We were pulling the old 292 out of my '56 Crown Vic this weekend and I ran into something I didn't know existed.  There is a bracket sticking out from under the front of the engine that is apparently called a steady rest.  Mine appears to do nothing.  If it sat on a rubber bushing at one time, there is none there now.

What I do know is that it makes getting the engine out (and I assume back in again) a big pain.  I remember pulling the y-block out of my old '59 many years ago and it did not have this gizmo.  I have done some research and some feel it is OK to throw it away which I want to do.  I have new side motor mounts.

OK guys, I need your opinions....

Sounds like you may have a TBird engine in your car?  My old 56 Ford Victoria did not have steady rests.  TBird Y-Block engines mount in the front below the timing cover and at the rear transmission mount.  They have brackets that bolt to both sides of the block that the steady rests go through.  The steady rests use threaded nuts and rubber bushings to "steady" the engine.

It’s my understanding those were a factory item used on the passenger cars. I believe it’s similar but different from the bird and truck front mounts. There’s speculation over on the Ford Barn they were used to stop forward engine movement, probably for a front end collision. I don’t have a clue about that. It seems a lot are missing, because people didn’t put them back

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

I removed my 56 when I needed to have the damper rebuilt. It also helped when I upgraded to a water cooled trans. I also cut off the forward mounting brackets. Many here have removed theirs. 

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

Steady rests were standard equipment up to around the 56 model year.  From what I have gathered, many people have tossed them whenever the engine was pulled.  I guess Ford's reason was for better engine stability.

I have a 54 and when I put the 312 in it I opted to keep it, even though I had to find a 55/56 unit as the 54 unit would not work with the later engine.


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

The 1954-56 ENGINE FRONT STEADY REST was designed to increase ride comfort (and add rigidity to a weak frame design - redesigned and strengthened in 1957).  It carried no engine weight but just stabilized the engine assy in the frame. It also had splash shields attached that increased radiator air flow and kept water splash off the front of the engine and GEN..

Please hold onto any removed parts as either a buyer will want it if the car is sold or someone may want the parts to reinstall on their car.

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throw it over the fence.these cars are hard enough to work on without that.

Thanks everyone, you always come through.  Thank God I didn't have a couple of guys saying, "You gotta keep it!!!" which would get me more confused than I am.. I will keep it in case someone in the future wants it..