Haha! So John can only make new heads for Mod motor and call it the new Y.



Then we can call SBC with center bolt valve cover conversion also the Y-Block.


Hyvinkää, FI

Only if it's a two bolt style, and a small block wouldn't work. It'll have to be an LS.


Lawrenceville, GA

Lets look at setting it up for 351 W/C crankshaft,camshaft dimensions. We could then use SBF componets and stroker cranks. Dampners would become more available. Would need some Fab for T birds tho.

Hope I live long enough.

It is difficult to say where this will lead. Just like the head, it seems like there is a blank sheet of paper but when you get into it there are many dimensions and locations that can't be changed.

One problem we need to face is the lack of replacement 312 main bearings. They are getting expensive and Clevite has discontinued them for all practical purposes. FM still makes them but jobber price is around 240.00. Has anyone tried the Ebay imports?

If we go to a 351 crank then the flywheel won't fit and as Don pointed out the T-Bird damper won't fit.

Raising the cam will be complicated by the possibility that the cam gear might hit inside the timing cover.

The more special parts required, the fewer number of people will choose to use the block


http://ford-y-block.com 

20 miles east of San Diego, 20 miles north of Mexico

RE the 351 crank, is it close enough that the difference could be only in the machining of the block?

Even with a new flywheel, a 351 crank could be a cheaper option than possibly finding a 312 crank to stroke and I suspect that many people who go for this block will be stroking.  And I'd bet that many going the stroker route will opt for a billet flywheel or prefer an sfi aproved flywheel, in which case there will be no savings on the flywheel.  On many of the engines I've taken apart, the stock flywheels were no good, visible cracks, and replacement is necessarry.

What's the issue with the bird damper?  If it won't work, doesn't it mean that the other dampers won't?  I can see potential issues with the front crank seal, though.  I realize that a foreign crank won't be for everybody, but if it can be optional, it would be neat.

 I don't think a small block cam is a good idea.  We'll loose the firing order.

Lawrenceville, GA

John, all of those niggling little details. The cam gear hitting the timing cover is a problem. All of the messy little details. Cam bearings retaining the Y firing order are available, that should not be a problem. A 3.75 inch stroke would be very desireable. I believe 3.85 stroker cranks are available.

The T bird dampner is much longer, pullies set farther from the block, than the passenger/truck dampner. Possibly pullys could be grafted on the front of the dampner.

This would be quite a project, but a needed one.

I'm obviously not understanding something. The bird damper is longer than the truck/ car dampers yet fits on a stock Y which all have the same crank snout/timing cover seal dimensions. So if a car/truck damper will work somehow with a 351 crank, then how will the bird damper not work?


Lawrenceville, GA

Charlie:

The crank snout on the 351 is much shorter than a Y, so neither passenger nor Bird damper is a direct fit.  Also, the back end of the 351 crank is shorter and has no flywheel flange.  To rework a 351 crank would probably cost as much or more than a stroker 312 crank.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Ok, so plain and simply a unique damper will be required regardless of Bird or car/truck.

A 3.75" 351 crank can be had for under $600.00. 3.75" is on the very fringe of what is possible with a stock Y crank and very likely means custom crank or maybe several 312 cranks before finding one that will work. So $600 plus a readily available flywheel, $300 and a special damper, $400ish, and at least a custom crank timing gear, $150ish, is that not a better price than a custom crank or possibly several stock cranks to achieve the same goal?? It will be for me, but I know some of you have 312 cranks stashed away as if you picked them from trees. I pretty well consider the flywheel, rods, pistons, and damper a non issue since most people considering something like this will be getting them anyway and whether using a Y crank or another crank. They'll pretty well be as expensive.

If the same casting cannot be machined differently to accommodate both cranks or it simply adds too much to the cost, then a 351 crank isn't a good idea. 2 castings obviously would not be feasible.

With that, I will drop the foreign crank idea.



Lawrenceville, GA

Charlie the accesories,water pump, generator, power steering pump are placed farther forward in T bird applications. Thus the drive pullies on the crank are placed farther forward.

All of these problems could be bypassed by grafting some semblence of the 351 W front of the block configuration if it would not offend the purist too much. accomadation would have to be made for the front engine mount. Man every rock turned over uncovers the effects of 50+ years of evolution.

I do not know of any other crankshaft from any mfg that could be used.