59AB verses 59

[Brian]

I've got a 37-38 21 stud block without the frostplugs in the panrails. Yet another oddity....

[Barn Junk]

Originally Posted by OLD...BILL

Hey Walt; The tread is all most as bad as "what oil do you use ??" but it is interesting..
I have 59 Y cast on the bellhousing the Y is upside down, like the hippie piece sign ??
I have been told and read the block is hard, and hard to bore, one engine builder said he had to replace his cutter, ever other cylinder, and will never do another one. More nickel in the cast iron?... or the deck is thicker and the walls are thicker ?? It will pass the pencil test...
Heads have one 59A-B and another "A" only ?? came on an engine, said to be truck or bus, with a two piece pan ? The intake manifold has TWO vacuum ports, the one original to dist. off to the left at angle, and one large 1/2 inch pipe at center just under carb base, both factory with boss..... OLD....BILL

I also have a 59 inverted Y block, 3 3/16 + .030, factory relief, flat intake surface, holds a pencil, no pan rail plugs. Too bad it sat out so long and will not come apart easily. Does my casting code of "L19544" match your block?

[Robert Dip]

The history that we are always trying to unveil continues. On the 'Green' '37 21 stud engine, it must be Canadian...I live in Canada, and I do not see how it got over here from the US. But, having said that, this engine was re-built twice, and the last tag on the block indicated that a Ford Authorized re-building house did the job. Maybe they were bring in blocks from the US, as this past establishment was on miles away from the US border. I obtained this engine 25 + years ago and it came out of a '47 Coupe...the young lad gave up on this motor when he ordered the '47 gasket set and it did not fit the heads. Long story short, I obtained this unwanted 21 stud. Since it was all rebuilt with a .060 oversize, the engine had some potential. I installed this in my '34 Tudor, and someone finally convinced me to see it....car been in the corner garage for 22 years. Low & behold, the new owner did not like a 21 stud, and I purchased it back.....there has got to be 'something' about this engine...it's has to be destiny....and yep....I am going to give it a complete re-do for the '35 3W...Eddie Meyer heads and intake , twin 81's, etc...I guess even old flatheads get attached to their owners.

[Robert Dip]

Hey, I was not finished....on the C59A....I decided to work on it and here is what I discovered. It has the freeze plugs on the oil pan rails, and notice the hear area water holes, a triangle, a round hole and a trapezoidal lower one. Let's say it's '40 block...must be Merc or truck at 3 3/16" stock bore. The cylinder walls are extra thick as can be seen and felt through the lower larger water hole. I always figured that this is one of those 'race wanted' blocks from Canada. Now for the slight shock...it has the tanged insert bearings and not the floating type....the connecting rods are marked 46 with the Ford script. This engine does not seem to have ever been re-built....but if not, this would be another great oddball, and as mentioned before, it passes the 'pencil test'.

The fun continues

[Robert Dip]

Just noticed something else different on this C59A block...the oil sender unit casting area is much larger than most. Also, it has the extra oil outlet whic is shown plugged. Maybe this has an interesting point....Robert

[OLD...BILL]

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Originally Posted by Barn Junk

I also have a 59 inverted Y block, 3 3/16 + .030, factory relief, flat intake surface, holds a pencil, no pan rail plugs. Too bad it sat out so long and will not come apart easily. Does my casting code of "L19544" match your block?

My # L2854,.. not factory relief... This was a hi-school auto class reject ??
clean fresh bore, new pistons ( installed ) with NO rings ?? main bearings good " new " rod bearing there but not right,, bad fit. ?? if someone got a grade on this, it should be "F" or D-...?? it was a gift...like U-haul, so I did. no history ? wish it could talk, ..like I wish my 39 fordor could talk. with a bullet hole in driver side read door. ?? OLD.....BILL

[Barlea]

Robert, your C59A would be post war Ford Canada, it's not unusual to find the insert type rod bearings in them from '46 on, and all Ford Canada blocks from about 1940 to the end of production had the inboard vertical oil passage drilled and tapped for Ford full flow oil filtering first used on wartime engines. It was optional from '46 to '51 on cars and trucks (and Mercs) but relatively few were sold so equipped. ..B.

[Kerk]

Have 3 All 59 But different letters & numbers above 59. One is D91611 P second is E8733 11 third is H57? B8 Any info or comments appreciated. Kerk

[Robert Dip]

Barlea.....thanks for the interesting input. I checked out other engines in my collection, and lo & behold, another similar one as the C59A. This one came from a truck with the double sheave pulleys, and it is marked 59A without the prefix C, other than that, all is the same including the drilled vertical oil passage. I checked other blocks, '49 & up, 8BA, 8RT, ECA, and all have the vertical oil passage feature. One can only conclude that with this oil passage and insert type bearings, it must be a later version using the casting from a different usage....very thick casting and passes the pencil test. Robert

[Barlea]

Just to be sure, we are talking about two vertical and one horizontal oil ports on the Canadian blocks, and also it's not unusual to find a US block being rebuilt in Canada as some types of trucks came from the US plants as well as some low volume models such as wagons and convertibles. ..B.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by G32

Walt.
Were you asking about the 59 engines or the heads?
Do you have head/s cast marked 59 ( no A or AB)?
USA 59 blocks were all cast marked 59 no letter differences (as Canada engines) far as I understand.
Anyone have a 59 + letter A or AB cast marked block?
On these type questions I like to hear opinion of this engine builder called a-ah
DUPONT.
Comeback now Walt,, guys


Gene, Flathead Fever Tulsa

My NZ assembled coupe came "knocked down" form the Canadian Commonwealth plant. It has C 59 on the bellhousing and an aluminum inlet manifold. It also has a large oil filler tube off the left side of it. Here is a pic of the last C59 I had in another coupe. Come to think of it the block I used was a C69.... now add that one to the confusion. I should add the blocks were marked C59 and C69 its only the heads with the A. Adding further to what another has said about Canadian 59s, this blue one had insert bearings because I remember when it was rebuilt many moons ago I had to go and exchange a set of "floaters".

[G32]

59 vs 59A (59AB? & other 59 lettered) Blocks Ford USA

Enjoyed the contributions by all, especially the good pics since we can't poke & prod on-line. Upside Y 59 cool! Good Canada pics too.
Still like to see clear picture of 59"A" stateside block. 59AB? Also other letter
variants. 59L has been shown earlier --X? Z? others. & functional differences.

See new Canada / Export engines Thread
Need to file my taxes.
Gene Tulsa

[Robert Dip]

Gene, you seem to be very keen on info and pics of these blocks....which is great. I wonder if anyone has ever documented the many different blocks, their numbering, and special features. You also mentioned on wanting a pic on a 221 59 block....here is one for you, picked up this block in Hershey, Pa. many years ago. Also, for a correction on my part, I did say that I had another similar block to my C59A, and that it did not have the C prefix...wrong, upon closer look, the C is partially there. See photo. I guess the C was not clear on the casting mold.

[Robert Dip]

Oh yea, the photos. Here they are.
How about a '53 Merc engine ( late Ford with 255 engine ) ....heads are marked EAC ( upside down ) with 'Made in Canada' in a proper readable side.

Would love for someone to document all of this with description and photos.

Robert

[G32]

Robert Dip ,
Thanks for pics. Canada 59s are well identified as Canadian. What about pre war
Canadian 21 stud, 24 stud 221 & 239? Are they clearly cast marked Canadian?
USA post war 221ci (41A part #) replacement engine blocks are clearly
mis-marked per "59" as 239ci.--as is yours. Canada post war 221s were correctly
id'd as "51"---stated by others here--no pictures tho.
Did your 221 "59" have all regular appearance features as 239 59s?
Thanks Robert Gene Tulsa

[southfork]

Since somebody asked, here's my 59 Z block. I haven't opened up yet, but expect to see that it is relieved. Both my 59 L blocks are relieved.

[G32]

Thank you Southfork
What is the prefix on the SN#? Know what vehicle engine came from factory in?
Eng/ trans combo original?
Raining & cold here but beautiful day when we're having fun!
Gene Tulsa

[Robert Dip]

G32 "Did your 221 "59" have all regular appearance features as 239 59s?"

Yes, 100%..does not pass pencil test, no frost plugs in oil pan rails, etc. This engine has a re-build tag, but pistons are N-STD Robert

[southfork]

I have no idea what the 59 Z came out of. I got it from the estate of an ol Ford restorer. He also had one of the 59 L's that I now have and also one of those pre-war 239's.

[Ed Pitts]

I have a 59 Z block that I just rebuilt. It was a postwar 221 replacement block for the wore out 221 engines. This one came out of a 1939 farm truck. Nice blocks. Ed