'55 F100 new project, new member

[AllenV]

I thought I'd stop lurking and introduce myself and my adopted F100. She is a 1955 F100 I recently acquired from gentleman in northern New Mexico. As a result of an uncertain past I have been researching what I have and benefiting greatly by the collected expertise in this forum. My aim is to restore her to a driver in a condition more-or-less true to what Ford built. What I know right now is that the motor was swapped out in favor of a later 292. the block casting is EDB 6015E. Carburation is Ford 2100, C3TF-H. The power plant looks to be attached to a T98 transmission. I am in-process with installing new distributor from FBO Systems. This has Pertronix innards and vacuum advance. (Kudos to the threads on "ported vacuum".) Then it's on to replacing the front springs as both are broken. And new wheels and tires all round. At that point She ought to move under her own power and I'll take some time to get to know her.

I am sure to be bugging the forum for advice. Any thoughts/suggestion are welcome.

[dmsfrr]

What are you considering for the front springs?
These folks are just down the road a ways and can likely rebuild/replace leaves in the ones you have.

https://mcbridesinc.com/

[AllenV]

I have new units from Eaton Detroit Spring sitting on my bench.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by AllenV

I have new units from Eaton Detroit Spring sitting on my bench.

Welcome!

I did the same with the rear leaf springs under the red car in my avatar, there were too many mis-matched leaves.

"EDB 6015E" Pretty sure that's a '58 block number, if it matters.
http://ford-y-block.com/Block%20identification.htm

Between '55 and '58 Ford made 2 sets of changes to the way the dash gauges work. If the truck has a stock Temp gauge it probably won't work right with an original '58 sender in the head.

In case you haven't lined up distributor gears before and it gives you a problem, just holler.

[Ford56]

Welcome to the forum. You'll find lots of knowledgeable folks here, ready and willing to help. You've got a great looking truck in those two pictures. More pictures are always welcome.

[Anteek29]

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Hello and welcome to the Ford folks...we're a friendly bunch Nice truck!

[AllenV]

Thank you for the welcome. Regarding temperature gauges and such, the truck was converted to 12V in a haphazard and incomplete fashion. Basically the stock gauges were disconnected in favor of a little aftermarket set mounted below the dash. One of the sub-projects is to rewire the truck and do it right. Thank you for the heads up on sensors.

[Daves55Sedan]

I never saw the point in swapping to an FBO dizzy. If you have a '57 or later Y-block, you already have the upgraded vacuum/mechanical advance distributor. Just take out the points and condenser and replace with a Petronix unit and you basically have what they are selling. They claim to have an improved distributor shaft bushing location as opposed to the original, but you should be able to get lifetime service out of the OEM distrib bushing with periodic lubrication.
I personally will never purchase another Petronix unit ever again. I had a petronix in a '57, 292 Y-block that only lasted a few months, and I had a Petronix unit in my '55, 272 Y-block that only lasted about a month. Went back to points and condenser. The Petronix units are made in China. It's likely they can't withstand the heat. But all your repro condensers are made in china also, and you are darned lucky to get one of them to last very long either.
If you look at the FBO main webpage, the guy who wrote the sales pitch for their unit really overdid it to the point that turned me off.
My car is running just fine with it's original load-o-matic dizzy and I don't need his FBO!

[Daves55Sedan]

PICs of engine please !

[AllenV]

I'll try to get some images of the motor today. It is however, still a mucky mess and does not photograph well.

The new distributor was motivated by the condition of the old one. Excessive endplay (measured as out of spec per the '55 Ford manual) and slop in the shaft bushings combined with well worn cam lobes, a non-functioning vacuum diaphragm, and interior parts resembling a coral reef, prompted me to find a replacement. A phone conversation with the fellow that builds up the distributors at FBO convinced me (for better or worse!) that this is a good way to go.

Interesting point regarding Daves55Sedan's observation that my truck already has vac/mech advance. Yes, this is true and I had sorted that fact before replacing it. HOWEVER, the previous owner had attached the vacuum line to the ported vacuum tap on the carburetor. This seems incorrect to me. I plan to attach the vacuum line to an existing side port on the 90-degree elbow fitting which connects the PCV line to the manifold in front of the carb. But I realize that I am trudging at the bottom of a steep learning curve with this vehicle. Any experienced insight is welcome.

[KULTULZ]

xxx

[AllenV]

Allright folks, more data:
FIRST, let's continue with the distributor. In image(1) you see the numbering on the shell. I make that as C0AF 12127 A. Inside, the weights and springs are fully concealed under a fixed deck plate. I think that places the dist. at about 1960 vintage?? In image (2) I have circled the location (left) of the vacuum port to which the old distributor was attached as well as the new location (right) to which I plan to attach the new distributor vacuum advance. Am I correctly understanding that the old location was ported vacuum? Does anyone foresee any problems with my intended new location?

NEXT: the request for images of the motor. Uploaded without itemized discussion. The block is the EDB 6015E noted in the first post. It has been suggested that this dates to 1958. Based on the carb# mentioned in that first post, I think it hails to about 1964. The distributor is out at the moment. The white pipe at the rear is a 1.5 inch plastic pipe serving to keep debris from falling into the open distributor hole. The rocker covers have the add-on oiling modification. The rubber hoses are cracked and removed for replacement. Generally, triage is on-going. I believe the motor is solid. But I have not yet done a compression or leak-down test.

LAST: Finding love is not one of my strong suits.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by AllenV

... In image (2) I have circled the location (left) of the vacuum port to which the old distributor was attached as well as the new location (right) to which I plan to attach the new distributor vacuum advance. Am I correctly understanding that the old location was ported vacuum? Does anyone foresee any problems with my intended new location? ...

The vacuum line for the original distributor is intended to be connected to the ported vacuum fitting on the carburetor. The distributor will not operate as designed if connected to full manifold vacuum.
.

Originally Posted by AllenV

... The block is the EDB 6015E noted in the first post. It has been suggested that this dates to 1958. Based on the carb# mentioned in that first post, I think it hails to about 1964. ...

EDB-E engine block is '58 / early '59. Click on the link in comment #4.
If the block were newer it would have a B9AE ('59/'60), C1AE ('61) or C2AE ('62+) prefix.
The "C3TF" carburetor number would be a '63+ Truck designation.
The "C0AF" distributor prefix is for a standard non-model specific '60+ distributor.

Various parts on the engine are mixed from a few different years. This is not unusual given her uncertain past and the number of decades & previous owners since she was new.

[AllenV]

This is where the FBO distributor deviates from the original. It wants full manifold vacuum to drive the advance at idle. Since I have not yet done the hook-up, I am verifying this point with FBO. If I learn something different I will post a note.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by AllenV

This is where the FBO distributor deviates from the original. It wants full manifold vacuum to drive the advance at idle. Since I have not yet done the hook-up, I am verifying this point with FBO. If I learn something different I will post a note.

Yes, if the instruction sheet for the replacement distributor states "manifold vacuum", as opposed to 'ported' vacuum, follow those instructions.

[AllenV]

FBO quickly answered my e-mail and confirmed the direct manifold vacuum hookup.

On to the 2nd part of your note. This truck seems very much to be a melange of components. This suggests to me it lived the life of a rural truck, consistent with its previous owner living in Springer, NM. As parts wore out they were replaced, perhaps from the local "used parts store". This contributes to the interesting historical puzzle.

[dmsfrr]

You've actually got a fairly normal combination of recycled parts.
Much better than I had when I bought my '55. I foolishly broke several 'buying an old car' rules and was so disgusted with what it had under the hood I didn't work on it for four years.
.

[Daves55Sedan]

There is absolutely nothing unusual about finding a '55 Ford pickup with a later Y-block engine in it.
These came from the factory with the 239 Y-block truck engine which fell out of service from the crate engine rebuilders decades ago.
In 1981, a mechanic at a Ford dealer in Texas told me that all old 239 and 272 Y-block cores were being scrapped by the crate motor rebuilders and replaced with 292 truck engines with steel crank.
Anyway, I wanted to see engine pics because of the carb. You have a '57 or later intake manifold and carb, but it doesn't make a difference since the FBO allegedly connects to manifold vacuum.
I guess that means you could use the FBO dizzy with the older style manifold ('56 and older) and bug-sprayer type carb (Holley 2110, Holley 2100 and Ford EBU).

[joe plumber]

There is nothing wrong with Petronix as long as you use the correct coil with it.Ive had one for 15 years with no problems

[dmsfrr]

I've heard several Baby Bird owners who've used them say the Pertronix units used to be made in the US and more recently they're made off-shore (China) and are now more prone to failure.
I gave up on after-market ignition conversion kits years ago when one quit on me in a turn in front of a loaded dump truck.
.

[AllenV]

Well, I am destined to find out, and add my own Pertronix anecdote in time.

On another topic: As I was changing spark plugs yesterday I found that cylinders 1,2, and 7 have had threaded inserts installed. See photos. remarkable in that the plugs with inserts sit substantially further out than the unmolested plugs. How common is this? Should I be concerned? shopping for heads?

The motor seemed to run well when I bought it. Though the choke was stuck full on during the test drive. That was due to a broken choke cable housing, since replaced. As such I have so far only experienced a very fast idle with full choke and a broken vacuum diaphragm on the distributor . I am expecting a much more civilized experience when I get the new distributor installed and timed. Thus I ask the collected expertise if having 3-of-8 plugs "helicoiled" might be a cause of rough or uneven idling.

[dmsfrr]

Those look like anti-fouling inserts, to help keep oil off the sparkplug tips.
.

[AllenV]

That is a new one for me. Didn't know of such things. I'll leave 'em for now. See how it runs and get through the compression and leak-down tests.

Thanks again

[KULTULZ]

Used to control poor cylinder oil control - fouled spark plug.

[AllenV]

I am finally back at work on Nellie ( the F100)

Finished with the front spring replacement so she is now safe to roll on her own.

The new FBO distributor with the Pertonix III ignition is installed along with the flamethrower III coil and a new set of plug wires. Recall, that to get the manifold vacuum wanted by the new distributor I tapped into the manifold port used by the PCV, just forward of the carburetor. Then I plugged the ported vacuum on the carburetor.

After some fiddling of chokes and verifying of fueI, air, and spark she lit up! Very first operation since I flat-bedded her home. The uploaded picture is taken with the vacuum disconnect and vacuum line run to a vacuum gauge. The low RPM timing has only just been set at 14 degrees BTDC. It has only been running a few minutes. It is ticking along at some low idle RPM, as yet not measured. The chock is off. That vacuum needle is bouncing only less than 1 needle width.

Sounds decent, oil pressure shows okay pressure, vacuum look okay.

I found a fuel leak at the pressure gauge in front of the carb. I’ll fix that and hook up the vacuum advance….

[dmsfrr]

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Originally Posted by AllenV

... new FBO distributor ... Recall, that to get the manifold vacuum wanted by the new distributor I tapped into the manifold port used by the PCV, just forward of the carburetor. Then I plugged the ported vacuum on the carburetor.
….

Unless the instructions for the aftermarket distributor specifically say "manifold vacuum", the vacuum line for the distributor is more correctly connected to the vacuum fitting on the carburetor.

[AllenV]

Not to worry, the FBO distributor definitely wants manifold vacuum. I verified this with them twice on the phone.

More data:
Idle is 950 rpm
oil pressure varies from 18psi at idle to 38 psi at higher rpm. This is at 190 F temperature. Indications are from an after market

BUT! The brake pedal goes right to the floor! I don't recall this "feature" during the test drive.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by AllenV

...
BUT! The brake pedal goes right to the floor! I don't recall this "feature" during the test drive.

That's the 'Meet the neighbors' option. So you have to converse with the folks across the street about damage to their car when attempting to pull out of your driveway. My red '55 almost had that option when the brake booster failed.

The brake fluid may have leaked out somewhere or the seals in the master cyl are gone.
.

[AllenV]

Fortunately we only have llamas across the street

I was always imaging a complete brake rebuild would be needed. Just not right away. Debating with myself the relative merits of piece-mealing it versus just buying all new parts and doing everything now.

[rotorwrench]

Piece mealing generally works when thing are already functional but worn. You will have to see if your master & wheel cylinders are rusty or not.

[AllenV]

Results of Brake Inspection

Executive Summary: Lots of gunk. Lots of cracked and broken rubber. Creative use of heavy wire on the clutch mechanism. Novel threaded-rod clutch push rod.
Front brake shoe width: 1.75 inch
Rear brake shoe width: 2.00 inch
Evidence of too-wide shoes running in narrow rear drum
Front shoes were put on rear and vice-versa

No obvious fresh brake fluid oozing

Discussion: There is plenty of rust and gunk and most of the rubber is beyond its useful life. The shoes and drums will need to be replaced as the wide shoes in narrow drums have gouged the inner edge of the drum and the narrow shoes in the wide drums have created a wear “step” that would truly mess up operation if an attempt was made to install new wide shoes. The mechanic (me) recommends all new hydraulic cylinders, master and slave as well as new springs and clips. Will need to diagnose the function of the after-market heavy wire.

Photos attached

Bonus photo of the completed front spring install

[AllenV]

Poking at some more. I now see fresh seepage out of the master cylinder .

[AllenV]

Well… As I was pulling the master brake cylinder I happened to spot a crack in the right side frame rail. See attached image. This is fully half-way through the frame. Location is just at the front edge of the battery box. It must be fixed, and soon. Now the brakes are on hold while I pull the cab off. My plan is to drill a hole at the lower terminus of the crack and then weld the entire length. Then add 1/8-inch doubling plates on the top and side.

Stay tuned.

[Daves55Sedan]

You might be able to have the drums with the grooves turned down and re-use them, but the other two may need to be scrapped. I noticed a lug bolt missing or twisted off of rear wheel hub.
Its a good idea to drill a hole to terminate that frame crack before welding. I noticed at the top where that crack starts, the lip appears to have been bent down. Maybe heat and straighten using 1/4 inch thick plates above and below tightened down with heavy duty C-clamps, but you would need to work real fast while the metal was hot.
1958 was the first year Fomoco had "FORD" letters embossed onto the valve covers. Earlier years had plain valve covers with a decal.
Those fittings in the heads look like spark-plug anti-foulers. They are there to protect the plugs from getting fouled with oil. May be necessary to replace rings, reem the cylinder wall ridges and do a valve job. After that, those old top oilers will no longer ever be necessary as todays oil is much better refined than it was in the '50's. You have a standard single-action fuel pump with a fuel pressure guage going to a '57 or later 2-bbl carb. There should be no need for a pressure guage with this application and no need for a regulator either, as this type of carb doesn't ordinarily have float inundation problems. But what are you doing about windshield wipers? Electric? If they are vacuum operated, most people would recommend swapping the single-action pump for the dual-action type with vacuum booster for the windshield wipers. I think wiper motor is mounted on firewall under the dashboard.
If you have converted to 12-volt electrical system, the '58 engine is already set up to use the small, stubby temperature sending unit which will not work right with the '55 guage. Maybe see if you can find a '58/59 guage that will fit the '55 cluster? Fuel guage and sending unit; maybe put in a resistor ahead of the guage power circuit?

[AllenV]

Dave55Sedan, you raise a lot of important issues. These are the things that are contributing to the to-do list. Let me try to work my way thru your list.
Brake drums: I bought 4 new from mid-fifty, along with new slave and master cylinders.
Frame crack: I am wondering why the frame is bent that way. There is no current evidence of something contacting that area. I’ll have to decide what to do about straightening after I have it exposed, the battery box off, those rivets removed. At the moment I am reluctant to put enough heat in there to pound it straight for fear of warping that frame section. But, heating before I weld the crack may be forgiving of distortion. It LOOKS like that bend is benign in that there is plenty of gap between the frame and cab.
The motor: yes, those are plug anti-foulers. If the motor needs a rebuild, I’ll do it. The oil pressure looks okay. I’ll have to monitor oil consumption for a bit. That said, it runs strong and I am sure it needs a valve adjustment. It drips copious amounts of oil and is covered in muck below. I think the rear main seal is shot and maybe the pan gasket. When the cab is off I plan to clean it thoroughly. I’ll pull the transmission and inspect/replace the rear seal. What is the general experience with these seals? Can it be removed/replaced with the crankshaft in-situ? Ideally, I would delay the motor rebuild while I complete another car project that has been pushed aside by this one. So popping in a new main seal, pan gasket, clutch and engine mounts while the cab is off is my preferred scheme at the moment. The fuel pump is an old aftermarket electric unit. I put the fuel pressure gauge on as I don’t trust the pump and I wanted to be sure it is a 4-5 psi unit. What do you mean by “ no need for a regulator either”? What have you spotted that I didn’t recognize?
Windshield wipers: I have no idea. I think they are electric. I don’t know if they work. I’ll have to investigate and get back to you. Sounds like your preference is for electric.
12V conversion: YES it is 12V. It has a Delco-style single-wire alternator and internal regulator. I’ll go hunting for the temperature sender. It has occurred to me that he MOTOR has always been 12V so the sensor would be a bit newer.
’55 cluster: as you can see, I have plenty to do. Putting the cluster back in working order can wait.

[AllenV]

Got the body work off of the frame.

[50fordcoupeman]

Originally Posted by joe plumber

There is nothing wrong with Petronix as long as you use the correct coil with it.Ive had one for 15 years with no problems

I also am using the Petronix in two engine applications. Have had them both for 5 plus years with no problems. Knock on wood!!

[AllenV]

I need to catch you guys up on a bunch of activity.
In preparation for the frame repair, the motor is out. here are some photos

[AllenV]

Here are some shots of the main frame crack. I also found that the cross rail at the rear of the cab had a cracked section.

[AllenV]

I needed to determine which part of the frame was bent to generate the offset seen in the previous post. Using a sight string and carefully measuring the distance from the string to the OUTSIDE rail edge I found that the bending was on the short section forward of the crack and aft of the transmission cross rail.

I drilled a hole at the tip of the crack to prevent it growing as I began to manipulate it.

Judicious heating and beating brought the rail back into position.

[AllenV]

some shots of the crack after the straightening

[AllenV]

Since I have clear access to both sides of the crack and the frame is comprised of 10GA steel I choose a square butt joint weld rather than a V-groove scheme. I opened the gap using a hack saw down the length. Then I built several mock-up cracks and frame sections to set up the welder and verify good penetration and repair of the crack

Here is the crack after clean up

[AllenV]

Here is a shot of the mock-up frame including a prototype "crack". I used this to set up the welder and to practice welding in the orientation and location as the real thing. The next shot shows a test coupon I cut in half to verify weld penetration and good gap repair.

[AllenV]

Eventually I got to where there was nothing left but to weld that darn crack.
After welding I ground it flat where I will attach doublers on the inside and where the cab mount bracket fits on the outside.

[AllenV]

I made two doubler plates of 1/8-inch steel. I used a bowtie configuration of "fish plate" due to the short distance between the crack and the transmission cross brace. The top doubler was also tapered. Before welding I applied "3M weld-thru Coating II" to both faces. One of the images shows the 3M coating before welding. I did the welding in, roughly 1 inch, stitches, letting the frame cool considerably between welds. This was to prevent warping the frame with heat.
In that last picture I have set the new cab bracket in place, just to have a look at it.

[AllenV]

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I had deep penetrating rust at the holes in the cab brackets where the cab mount rubbers sit. Since I had one bracket off anyway, I decided to put on new brackets. These came from LMC. They look really nice except that 4 of frame-bolt holes are misaligned with respect top my frame. The 2 holes at the front-side of the frame were fixed with a bit of filing. The 2 holes on top of the frame were the most offset, and the most critical. These I want to be well aligned and have minimal slop as the torque of the cab weight pulls sideways on these bolts. Naturally, the misalignment was exactly opposite of what I'd like. Meaning that the bracket hole was inboard of the frame hole. I set out to move the holes into the correct location. I filed the hole in the bracket until I could get a bolt inserted. Then I added metal to the other side by welding. A little bit of work with a flat file and a round file then made it good.

[dmsfrr]

Very nice work!

[AllenV]

Originally Posted by dmsfrr

Very nice work!

Thank you, It's been fun to "up" my welding game.

[AllenV]

Hey Folks,
I have been remiss in posting my F100 progress here. Time for an update.

First: I have been putting up regular detailed reports on the Ford Truck Enthusiast site. You are welcome to go there to see the minutiae. Here is the link.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...project-5.html

Broad strokes:
Finished the frame repairs with cracks located and felt with in 6 places. The frame was sent out for sand blasting and powder coating.

While the frame was gone I set to work on the front axle and hubs as well as the rear axle and springs.

Front Axle: I measured excessive lateral play in the king pins and installed new kingpins that are 0.010" over size. This required some work to bump out the size of the openings in both the axle and spindles. Now the kingpins are a very nice fit. While the hubs were off I noted spalling and damage in the wheel bearings. Both hubs got 4 new wheel bearings. All parts were painted.

Rear Axle: The rear axle is the Dana 44, 19 spline with 3.92 gearing. I have no reason not to believe it is original. I cleaned out the sludge and grunge from the inside. All parts were painted and new axle and pinion seals were installed. The wheel bearings felt okay to my hand so I left them as-is. If they prove to be noisy I'll replace them later.

Rear Springs: I found nothing beyond normal wear on the springs. Took them fully apart and cleaned off the dirt, rust and scale. Reassembled with new center bolts and new bolts on the rebound clips. The eye bushings were replaced with new as were the spring pings and the rear shackle.

Current status: Frame is back and has been mated with the front and rear axle units. Moving on to the brakes.

Some pictures:

[frank long island]

nice job on the frame that will be plenty strong

[harleyjohn45]

You are doing a great job. Reminds me of a 06 Subaru Baja trubo I bought last year. Everything had to be done, I've since named it the money pit. LOL
Keep up the good work.

[Greg Rogers]

I knew things looked familiar! Been following you on FTE. Good work!!

[AllenV]

Hey Folks,
I'll get you updated, I hope, today. But first I have a question for the Y-block experts. I have the motor out and the transmission removed. It would be sweet to change the rear main seal. To my untrained eye this looks like a design that does not allow the seal to be changed with the crankshaft in-place. IS this the case? If the seal can be changed, I'd love to know how.

Allen

[AllenV]

Since I put up that post with the lovely black frame sitting its own wheels I have decided to fix a problem that I had been deferring until later. Namely the rear axle had some internal rust damage at the surface where the wheel bearing is supported. A new wheel bearing slid in far too easily and had significant slop. In fact, I measured 0.025" vertical play with the new bearing installed.
I finally faced the music and committed to a solution. A new axle was needed. I failed to find a Dana 44 within any distance I was willing to drive for pick-up. A conversion to a newer Ford 9-inch looked pretty attractive. In fairly short order a local CL ad appeared offering the rear axle from a 1964 Ford F-100. From 1957 on, the F100 shipped with the Ford 9-inch rear as standard. I thought I was going to see an early 9-inch rear in this ad. BUT, what I found was a Dana 44-1. This truck had been optioned with limited slip and at the time Ford used the Dana 44-1 in all limited slip trucks. This axle came home with me.
Since the 44-1 is a slightly larger (2.75") tube size, the 1955 brackets did not fit so I used spring cap plates from a 1957-60 truck with a fabricated 1/8-inch spacer and fabricated my own shock mounts which place the shocks in the same location as the 1955 mount.
I am using the original 1955 brake backing plates and all 1955-spec brake parts. The axle shafts are from the 1955 unit, slightly shortened to accommodate the limited slip differential.
PHOTO 1: Dana 44-1 installed
PHOTO 2: the tags from the Dana 44-1
PHOTO 3: the new shock brackets before paint
PHOTO 4: close-up of the new spring cap and shock configuration

[AllenV]

This takes us to a milestone. The chassis, axles, suspension and brakes are finished.

Recall that the whole reason this truck came apart was to fix frame cracks revealed when I was starting two replace the brakes which had ceased functioning. Since then

Frame cracks have been repaired in 6 places ( I showed you 3 of those)
Cab support frame arms replaced
Frame powder coated
Front leaf springs replaced along with new bushings
Kingpins replaced
Front and rear wheel bearings and seals replaced
Rear spring bushings replaced
Rear axle, complete, replaced with the Dana 44-1 (limited slip)
New brake hardware throughout

When I got it sitting on all 4 tires I was able to measure the droop of the cab support arms
Driver's is 6/32", passenger side is 5/32"
That is within 1/32" matched left to right. Pretty happy with that. The cab ought to be square with only a 1/32" shim on the driver's side.

NEXT UP: On to some clutch and transmission work. A nice change of pace.

Photos:

[AllenV]

I has been a long time since I last posted to Ford Barn on this project. A few thing have happened since the chassis was completed. I also took a nine month vacation from the project.

But first, I have been keeping a detailed thread over at FTE. I now have a link to that in my signature below.

After the chassis, I cleaned up and inspected the transmission. This is the T-98 “synchro silent”. It had the common “very loose” shifting. I found the usual worn pin and hole at the fulcrum of the shift lever. A new pin and shift lever fixed that.

I was going to then reattach the transmission to the motor and pop the unit back into the chassis. After all, the old 292 Y-Block was running quite well. But, the rear main seal needed replacing, so the oil pan came off. Then experienced folks counseled removing a main and rod bearing cap for inspection. That turned out to be a wise move. Some of the bearings were badly spalled. The motor needed a full rebuild.

Thus the projected tacked into a motor rebuild phase. I tore it down and delivered the block, heads, crank, pistons-and-rods, to a machine shop. He marveled at the extreme wear of the valve seats and we estimated it would need 0.030” over 312 pistons. The block was deemed a good candidate for boring using sonic testing of the cylinder walls. The heads I had were mismatched so we swapped them for a matched set he had in-stock. Eventually all the work was done. Cylinders bored for new pistons. Block line bored and all the oil passages cleared out. Cam bearings replaced. The rod big ends were honed back to round and new inserted installed in the small end. The heads were decked and reworked with new valve seats. New valves installed.

When I got it back I painted it red and am now doing the reassembly.

A few images:
The first 4 are the old tired motor. The last three are the motor back from the shop and then painted.

[AllenV]

Hey Folks,
I have been “off task” on my F100 restoration for a number of months. But now I am back to it. As you can see in the images, the rotating assembly is built and the heads are on.
To remind you, this is a 292 with a stock cam. The pistons are 0.030 over for a 312 but the crank and rods are original 292.

Now, as I turn my attention to the rocker arms, I have found badly worn rocker arms as well as the threaded adjuster that rests on the end of the push rods. (See images)

So, I need rocker arms and adjusters.

I already have a pair of new rocker arm shafts from Mummert, along with Mummert’s kit of springs and washers. And a complete set of “stock” push rods. The push rods are Mummert’s PR-1221-HP, LONG Pushrod for 54-55 and 60-64 heads.

Where should I look for rocker arms and adjusters?? This is a stock build. I just measured the rocker ratio at 1.37-ish. They all appear to be the same. That said, I have no reason to believe that the rockers I found in the motor are correct.

If it matters, the block is an EDB-E casting and the heads are ECL-C

Images:

[AllenV]

Well, I went hunting for rocker arms and found what are supposed to be very nice remanufactured assemblies on e-bay. New Elgin shafts. EAN6564 or 5751066 1.43 ratio rocker arms. And posts in good condition. Rocker "tips surfaced as needed"
My rockers are 5751066. So these seemed a good match. I bought these assemblies as well as a set of 16 adjusters.
We'll see what shows up.

[Patrick brophy]

Sounds like that truck you bought for what was most likely a "reasonable amount" is getting "more reasonable " by the day. We all been thete.��

[KULTULZ]

I went hunting for rocker arms and found what are supposed to be very nice remanufactured assemblies on e-bay ...

Can you give the source of the supplier?

[rotorwrench]

It looks like a basic early to mid 60s pickup engine set up with the modern Autolite 2100 carb that will function the distributors of that time frame, ie centrifugal advance with vacuum load control. This was the latest stuff used on the last of the 292 engines in 1964. That is as good as it gets for a stock 292 from that period. Distributors can be easily overhauled if the OP wants to go back to the OEM type set up for 1963/64. This is much better than what was available in 1955 since the Y-block was new and still in development flux in that time frame. The old Holley Load-O-Matic distributors back then were matched to the carburetor and left a lot to be desired.

The dash instruments were still 6-volt in 1955 so they were likely abandoned when a previous owner went to the later engine. The instruments may still work since the King Seeley stuff was very reliable. The temp sender was already mentioned and the oil pressure sender is also a King Seeley item in 1955. Instrument voltage regulators are available from several sources to drop the 12-volt system voltage to a usable voltage for those OEM indicators. The rest of the electrics such as light bulbs and ignition components were likely already updated to work. The original wiring harness will work fine for 12-volts but a 1955 wiring diagram will be needed to manage any further repairs or replacements. The engine electrics were likely late components to work with the late engine installation.

[Als48]

So Allen,

What is your current displacement of your rebuilt engine? Do the 312 pistons make it a .030 over 312 at around 318 cubic inches or a 030 over 292 at around 298 cubic inches?
Just curious.

Al Hook

[AllenV]

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

Can you give the source of the supplier?

PM Sent

[AllenV]

Originally Posted by Als48

So Allen,

What is your current displacement of your rebuilt engine? Do the 312 pistons make it a .030 over 312 at around 318 cubic inches or a 030 over 292 at around 298 cubic inches?
Just curious.

Al Hook

To clean up the bores we had to put in 030 over pistons for a 312. But we did not change the stroke from the 292.

here is the math:
new bore is 3.829 inches
stroke is 3.30 inches

new displacement is 304 cubic inches.

[AllenV]

Originally Posted by Patrick brophy

Sounds like that truck you bought for what was most likely a "reasonable amount" is getting "more reasonable " by the day. We all been thete.��

yep.

I do not plan to total it all up.

[AllenV]

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Originally Posted by rotorwrench

It looks like a basic early to mid 60s pickup engine set up with the modern Autolite 2100 carb that will function the distributors of that time frame, ie centrifugal advance with vacuum load control. This was the latest stuff used on the last of the 292 engines in 1964. That is as good as it gets for a stock 292 from that period. Distributors can be easily overhauled if the OP wants to go back to the OEM type set up for 1963/64. This is much better than what was available in 1955 since the Y-block was new and still in development flux in that time frame. The old Holley Load-O-Matic distributors back then were matched to the carburetor and left a lot to be desired.

The dash instruments were still 6-volt in 1955 so they were likely abandoned when a previous owner went to the later engine. The instruments may still work since the King Seeley stuff was very reliable. The temp sender was already mentioned and the oil pressure sender is also a King Seeley item in 1955. Instrument voltage regulators are available from several sources to drop the 12-volt system voltage to a usable voltage for those OEM indicators. The rest of the electrics such as light bulbs and ignition components were likely already updated to work. The original wiring harness will work fine for 12-volts but a 1955 wiring diagram will be needed to manage any further repairs or replacements. The engine electrics were likely late components to work with the late engine installation.

Yours is a fairly astute analysis. The original 272 is long gone. The 292 is from some unknown sedan donor. I am putting on a truck oil pan during this rebuild. One of the first thing I found after buying the truck was that the distributor was in bad shape with lots of end play and worn cam lobes. I put in a new one with Pertronix and proper vacuum advance. Including relocating the vacuum advance port to full manifold vacuum. The 2100 Autolite is retained. The motor ran surprisingly well in this configuration, considering the knackered state of the rotating internals.
I acquire it with a 12V GM alternator in place and a set of after market gauges attached to the bottom of the dash. The original instruments are in the dash but non-operational (but may be functional). Frankly the wiring is an absolute mess. The previous owner left the original wiring in place and ran new wire in a very haphazard fashion. All of it will be stripped out and replaced with a new harness.

[AllenV]

While still getting the rockers sorted, I have done an inventory of new gaskets on-hand and found an important one missing. This motor has the PCV breather mounted at the back of the valley pan, near the distributor. I attach a useful drawing. I have all the parts in the drawing, but the rubber is rock hard and the gasket 6879 and 44719-58 need replacing. I imagine the little straight hose sections are fairly generic and I can get those at NAPA.

Can any of you advise me as to where to find these gaskets? Or, what model and year of car is best to plug into web based parts data bases to hunt for them?

Many Thanks,
Allen

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by AllenV

. . .Can any of you advise me as to where to find these gaskets? . . .

Admittedly it was a few years ago but the NAPA up the hill on the north side of Intel has been good with supplying parts and nice substitutes for some odd-ball pieces.
I was in a hurry for a Baby Bird oil pan drain plug gasket and they found one on the shelf for a recent big Dodge diesel truck that was a perfect fit.

Taking them the old example pieces can make a big difference in finding what you need.
.

[KULTULZ]

Can any of you advise me as to where to find these gaskets? Or, what model and year of car is best to plug into web based parts data bases to hunt for them?

If you can't find them locally (FEL-PRO - VICTOR) -

https://bestgasket.com/vintage-engine-gaskets/

You especially want to use their rear seal.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by AllenV

What I know right now is that the motor was swapped out in favor of a later 292. the block casting is EDB-6015-E.

Here 'ya go -

FYB – 292 - 1959/

The Y-Block identification number on your year vehicle is located on the driver's side of the engine block above the oil filter. IF the engine block was cast during the 1959 model year before May of 1959, the CASTING ID will be EDB-6015-E. IF the engine block was cast in May of 1959 or later, the engine block CASTING ID will be B9AE 6015-F.

The reason for the difference in the engine block ID was Ford engineering making the decision to increase the length of the bolts used to secure the crankshaft main bearing caps to the engine block. It is believed that this was done to prevent cracks developing in the engine block main bearing webbing. This manufacturing change in the main cap bolt length was continued through the production of Y-Block engines during the 1964 model year and for service blocks supplied thereafter.

John goes on to say the 292 blocks from 1955-1964 are easier to find. In fact, improvements were made to 292 and 312 blocks in 1959 with deeper drilled main cap threads for strength. The 1961-1964 C1AE and C2AE blocks have additional material in the main webs for added strength. These blocks typically don’t sonic check as thick as earlier blocks according to John.

Therefore, he adds, if a good early block is found, drill and tap the main bearing cap threads deeper and use the early block. - HRM

[AllenV]

The trip to NAPA was worthwhile. The counter man took my old PCV "teapot" gasket and found that a Ford Distributor Mounting gasket (1955-95) FelPro PN70194 is the correct size for that larger bottom seal against the valley pan. But, it is a thin paper gasket. So, I bought some rubber-fiber gasket sheet and made my own.

Then, digging around in the unused bits of the motor rebuild gasket set, the umbrella-style valve seals looked just the trick to work on that 1/4-20 bolt at the top. Trimmed off the skirt portion and kept just the flat top part. Job done.

Have no fear, the valve have seal installed. The machine shop put them in. The ones in my gasket set are extra.

[Big Bear Butch]

How can I place an add in the swap meet? How can I inquire about something for sale? The Ford Barn seems very restrictive and cumbersome to a new member. How can I find out how thigs are done?

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by Big Bear Butch

How can I place an add in the swap meet? How can I inquire about something for sale? The Ford Barn seems very restrictive and cumbersome to a new member. How can I find out how thigs are done?

START HERE - https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/faq.php

I think you have to E-MAIL or PM the seller.

[AllenV]

I am having an unexpected challenge with the refurbished rocker arms.

I know these are an interference thread that is meant to be tight enough so as not to move while the motor is operating. But what minimum torque should I be getting from a "good" rocker arm and adjuster? What do you folks deem to be acceptable?

I am using an electronic torque wrench to measure the applied torque to move an adjuster. The values I get range from 19 ft-lbs down to 0 (zero). The 0 ones are actually somewhere below 3.9 ft-lbs, which the minimum my wrench will display.

If I throw out the "0" rockers, I have 16 rocker/adjuster pairs with at least 5 ft-lbs. Three of these are at 5 ft-lbs, the rest are over 10.

Are these good enough? My recourse is to cherry-pick from the old rockers and send a few to Rocker Arms Unlimited for refurb.

[Greg Rogers]

Been following you on here and FTE. I don't know the answer to your question about the adjuster. I will bump you up, You're doing great work, sure is sumptin how these projects escalate, huh??

[AllenV]

Thanks Greg. Yes, the old truck is the project that keeps on giving.

[AllenV]

I decided to shift the adjusters over to the two-piece style. I have enough rockers with the milled flat on the top that I readily do this. The two-piece adjusters are available new as a part for the 390-428 FE motor. The ball-end is 3/8".

After installation I set the lash at 0.020". This value comes from Ted Eaton at Y-Blocks Forever. He says that with cast iron heads and rockers the cold 0.020" gap will result in 0.019" on a warm motor.