Im going to do a engine project over the winter.


I figure $5,000 will put a 5.0 or 5.8 crate engine with a c4 or AOD into my 64 F100.


How does that cost compare to a rebuild of my 292/COM?


The COM shifts fine but leaks, I have no idea how much work it needs other than a reseal.


Is my tranny a FX? Will a MX or FMX swap or are they different animals.


Im not so sure a shop around here will know what to do if I wheel into the parking lot and tell them I want this tranny serviced or rebuilt.


The bone stock 292 would get a compression bump, cam, 4v, ram horns. Machine work only if it is needed.


I need to decide which direction to go before I start laying out any cash.


Im considering the engine swap because a 300hp 302 or 351 crate engine runs under 3k from Summit with no core charge and free shipping.

 

Don't the crate moters need carbs, maybe intakes and exhaust? Plus mounts and other small stuff. So I think the budget gets eaten by nonperformance stuff. If you find someone who knows the y block he probably knows the mx tran as well. Or someone who does. You can get more power out of the other engines but if you are looking for big power you have to consider brakes steering and at least rear suspension or suspension mods. Power is good. Unusable or uncontrollable power not so good.

 

AND, NO 302 or 351 sounds as "GOOD" as a built 292/312!!

But to be fair, have a look at FORD Y and see what you can do to yours

 

There are more issues on this topic than meet the eye.


At my age, its getting harder and harder to work on the Y.


To remove the right valve cover, I have to drain the radiator and remove the hardline that cools the tranny. That line runs over the valve cover lip, and the cover will not come off with the line in place.


I have a hard time reaching the distributor.


The SBF has hydraulic valves that never need adjusting and the distributor is in front of the engine. A C4 or AOD is readily available, inexpensive, and the SBF/C4 with aluminum heads-intake-WP will weight 300-ish lbs less than my current setup.


ALL I see the Y and FX has to offer is the vintage look and sound. As far as function, cost, maintenance, parts availability, and performance, the Y takes a backseat to a SBF.


What I don't know is the cost of labor to rebuild the Y and if anyone in this area has the expertise to do the work. It would be nice to keep the Y, but in a couple years Im not going to be able to do the maintenance on it.

 

Your reasoning, as far as maintenance sounds good. Those are valid points given your situation.

I don't agree with the "function, cost, maintenance, parts availability, and performance" part, though. We'll probably have to agree to disagree about those.

A typical rebuild of a Y should run $2500-$3500. Maybe a little more if you get some goodies. Maybe a little less if it doesn't need much to begin with.

Regarding a local builder, Jon Kaase is building one for Engine Masters this year. He's not particularly close to you, but he is in Georgia, pretty close to me.

I have no idea what the COM will cost to rebuild.

I think you are significantly underestimating the cost of the small block. If 300hp really is your goal, then at Summit, that is $2700 plus intake plus carb plus distributor plus ignition wires plus exhaust plus whatever I'm forgetting plus the cost to actually do the swap. That 300hp small block will cost easily as much, if not more than an equal power Y by the time it is in the truck and running correctly and safely. This is why I disagree with the cost portion above.

Another thing to consider is that a 300hp 292 or 302 might be approaching the point that it is not enjoyable as a daily driver or cruiser because it is going to be getting to the performance end of things; you're right at 1hp/ci and the driveability and noise may be an issue. If that is ok with you, then by all means do it but don't forget to consider that.

If you keep the Y, there is obviously nothing you can do about the valves or distributor. There must be a way to reroute the transmission line to make that part easier.

85e150 also makes some great points, which will apply in either case and add to the expense.

Having never experienced a good, strong running Y, it is hard to understand the appeal. I'm probably not going to any of the Summit cruise ins any time soon because I've discovered that my king pins need attention. I don't know when I'll get that done. If you are so inclined, there is a monthly cruise-in in Tucker, I'm more than happy to take you for a ride before or after one of those. Of course, I'm not going to go nuts with it on a public road. I think you would like it. Maybe it will convince you to stay with a Y.. or maybe you'll think "damn, these things do suck." Either way, you will have a more complete understanding about Y blocks.

My engine is pretty much a modified 1957 E-code, which came in 270 or 285hp forms. The 285hp version had the high lift cam, which I think is the reproduction I am running. Mine has better induction, better exhaust, more compression, ported heads, higher ratio rockers, among other things, so it should be near that 300hp mark you are shooting for. Y-block development has come a long way since I built my engine and all of that is not required for 300hp.

 

Im not stuck on hp, 300hp happens to be what Summit offers in a crate engine.


If I want to go fast its not going to be in a F100.


To build the Y comparable to the SBF, I still need intake, carb, exhaust, cam, compression. So the Y only has a cost advantage if the long block is cheaper than $2,700 to build.


I have a roller 5.0 carb engine that needs a rebuild, but is complete less carb. I paid $125 for it.

 

If 300hp is not any real goal, then I see no reason the long block should cost more than $2700. Your existing engine with a better cam, domed pistons, and dual exhaust should get it between 200 and 250hp.

And you're leaving out the cost to swap. If you have to pay someone for the labor, and then parts, figure maybe another $1000. If you have a friend to do all the hard stuff, still maybe $300-$500 in parts and labor for mounts, wiring, throttle linkage, transmission linkage, drive shaft length, etc - all things you will not have to deal with if the Y stays. So the way I see it, as long as the Y-Block costs no more than about $3200 to $3700, you are ahead or break even. Is that logic flawed?

To me, if finances are concerned, the Y should stay and if future ease of maintenance is a concern, then the small block may be a better choice.

We can all play armchair quarter back with this. Check with some local machine shops, tell them what you'd like out of the Y and find out what it will cost. Then there is no guessing and you can get it all figured out.

HT32BSX115 posted an excellent link to start getting the parts pricing figured out.

 

It's been about 10 years but I paid about $1800 to "Long-block" my 292. That included balancing of the rotating mass and "street" porting.

I could have went with a 302/351 or even a 300-6 but I have a '55. No other V-8 would be "right" under the hood!!

 

Many people claim that the Y block has the sweetest sounding exhaust, shares the same firing order as the Flathead - 15486372, no way around it, you're gonna lose cool points dropping in a crate motor.

 

Was just in a local cruise with a 62 F100 running next to me powered by a 292 with straight pipes and glass pack mufflers. When he reeved that motor he drowned out even some of the big blocks running open headers you could hear him a block away. Very impressive. Yes that old beat up 62 with the Yblock was getting every one's attention when he put his foot down.