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

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.       

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 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

55 merc fall of 66

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. 

I bought my first Y-Block in 1963. A 1957 Convertible with the 312 automatic. Loved that car! I didn't race much at the time more of a dreamer and busy chasing girls. Story was my folks had a 1954 Oldsmobile 88 4 door that was wearing out. On day mom and dad came home from car shopping and wanted me to go back to the lot with them and look over a car they found. I really didn't want to but they insisted. When we arrived they pointed out a Salmon and White 57 4 door hardtop. A hardtop! What were they thinking. I slipped away and checked the back of the lot. There was a 49 Ford business mans coupe with a Caddy engine. That was more like it. Dad said "no way". Then there was a old Essex coupe still original "nope" can't do it. Finally I headed out front where they were dealing with the salesman. Dad was insisting on one price for two cars. Two cars! I finally looked on the other side of the 4 door and there was a matching 57 Convertible. Dad says how do you like this one? Of course I was sold right away. Cost a whole $500 and dad let me make payments to him. At $50 a month I thought I'd never get it paid off. Engine went to a small cam with aftermarket high lift rockers. Saved up the money for a Mallory ignition and finally converted it to a 3 speed floor shift. I put on a Corvette floor shift so the pattern was backwards. Low was up second was down and 3rd was back up. Cut the front coil 1 1/2 turns for the Dago look. Replaced the engine once with a Sears rebuilt long block. More payments. Sold it when I joined the Army. Still miss the old girl.



Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

1961 F100.  My first vehicle.  Bad decision but it has worked out.  It had the typical lack of oil problem, among others.  I would oil manually once a week and somehow that worked until I built a new engine.  Manual oiling worked astoundingly well considering the issues I've had with aftermarket upper valve train parts which were getting oil as intended.  It only went into 2nd and 3rd gear due to linkage problems.  It was among my first times driving a manual transmission and I drove it home, about 50 miles with only my learners permit.


Lawrenceville, GA

As a teenager, I always wanted a race cam.  I loved the way they sounded, especially loping around the pizza joint where all the hot rodders hung out.  I bought a cam for my Y-Block from a local auto parts store.  As I remember, it was a Melling. Not knowing any better, I installed it in my engine with the old lifters.  I got the cam installed OK, but for some reason my engine immediately developed a huge rear oil seal leak.  I sold the car right after that, so I never found the cause.  To this day, I wonder if I knocked the freeze plug out of the back of the block?

Another time, I was driving through the parking lot of a local grocery store.  I got on it and reved the engine up to 5,000 rpm when the engine stopped running.  We towed it home.  When the engine wouldn't start, I took one of the valve covers off and the rockers weren't moving.  I assumed the timing chain was broken, so I pulled the front cover.  When I grabbed the timing chain, the cam fell into pieces and dropped into the sump.  Back to the junk yard for another $50 engine....

I was pretty tough on equipment back then.  Went through three speed transmissions so fast the junk yard always kept one out for me.  As I remember I paid $15 each for them. 

1962 I got my '56 Fairlane Victoria, baby blue and white with blue padded dash, sun visors, and automatic.  Dated in high school, college where I met my wife of 54 years.  When I got drafted in 1966, I left the Victoria sitting at my mother's house, and she didn't think I still wanted it, and sold it.  I had just bought a new 1966 Mustang with 289 and really wanted to keep the '56 as my toy, but it slipped away, and is restored and going to car shows in Tennessee.  Fellow that has it now added chrome rocker panels, chrome spoke wheels, and made it look tacky.  Would love to have it back, but his son wants it when the time comes.  Joe-JDC

JDC