The discussions on this part of the forum are technical in nature and very helpful.  We should start a thread somewhere else so we can talk about the old days.  I'm not sure the younger members would find it all that interesting.   Might be fun? 

The drag strip opened around that time and we quit street racing.   When bracket racing came in, I lost interest. Brake light racing is not racing. 

Two things caused the end of racing - SMOG/UNLEADED FUEL/INSURANCE and BRACKET RACING.
Never could figure out racing and it's cost to see how well the brakes worked.

That scrub had to be a SAT NIGHT SPECIAL with those rear ears.

DAMN I miss the night cruises and SAT @ the junk yards. And I miss reverberaters ...

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In the early sixties most of our racing was "run what you brung" midnight street racing.  Most of those races where over early.  A hard leaving car was better than one that would rev to 7,000 rpm.  Fords had an advantage as they normally ran better in stock trim.  I had a 1957 Ford custom 300 with a 292, a three speed manual transmission and a 3.90 gear.  It wasn't the fastest car in the world, but it outran a lot of cars that claimed to be faster.  

Later in the sixties, the game changed.   Factory muscle cars showed up with big blocks motors.  Back then you could buy a brand new 427 Ford medium riser engine in a wood crate for $1,200 from your local Ford dealer.  These motors came complete with carbs to oil pan.  You could put one of these engines into most anything and kick butt.  John Vermeersch in Detroit sold me some stroker pistons to make a 450 cu. in. 427 with a 428 crankshaft.  Here's an old photo below.

I ran that engine in a 1961 Starliner for a while, then transplanted it into a 1966 Fairlane.  The Fairlane was an all out race car with rear tubs and big Mickey Thompsons tucked inside the fender wheels.  It ran mid elevens at the drag strip.  I drove it on the street.  The drag strip opened around that time and we quit street racing.   When bracket racing came in, I lost interest.   Brake light racing is not racing.  These days all my racing is done on a bench.

I could always get a jump on anything with a 283 in it.  A fuelie might catch you a block later.  One night a 57 scruby showed up with a 301, 4 speed and a 5.13 gear.  After that experience, I swapped an FE into my car.  That changed the game. 

Now what car type were you running then, FORD or BIRD?

In that time period, I tried to stay within NHRA rules of the period for street, i.e. STOCK, SUPER STOCK, MP or possibly GAS.

The point (to me anyway) is to run with a SBC with a Y, maybe SBF at the most. With that FE, you know somebody is going to show up with a 396/375 NOVA.

If you had to bring an FE to the game to outrun a SBC, it isn't a fair fight to me. The fight should have been with a 348/409 car.

Your tales bring back a lot of memories ...

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Y Blocks are torquey engines.  Scrubys rev.  We found that out years ago.  I could always get a jump on anything with a 283 in it.  A fuelie might catch you a block later.  One night a 57 scruby showed up with a 301, 4 speed and a 5.13 gear.  After that experience, I swapped an FE into my car.  That changed the game. 

Y Block cars are cool.  Our car club has about 4-5 of them. It's surprising how many have modern carbs with Loadamatic distributors.  Most owners don't know the difference the right distributor can make.

I have pushed my 312Y to near 7000 a few times but I doubt I'll go there again without ARP bolts in it. It has a 3/4 race cam, Teapot Carb, solid pushrods, balanced crank, dual exhaust, G heads and new valve springs. Power definitely drops off at 6500, then again, my car is not exactly aerodynamic either. Leaks a bit more oil on the floor than before but still runs like a scare cat!


1936 Ford 3W Coupe : 56 T-Bird 312, 47 Packard 3 speed, 40 juice brakes.
1968 Merc Cyclone FB GT 390, Getting a better front clip!
1977 Ford F-250 Supercab RWD Explorer Long box.
1976 Chev Camaro RS LT
Future rebuild : 1949 Ford F-1

My experience with a stock 292 and 312 was that the limit was about 5500 mainly because thats all the further the stock cam and valve springs will go. The skinny '56 pushrods are an issue. The later tublar pushrods are tough. If it's put together right and ballanced the stock pistond, crank, and later heavy duty rods will live at 6000 to 6500 rpm with an appropriate cam. No need for the non hot rod driver to ever take one over 4500to 5000 rpm. They should live forever driven like that and properly maintained.

I had a stock 312 rebuilt several years ago and had the same question. An old, trusted mechanic told me that there was a different valve spring keeper for the higher performance 312s. Without the special keepers, don't rev it over 5500. I took him at his word, and the engine is still running today for a younger owner. 

If stock, 5000 rpm is probably about right.

There was a bulletin at some point about valve springs.  I think an RPM in that bulletin was 5500 but I don't recall if it was to make it 5500 rpm capable or capable of over 5500 rpm.  I'm sure someone has that bulletin to post.


Lawrenceville, GA