Just this past week I was in North Carolina for meetings and had the chance to take a day to visit a few of my relatives. I ended up buying a 272 core from my one of my great aunts (my great uncle had passed away a couple years back and had left some parts in the garage - may post some of these later - she lives just outside of Mt. Airy). The ECG block has the ECZ-C heads and hi-ratio rocker arms. I have no idea what the water pump pulley is from - the diameter is way too large.



On the other side of the family I had the chance to see the only grandfather I still have living (he is almost 90, still getting around well, and we attribute that to the Cherokee blood he has in him and eventually gave me!) He has lived on the extended property of his friend's junkyard for almost 40 years. Since his friend died a few years back the junkyard has officially closed but my grandfather is the caretaker so to speak and is allowed to sell any parts that he would like and split the money with the deceased owner's wife. At any rate, he has the run of the place as you would imagine. There are almost not 50s/60s cars and trucks left, and most of what is left is just some late model stuff, a few oddball engines, etc. Most of the yard is pretty grown over and all.

However, he wanted me to run around with the snakes in there and see if I could find anything worthwhile. Would you believe I stumbled upon a late 50's Ford wrecker that the deceased owner used to haul cars in and out of the yard? It was in the middle of trees and brush all grown up around it (and almost through it) but the hood was still intact and wouldn't you know it but a Y block was under the hood! When grandpa caught up to me, he recognized it immediately. "Yeh," he said. "Bobby Simmons had me put this 292 in his wrecker in the early 70's. This thing was a strong engine. I am pretty sure I got it out of an early 60's bus."



And of course that got him talking.  I offered grandpa some money for the Y block, telling him I would come back down this winter and pull that engine block out of there. With all of the undergrowth I did not feel like crawling under there to look at the block casting (I know, I know, could it be a C1TE???? :w00t Of course, as grandpa and grandson relationships go he did not want to charge me anything but I told him that he could use the money. I am pretty excited that it looks like I am going to have the opportunity to turn wrenches on a Y block that my grandpa swapped out of a bus into a wrecker and will be looking forward to getting that 292 operational!

Neither engine is locked up. And yes, I am still addicted to y blocks (running or not lol)

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com