I am looking for a Mercury 292 engine to put in a 1955 T-bird I am building. I know one serial number starts with ECK for that year. Thanks, Don 1-406-861-1617

Hi Don,

I’m not clear IF any ’55 FoMoCo 292 block casting numbers were peculiar to the ’55 ‘Bird application.

I mention this in light of ’57 cylinder heads having large casting letters ECZ-G AND small casting letters ECZ-G. However, all ‘C’, ‘D’, and ‘E’ code ’57 ‘Birds used only the large letter ‘G’ heads. I’ve seen the small letter ‘G’ heads sprinkled on everything else FoMoCo ’57 y-block that I’ve come across.

John Mummert’s web site at www.ford-y-block.com lists numerous casting numbers for ’55 FoMoCo 292 engine blocks. These include:

ECH

ECJ

ECL

ECK [’55 & ‘56]

EDB-A [’55-‘’57]

Hope this may give you some additional options in your search.

NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

I was told that there were Mercury 292's only put into the 1955 T-Birds. I don't know how to verify that. We have a 1955 292 engine that came out of a '55 Mercury truck, but I don't know if that would be correct. Don

Hi Don,

It sounds like you’re into restoring a ’55 ‘Bird and ‘efforting’ to make it numbers correct.

When you go down this road, casting numbers are important AND the date codes on the castings are equally as important.

Example… IF you’re working on a late production ‘55 ‘Bird, you don’t want an early production engine block casting code for a numbers correct restoration.

_________________________

While Ford and Mercury vehicle engine blocks and cylinder heads came from the same foundries, it is possible that all blocks for ‘Birds came from the Detroit foundry rather than the Cleveland foundry. I don't know about this.

_________________________

In addition to getting the correct block, you’re going to need the correct cylinder heads. In ’55, 292 engines used in the Thunderbirds and Mercurys used different cylinder heads depending on whether the vehicle was equipped with a standard or an automatic transmission.

John Mummert’s web site shows the following cylinder heads being used on ’55 292s:

ECK-A and ECL-A 7.6:1 compression ratio, Mercury only

________

ECK-B 8.1:1 CR, ‘Bird

________

ECK-C, ECL-B, and ECL-C 8.5:1 CR, Mercury and ‘Bird

I’m on a bunny trail. You asked about '55 292 engine blocks.

_______________________

To determine IF there were certain casting letter blocks used in ’55 ‘Birds, I would turn to Gil Baumgartner, Authenticity Chairman for the Classic Thunderbird Club International for the information. Gil’s email address is gbaumgartner@ctci.org

Hope this helps.

NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Too ad to "No Shortcuts" info, the quick ID first on the 55 tbird heads - ALL had freeze plugs on the ends originally I believe.
I've never heard of that "mercury" engine story before??

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

I’m rusty on this, but let me give it a try anyway. -How to get into trouble, Charlie Brown…

Chevrolet came out with the ‘Vette and Ford was working at playing catch-up.

To speed the ‘Bird development process, hold down expenses, and yet make a metal bodied vehicle unlike Chevy’s fiberglass offering, parts from existing Fords and Mercury platforms were utilized to speed the development and production process for the ‘Bird. Sooo… numerous Ford or Mercury components were used in the ’55-’57 ‘Birds. In the parts books, ‘Bird specific parts show-up with B5S, B6S, or B7S prefix parts numbers as many on this Forum know.

Going back to Ford flathead V-8 days, Mercury always had the bigger displacement engine that distinguished it from the Ford offering. In ’53, wasn’t it Ford with a 239 and Mercury with a 255 C.I.D. flathead?

Anyway, in launching the ’55 ‘Bird, to distinguish it from the Ford passenger car and support the image desired for the ‘signature offering’, Ford used the same 292 engine slated for use in the ’55 Mercury in the new ‘Bird as THE engine. ’55 passenger car Fords used the 272 engine. Even the ’55 Ford passenger car ‘Power Pack’ engines were only 272 CID with a four barrel carburetor, higher compression ratio heads, AND dual exhaust manifolds. I’m no ’55 Ford guru, but I seem to recall scuttle-butt that the 292 was used in some Ford police car packages. I have no documentation on this.

NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

I Think 272 was the base engine for 55 TBird.

ian: No, all '55 Birds were 292's. I think Charlie Brawn' post is likely correct..

Paul

OK only 292's

I was under the assumption that the 55 Bird had the 292 designate as ECJ only and nothing else.... never heard of the Merc thing

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com