Hi everyone,

A bush fire went through the town and my parents property a couple of days ago, my family is ok but I had a couple of F600’s and 3 yblocks and a 413 Chrysler engine that didn’t make it out and got scorched. I’m working away and won’t be back for 3 months so I can’t assess the damage but do you think the engines are now junk or is there any hope of rebuilding them?

In the pic, the f600 on the right Still has the engine in it and the trailer infront has the other blocks.

 


Thanks, Dennis.

56 F100 - 272 Y Block
NSW, Australia.

If the carburetor and/or distributor did not melt, then I’d say the engines did not get hot enough to hurt them.  Based on the pictures not showing the paint burned completely off of the trucks, it would appear they did not get hot enough to damage the engines.  If the spark plug wires are intact, then the engines should be fine.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Hi Ted,

I’ll have to have a real good look. Unfortunately none of the engines in the trailer had carburetors or plug wires. I’m pretty sure they all had distributors though. I’m doubtful they will be ok as my brother had an aluminum boat near the trucks and it pretty much vaporized. Thanks for the info, I’ll keep my fingers crossed and have a good look when I can get back there.


Thanks, Dennis.

56 F100 - 272 Y Block
NSW, Australia.

they will be good for rebuilding.ive seen a merc with a 460 that was burned to a crisp.i knew the engine was good and i changed the intake timing cover rocker covers etc nothing else and the engine was still good.

Dennis.  At least your trucks don’t look like this so there is a good chance your engines are salvageable.
 

 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Yeah right... can’t even tell what that was. Looks like some serious heat!


Thanks, Dennis.

56 F100 - 272 Y Block
NSW, Australia.

Rollbar and fiberglass body, Ford heads, looks like Jody's Cobra.  Sad to see.  If the trucks in Australia did not cook the oil in the engines, then they should be salvageable for the most part.  Distributors, wires, carbs, coils, etc., can be replaced.  Joe-JDC

JDC

hi dennis i live in victoria and was here for black saturday and a lot of things got nuked.some engines i saw in sheds had pistons melted in the blocks and others somehow survived.dont know how.good luck .hope it goes well for you cheers.

I have a question about Australia?  My wife and I visited Australia back in the 90s and spent some time in Melbourne.  Melbourne was beautiful, especially the zoo. We took a train ride into the Dandenong forest.  On the train ride they told us the eucalyptus trees secrete a chemical that catches fire.  Are the fires you are currently experiencing a regular occurrence?    

My gramps said he used to buy lots of burned engines from the salvage yards cheap, cause they were afraid of them, he said on most if the lower radiator hose wasn't burned off, replace valve seals, remove pan, and flush from top down.  He said the thing to watch for was the crank snout getting hot enough that heat traveled into the front main and melted it. If the carbs had melted the intake and heads had to be pulled to clean out the melted stuff.