. These are 11" dia 1" thick ventilated rotors and they will STOP that Ford, those cars topped 5000lbs. I don't know if GM had anything quite as big. Also these spindles are much beefier than stock and the Granada spindles that are often used. Keep asking questions, I expect that you will keep getting answers.
|
|
By yehaabill - 15 Years Ago
|
|
TNT: A lot of us are following your '55 dirt car and want to help as Doug mentioned. Read between the lines, of the rule book, and look for the "gray" area's where there may be some "loose" area's. "Red "Farmer, a many time NASCAR modified champion, and a Ford man, may give us some pointers, if I can run him down.(lives 20 mi away) He is near 80yrs old, and still races every weekend.(ask Tony Stewart!!!) I'll make some calls and see if he uses a "confuser" as Jerry C. calls it, if not I'll try the phone or snail mail. Bill
|
|
By pegleg - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Mine has Scat rods. 292 sized journals. Call John Mummert or Ted Eaton. Either can & will be happy to supply parts or build you a shortblock. I really don't have the number on the weight, but guessing, I say it's probably 50 or 75 lbs heavier than a scrub/Mopar and more like a 100 over small block Ford. The advantage is they don't break, and they make torque EVERYWHERE.
|
|
By pegleg - 15 Years Ago
|
|
"Red "Farmer, a many time NASCAR modified champion, and a Ford man, may give us some pointers, if I can run him down.(lives 20 mi away) He is near 80yrs old, and still races every weekend.(ask Tony Stewart!!!) If Red says do it, don't ask why, just do it!! The guy is a legend in the roundy round world.
|
|
By ltman - 15 Years Ago
|
|
If you deside to use a y block and you need some exaust manifold I got a set of EDB exaust manifolds there yours just pay shiping
|
|
By Glen Henderson - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Hey Bill, I'll bet that Red would get a kick out of it, and you might get him to the Shoot out. As I remember him for the 60's & 70's he was all the time handing out advice to us young guys, some positive and some negitive. We ran the short tracks in south Alabama and the panhandle of FL and when that crowd fron B'ham showed up, we knew that we were going too get beat that night.
|
|
By tnt56 - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Thank you again guys you all are very helpfull, and I am learning a lot! as far as Red Farmer, yes I know of him, He is still running a late model I beleive. I will look into those scat rods also. And the exhaust manifolds I've got 2 sets of them, Thanks though. Camshafts? I have used Isky in the past in other engines are they about the best? Does anyone know if there is any Hi-volume oil pumps out there or is stock o.k.? You guys are the greatest Thanks again!! Todd
|
|
By charliemccraney - 15 Years Ago
|
I think the Scat rods Frank mentions are an sbc application. That's what I have as well. I think he means 292 main journals. The stock oil pump should work well. Here's a past thread with some good info. http://www.y-blocksforever.com/forums/Topic18161-3-1.aspx?Highlight=gerotor
|
|
By pegleg - 15 Years Ago
|
|
Guys, I meant Eagle, but it's the same company. Mummert carries them.
|
|
By yehaabill - 15 Years Ago
|
|
TNT Y-Guy: Mr. Farmer called me today. He's been in the hospital having a knee replaced(brake side!) and had some complacations and was in the ICU for several days. He said move the engine back as far as allowed, weigh each wheel, make sure the rear leaf springs have the same "arch". He had some other suggestions, but since everything now is 3-link-Z-link etc. etc. He would need to think about. He wants YOU to call him and give him some more info. He was very interested, but still a busy man. He's re-habing' trying to get ready for a race in 7 weeks, in one of Tony Stewart's cars!!!! Call me at 205-664-3800 and I'll give you his phone #. I don't want to give his # out on the web... Bill
|