I love 57 convertibles.  They remind me of a 57 Convertible I once saw on a used car lot when I was in college. It was red with a white top.  The salesman started it up and it just sat there rumbling at me.  There was no way I could have afforded that car back then, but I had big dreams. 

55 merc fall of 66

My first car was a 49 Ford tudor.  Used it thru high school.  One day I noticed that the B pillar was moving (rusted out) so started to look for another car.  The gas station where I worked off and on found a 54 3 speed that had just been repainted and had a newer Y block - didn't ever find out what size engine.  White top, medium blue bottom.  Ran it through college.  Car was as nice when I sold it as when I got it and ran like a dream.  Kept it pretty much stock.  Looked like this one.  Sold it in 1963 .  Didn't have another Yblock car until I bought my current 54 Victoria in 2002. Now I have two YBlock cars, the other one a 56 Bird.




54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

58 Custom 300 4 door sedan. 292 Fordamatic when I got it in 1963. My uncle had bought it new and I got it after he traded it on a 63 Galaxie. by the time I traded it in 1965 on the 57 T Bird that i still have it had a 3 speed all syncro out of a 63 Galaxie with a Hurst shifter, AFB 4 barrel and intake off a 57 Merc, dual exhaust and a 3.89 rear end. Beat a lot of small block scrubys with it. First night I had it and completely stock I beat a 59 Pontiac 389, 59 Elcamino 283, 63 Galaxie 352 2 barrel 4 speed (odd combination). Finally got beat by a 57 Pontiac 347 4 barrel automatic by a car length. Beat the Pontiac later on with the 4 barrel and stick. Had a lot of fun racing it and dating it. Always hated the 4 door though.

My Dad purchased my first car for me when I was 16. One of the guys he worked in J&L steel mill, son had a 54 Ford black (guess that's were my love of black cars came from) convertible for sale. It had a 312 motor and a 3 speed on the floor with a Hurst shifter, WOW ! It was also the first transmission I broke,(guess it was a sign of things to come) ! Afraid to tell my Dad so me and a few friends work all night to replace it. Was 16 didn't know anything about anything, put a overdrive trans in. When you let off the gas the car would  freewheel down the road. When I finally told my Dad he ask me why I didn't come to him in the first place ! I learned a lot about having a great Dad that day.       

The HURST shifter saved a lot of transmissions.  It looked cool, but it was expensive (likely double the ‘Honest Charlie’ cheapo).  Few realized at that time how damaging it was to ‘slam-shift’ into 2nd.  Properly adjusted, the HURST kept gears from colliding.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Florida Phil, I would bet my last dollar that the rear cam plug was dislodged when you changed the cam.  Just don't ask me how I know that. 

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

In 1967 when I was 17 I really wanted a 2 seater. Dad was a Ford guy, I I found out the Thunderbird didn't carry a "sports car premium" for an underage driver. I found a 55 bird with a new interior and a fresh engine. A local fireman was marrying a gal with 2 children and the car had to go. By coincidence a co worker of Dad's lived next door. Dirt racer, Corvette racer, serious car guy. Joe told Dad he'd watched them build the engine, and it was done right. He didn't tell Dad it was a 40 over 312 with 11.25 to 1 Jahn's piston, and an Isky RPM 300 cam. Or that the guy that built it also drove a local AA fueler. Only told him he owned an upholstery shop. I replaced the fordo with a T-85 o/d and the rear end with a 6 cylinder wagon o/d rear end. 4:27.1 IIRC. Surprised a lot of small block cars.

Gas prices and the college commute finally put me into something more economical in 1971. But I found a Thunderbird Blue T-86 o/d car in 1999 and still have it.

I bought the first car for $1200, and sold it for $1200. When I redid my current car in 2003, I paid $1200 for the power windows, without the glass. Times changed.



miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Where were you when I needed you?  

I’ve been loving reading everyone’s stories about their first Y blocks, keep them coming!

Me on the other hand, my first y block was only 4 years ago in 2016 when I purchased a 56 f100 with a 272. I pulled the engine and completely rebuilt it and put it in a 59 f100 as a temporary engine until I build an engine for the 59. Even after the short 4 years working on the 272 I have some great memories (failures and victories) so I can’t even start to imagine how many great memories you fellas have after having a life of experience with these y blocks!




Thanks, Dennis.

56 F100 - 272 Y Block
NSW, Australia.