What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

I usually post on the flathead forum but thought I would ask here.
I may be looking at a 1954 Ford F6 rack truck, what motor could I expect to find under the hood? Thanks.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

Could be a 6-cylinder like a 223 or 272/292 Y-block. That is unless someone changed things in there somewhere back in the day.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

The factory engines available in '54 trucks were the 223 6, 239 Ford Y-block and 279/317 Lincoln Y-blocks. The 272/292s didn't come out until '55, but 292s were not used in trucks until around '59. Fact is you may find anything in the '54 you're looking at. :)

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

Yep, our local Fire Dept has a mostly restored '53/'54 F-500 (?) with a 70's 302 in it, that they use for parades. I found a front bumper for it since this photo was taken.

See these engine chart links....
In a 2 ton HD F6 truck if it wasn't originally a 223 straight 6 it may likely have had a 'Lincoln' based V8, 279 or 317ci.
http://www.ford-y-block.com/lincoln.htm

http://www.ford-y-block.com/Block%20identification.htm
.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

I was thinking 1956 for some reason. The big Lincoln type Y-blocks were used in the big job T-700, T-800 trucks. The 1954 F600 would likely have the small 239 Y-block. Even the cab overs had the 239 in those first 2-years of all OHV engines.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

I have seen 54 F700 with tag axles, making it a ten wheeled dump. They had a 279 and a five speed trans with a two speed axle. One guy had a brother in law who took the motor and with all Ford parts, made it in to a 389. It went way faster than the brakes.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

If it's still original, it will probably have either a 130 hp 239ci or 138 hp 256ci Y-block unless it was special ordered with a 115 hp 223 six.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

The 256 Y-block was made for Mercury production. I've never seen one in a stock truck. Many of the old farm trucks that I grew up around in Kansas, were converted to 292 after the first motor gave out. My Pop had a 1962 F600 and it had a 292 in it. It lasted clear up into the 90s before it gave out. My Pop had a hard time finding a good replacement engine in the late 90s. He finally traded it off in the early 2000s for a larger tandem truck.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

Here are the V8's that were offered in 1954.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

I was told the '54 Merc 4bbl 256 engine (EBY casting number) could be had in the '54 Ford cars IF they were a special order Police Interceptor.

This slightly disguised 256 turned up in a certain '55 T-Bird, instead of the AWOL 292. :(

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

dmsfrr,

That's true about the 256 being available in '54 Ford police cars as a Police Interceptor. The '54 Ford Police Car brochure used to be on the Old Car Manual Project online and it listed all the details. Also had a unique Teapot 4 barrel carb part number because the carb had an extended throttle shaft with a lever for a hand throttle similar to the '94 carbs earlier.

Sal

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

Delete repeat.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

Ford had a history of special order engines for Police applications dating back to the 99A Mercury engine in prewar times. The 255 Mercury 8CM flathead engines were offered for shoe box police cars so this was practiced in varying degrees up to the modern era with police special packages for performance and handling. Many of these options had to be approved by Ford sales & marketing so the average Joe might have found that the options were not available to them without a letter proving the need.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

The vehicle Identification number will have the engine code so you would know what the factory put in it. My best guess would be 223 I-block 6-cyl or Fords first OHV 239 Y-block 8-cyl. Bear in mind that if it was a 239, it probably got replaced at a later date by a 292 Y-block crate engine since the engine rebuilders quit servicing the little 239 decades ago.

Re: What motor in a '54 F6 truck?
 

Wow guys thanks for all the good info.