Love your '56 Victoria.  It's so damned cool...  

There is a guy that comes to our cruises with a black 1960 Plymouth Savoy Business Coupe with a dual quad 392 Hemi under the hood.  You would love it.

Think about this.  Several years ago there was someone locally with a 66 Mustang.  It should have had a 289.  He pulled it out and put in a scruby 305.  Plus he had little bow ties cut into the rear lower valance next to the back up lights.  He was taking it to all of the shows and proud of the fact that everyone was mad at him.  

The common excuse around here regarding people swapping everything out for scruby engines is because they are so much cheaper to build.  But to stuff in a SBC you have to first fab some motor mounts.  Then you have to do something about the tranny.  Then the drive line will be wrong either in length or the slip yoke or for the u-joints.  Yeah, the SBF might be  cheaper to build but what about the downstream costs.  I understand it's "YOUR" car and you can do what you want but I am a purist.  I prefer them how they were built.  

I've been a fan of the Y-block since I bought a 57 Ford convertible back in 1961. Loved the car and loved the sound. Had darn little money but managed to make a few custom changes. I also think that swapping engine brands is just somehow wrong. My 56 Victoria is running a Ted Eaton built motor with a 4-71 supercharger. Has run great since the day I put it in. Strong motor but very manageable. I have a second car, a 1928 Chrysler series 72 roadster. It came to me with an all gm (scrub) driveline. After years of search and sticker shock I finally found a HEMI I could afford. It now runs a 331 HEMI with Hot Heads aftermarket modifications. Backed up by a 700R4 and 9" rear end. I couldn't stand the car not having a Chrysler motor of some kind.

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

I have nothing against GM engines.  I ran a big block Camaro race car for years.  Also owned a few 55s and one 57 scruby.  If you want to go fast cheap, it's the way to go.  Fords need Ford engines.   Nothing makes me sadder than seeing a nice 32-41 Ford with a GM 350 motor.  You may as well build a kit car. Give me a 54 Ford Vic or a 57 Custom with a 406 FE and I'm smiling.  Y-Blocks are a different animal.  There was a time when you couldn't give one away.  Have you priced the cost of Y-Block lifters lately?  How about a gasket set?   I've got over $5,000 in my engine and it's practically stock.  A Y-Block has a sound like nothing else.  Takes me back to my youth. 

I'm sorry, but this is sacrilege. It as an affront to not only scrub, but also FOMOCO -



While not a scrub admirer, I do respect the competition as you would the enemy.

I almost bought a 56 scrub for my first car. I wonder how that would have turned out? But you have to admit, the TRI-FIVES were pretty especially with a 409 upgrade ...

____________________________

A friend with a 57 bird had an extra 312 he has had the 57 since 59. He completed a frame on restore with paint, interior, added later ps etc. He asked me about the 312 and I really didn’t want another engine but needed a damper. A guy here that does do a little drag racing did what we all do with not seeing wanting to go to scrap took it for a few $$$. Ron and I were glad it at least got a home. I’m torn with my stash of GMC 6 parts now. I want to keep a few things but it’s time to thin the herd and I won’t scrap it.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

I'm OK with any engine swap as long as it's a FORD engine. 

They're cheap! Someone once stated it's the cheapest way to HP.  Doesn't mean it's better, though.    Ted, you hit the nail on the head, thanks.


64F100 57FAIRLANE500

My theory on the LS craze is that 350's are getting harder to find but LSs are readily available at the scrap yards. And a bone stock LS can run circles around a moderately built 350. Again, just a theory so take it FWIW.

That fascination of putting a newer or different engine in an older car is nothing new.  It’s been taking place for over seventy years now.  My father had an Olds engine in a ’48 Woody back in the mid Fifties and that was done to simply up the power level.  It does irk me to see a GM engine in a Ford car so it does my heart good when I see a Ford engine in a GM car.  My favorite was when someone put a Ford flat head V8 in a C H E V Y.
  

But what’s with the love affair with the LS engines?  The latest craze is putting LS engines in anything imaginable and with that, there are many older cars, all makes and models, getting their original engines thrown to the side and replaced with a “love affair” LS engine.  A local shop just did that to a mid-Fifties Cadillac and there was that original engine sitting in the scrap pile.  I helped take apart a mid-Fifties Nail Head Buick yesterday and while there were no plans for it directly, care was taken to salavage all the parts to save it for a future restoration project.  Like the Y, all these engines are historically significant.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)