The cost of everything is crazy. I had the transmission fluid changed on my 2003 Dakota last week at a local shop. A little over $300. Everyone locally says they are reasonable and they have a great reputation here. 

Bought a rattlecan of duliicolor self etching primer at O'Reilleys pre covid for $9.00 plus change. Now it is $13.00 plus change. 

FORD > 1957 > THUNDERBIRD > 5.1L 312cid V8 > Ignition > Spark Plug		Price		Pack	Total
Copper / Nickel
ACDELCO R85TS Gold; Pre-Set Gap: 0.040" ; AddSerializedCookieDataToHref(this);" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 5px 1px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(124, 124, 174) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(124, 124, 174); border-image: initial; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; background: none rgb(51, 102, 204); vertical-align: middle; line-height: 1; appearance: none; border-radius: 3px; width: auto; overflow: visible; display: inline-block; box-shadow: rgb(85, 85, 85) 1px 1px 1px;">InfoOE-Recommended Gap: 0.035"Choose  [Wholesaler Closeout -- 30 Day Warranty] (Only 1 Remaining) ($1.08)	https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/images/prevIMGbig.png" onclick="cataloglite.Listing_InlineImageManualScroll("989", -1, false, false)" alt="<" title="Previous Image" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; max-height: 100%; max-width: 1.2em; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.1em;"> " src="https://www.rockauto.com/info/341/19362245_Primary__ra_m.jpg" alt="Part image" switch-to-highres="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); display: block; max-width: 100px; max-height: 50px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: auto; cursor: pointer;">	($1.08/Each)		x1	$1.08
		[0].blur()});" onchange="cataloglite.ListingQuantityUpdate("989";" readonly="" style="display: inline-block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); padding: 1px 0px 2px; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 2em;">  Add to Cart
DENSO 5005 U-Groove Conventional; Pre-Set Gap: 0.035" ; AddSerializedCookieDataToHref(this);" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 5px 1px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(124, 124, 174) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(124, 124, 174); border-image: initial; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; background: none rgb(51, 102, 204); vertical-align: middle; line-height: 1; appearance: none; border-radius: 3px; width: auto; overflow: visible; display: inline-block; box-shadow: rgb(85, 85, 85) 1px 1px 1px;">Info(Only 4 Remaining)	" src="https://www.rockauto.com/info/14/5005__ra_m.jpg" alt="Part image" switch-to-highres="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); display: block; max-width: 100px; max-height: 50px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: auto; cursor: pointer;">	($1.51/Each)		x1	$1.51
		[0].blur()});" onchange="cataloglite.ListingQuantityUpdate("990";" readonly="" style="display: inline-block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); padding: 1px 0px 2px; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 2em;">  Add to Cart
MOTORCRAFT SP431A Copper ; AddSerializedCookieDataToHref(this);" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 5px 1px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(124, 124, 174) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(124, 124, 174); border-image: initial; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; background: none rgb(51, 102, 204); vertical-align: middle; line-height: 1; appearance: none; border-radius: 3px; width: auto; overflow: visible; display: inline-block; box-shadow: rgb(85, 85, 85) 1px 1px 1px;">Info Gap: .035 (Only 1 Remaining)	https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/images/prevIMGbig.png" onclick="cataloglite.Listing_InlineImageManualScroll("991", -1, false, false)" alt="<" title="Previous Image" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; max-height: 100%; max-width: 1.2em; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.1em;"> " src="https://www.rockauto.com/info/48/SP431A-ANG__ra_m.jpg" alt="Part image" switch-to-highres="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); display: block; max-width: 100px; max-height: 50px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: auto; cursor: pointer;">	($1.81/Each)		x1	$1.81
		[0].blur()});" onchange="cataloglite.ListingQuantityUpdate("991";" readonly="" style="display: inline-block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); padding: 1px 0px 2px; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 2em;">  Add to Cart
CHAMPION 11 Copper Plus ; AddSerializedCookieDataToHref(this);" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 5px 1px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(124, 124, 174) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(124, 124, 174); border-image: initial; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; background: none rgb(51, 102, 204); vertical-align: middle; line-height: 1; appearance: none; border-radius: 3px; width: auto; overflow: visible; display: inline-block; box-shadow: rgb(85, 85, 85) 1px 1px 1px;">InfoOE-Recommended Gap: 0.035"Choose  [Wholesaler Closeout -- 30 Day Warranty] ($1.86)	" src="https://www.rockauto.com/info/12/CCH_11_P04_FRO__ra_m.jpg" alt="Part image" switch-to-highres="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); display: block; max-width: 100px; max-height: 50px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: auto; cursor: pointer;">	($1.86/Each)		x1	$1.86
		[0].blur()});" onchange="cataloglite.ListingQuantityUpdate("992";" readonly="" style="display: inline-block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); padding: 1px 0px 2px; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 2em;">  Add to Cart
NGK 2438 V-Power; Pre-Set Gap: 0.040" ; AddSerializedCookieDataToHref(this);" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 5px 1px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(124, 124, 174) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(124, 124, 174); border-image: initial; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; background: none rgb(51, 102, 204); vertical-align: middle; line-height: 1; appearance: none; border-radius: 3px; width: auto; overflow: visible; display: inline-block; box-shadow: rgb(85, 85, 85) 1px 1px 1px;">Info OE-Recommended Gap: 0.034"	https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/images/prevIMGbig.png" onclick="cataloglite.Listing_InlineImageManualScroll("993", -1, false, false)" alt="<" title="Previous Image" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; max-height: 100%; max-width: 1.2em; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.1em;"> " src="https://www.rockauto.com/info/100/NGK2438-1__ra_m.jpg" alt="Part image" switch-to-highres="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); display: block; max-width: 100px; max-height: 50px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: auto; cursor: pointer;">	($1.97/Each)		x1	$1.97
		[0].blur()});" onchange="cataloglite.ListingQuantityUpdate("993";" readonly="" style="display: inline-block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); padding: 1px 0px 2px; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 2em;">  Add to Cart
MOTORCRAFT SP431 Copper ; AddSerializedCookieDataToHref(this);" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 5px 1px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(124, 124, 174) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(124, 124, 174); border-image: initial; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; background: none rgb(51, 102, 204); vertical-align: middle; line-height: 1; appearance: none; border-radius: 3px; width: auto; overflow: visible; display: inline-block; box-shadow: rgb(85, 85, 85) 1px 1px 1px;">InfoGap: .035Choose  (Only 5 Remaining) ($4.00/Each) x1 $4.00	https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/images/prevIMGbig.png" onclick="cataloglite.Listing_InlineImageManualScroll("994", -1, false, false)" alt="<" title="Previous Image" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; max-height: 100%; max-width: 1.2em; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.1em;"> " src="https://www.rockauto.com/info/48/SP431X-ANG__ra_m.jpg" alt="Part image" switch-to-highres="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); display: block; max-width: 100px; max-height: 50px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: auto; cursor: pointer;">	($4.00/Each)		x1	$4.00
		[0].blur()});" onchange="cataloglite.ListingQuantityUpdate("994";" readonly="" style="display: inline-block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); padding: 1px 0px 2px; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 2em;">  Add to Cart
Iridium (lasts up to 4x longer than Copper / Nickel)
NGK 7510 Iridium IX; Pre-Set Gap: 0.040" ; AddSerializedCookieDataToHref(this);" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; margin: 0px; padding: 2px 5px 1px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(124, 124, 174) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(22, 22, 55) rgb(124, 124, 174); border-image: initial; font-weight: 400; font-size: 12px; background: none rgb(51, 102, 204); vertical-align: middle; line-height: 1; appearance: none; border-radius: 3px; width: auto; overflow: visible; display: inline-block; box-shadow: rgb(85, 85, 85) 1px 1px 1px;">InfoOE-Recommended Gap: 0.034"	https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/images/prevIMGbig.png" onclick="cataloglite.Listing_InlineImageManualScroll("995", -1, false, false)" alt="<" title="Previous Image" style="display: block; vertical-align: top; max-height: 100%; max-width: 1.2em; cursor: pointer; margin: 0.1em;"> " src="https://www.rockauto.com/info/100/NGK7510-1__ra_m.jpg" alt="Part image" switch-to-highres="1" style="border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); display: block; max-width: 100px; max-height: 50px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: auto; cursor: pointer;">	($5.93/Each)		x1	$5.93
		[0].blur()});" onchange="cataloglite.ListingQuantityUpdate("995";" readonly="" style="display: inline-block; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); padding: 1px 0px 2px; font-family: sans-serif; text-align: center; width: 2em;">  Add to Cart

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; return false;" id="navhref[983]" style="color: blue; padding-left: 1px; display: inline-block; vertical-align: top; margin-top: 2px; text-decoration: none;">Spark Plug Non-Fouler

Yes, I just bought two sets of spark plugs for the 303Y to dyno test it again, and the plugs were nearly $9.00 each.  The Autolite plugs were too hot, the tips were too long for the piston dome, and the Motorcraft were NA, so NGKs were available at $8.95 each.  

JDC

Somewhat off topic, but does anyone have an opinion regarding King bi-metal aluminum bearings for cast cranks?

For 312 main bearings I use  Federal Mogul 4156 (279 302 317 332 341 368 Lincoln) these are a better bearing (a little wider) it will take 2 sets to make a set for 1 engine (1 bearing is different) and can be bought for small money on E Bay, rear seal I use a 318 Chrysler seal ($12.50). here's a sample https://www.ebay.com/itm/314075011279?hash=item49205458cf:g:BZgAAOSwuSFi0sRb&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4KQeQg12Focce8XoIDWR3huZbu9wexmbIlRFujyNe5Gr%2Bt2XW7YC4bKfEHPD2jOkI%2FRJmhRKo%2BiJ3n94nPOpi4N8b0voqqiy5Xhp7lTEZiziXrHjvj83YQIcLD%2FGRmaAF3fOphQRgousDQ8HVsQE1rjPGTNKf3URwuCxMelw2OXhVJMTQi3bipGLx0CYWBRv8Z0APyQR7mm1kQYvYKd0XmxGZmMy%2FWZzhYCnI4G%2Bm26sHjBOqQXjEeFYPW858Mmv0q720fgmFDNn%2Fq4wdIaqIfGkmoiZ1r0tWXD8%2FoqTrPRy%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-6ttP2AYw

I personally think that a lot of businesses are profiteering off of "inflation" which is supposed to have been under 10% by raising prices by double whether it relates to the grocery store, buying gas, restaurants or buying car parts.  These businesses figure that they can use "inflation" as an excuse to gouge consumers by raising retail prices far in excess of the actual wholesale markup that they are paying.  They figure that we will just pay the price and rack it up to "inflation".  Just my "two cents" for whatever it is worth......

Joe.  Afraid it’s not just the Y parts.  Seems to have gone crazy across the board.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

try a set of pistons for a 272 if you can find them

Have any of you priced main bearings for a 312? Or rod bearings, rear main seals?  I am really stunned at the price jump over the last couple of years.  Main bearings for the 312 Y at Summit is now $349.99, and they don't list a rear main seal.  My local parts store lists the main bearings for $489.00, and jobber is nearly the same as Summit.  CASCO sells the rear main seal for $49.95 plus shipping and state tax, and Speedway's bearings are white box, so not sure of the brand.  Even the SBC 2.000" rod bearings are $94.00 for a set for the offset ground crankshaft.  The cost for a premium build is nearly double from a couple of years ago.   Anyway, this may be my last Y build for the short term.  Joe-JDC

JDC