My '56 f600 is seeing more and more use as a hauler of heavy loads,especially towing. It has y-block, supposedly 292, with 4 barrel carb and stock exhaust. I am looking for more pulling power, any suggestions? I have a line on a cheap running Caddy 500, but I want to stick with a manual tranny with pto to power my dump. Any and all comments are wanted. Thanks.

 

I suggest that you get a Ford truck with a 460 and manual transmission for the conversion. It is a popular combination and may be inexpensive. A '70's F-100 rust bucket should only be a few hundred bucks. After-market stuff for the 460 is abundant as apposed to the Caddy. The early 460's developed 500 ft-lbs of torque which is similar to the PowerStroke.

 

I see the 460 advertised in the weekly swap magazines for around $300 in running condition, often with a C6 attached. I dont know how the trucks handled the PTO setup with the C6, an engine driven pump probably?
Except for the very early years the 460 is an inefficient smog motor and takes work to make it sing.

The 429 is the same block, is pre smog and a great performer as is. Often found in rotted out TBirds for short money.

Another choice for a F600 is the 391 FT block, built for that size truck and the torque curve is better suited to it than the FE passenger versions.

If you wanted to be more period correct, the Lincoln Y series 317/341/368 are often give aways and drop right in place of a Y.

 

I like the idea of "just dropping in" a bigger y-block. That would simplify matters. I'm guessing these are getting harder to find all the time. I'll look locally for some sources. Now, the 391 sounds like the right set up. Can you tell me what that engine would have came in and the years. One of those with a 5 speed truck trans. would be ideal. Thanks for the info.

 

I have installed 500 Caddys in trucks before. And the do run smooth and have torque. But I am currently running a 460 Ford EFI, 5 speed standard in my 52 Mercury truck and would not trade it for a brand new 500 caddy engine. As far as the automatic trans. Get one out of a 4X4 they usually have a place for a PTO. Here is a Idea. My 40 Ford COE is running a 351 with a 4X4 automatic. The reason I use a 4X4 trans is because I have my wrecker winch hookup to it. I can be pulling a car out of the woods,then it changes it a higher gear after it starts coming out. I love it a lot better then a standard with a PTO. Later !!!

 

There were several in the FT series, 330,359,361,389,391 from 1964-78, as used in the Heavy Duty trucks.

Im not familiar with the 359/361 and 389/391 differences but all FT's share the same block as far as drop-in swaps are concerned.

 

There was also a 406 fe.

Nathan TM

 

"There was also a 406 fe."

There were a lot of FE's but Im talking about the FT series here.
I wouldnt want to put a 406 in a F600 nor a 391 in a Galaxie.

 

Thanks for all the great info. My cousin has a 460 he will just about give me. Only problem is no transmission. I really need a stick with pto for my dump. The dump hoist is an old Galion with the pump back at the hoist all as one unit. This is a neat set up, but it does strangle my options for driving the pump. Does any one know what transmissions bolt up to 460 and have provision for pto? I'm excited about the possibility of having more power.

 

As mentioned a few posts back the C6 in some trucks had a PTO output.
You can also use an engine driven pump and plumb around or just into the Galion if possible.
Best bet is to visit some truck graveyards and get ideas.

I have a dual piston lift on my F350 and didnt want to give it up so sticking with the old 4spd/PTO for now.

 

Thanks for all the information. I'll do some searching and see wheat pops up.

 

Its been mentioned above but I'm gonna say it again. A 460 is a big engine but probably won't last long in an industrial application if you are really hauling heavy loads. The industrial engine such as the 330,360,391 are expensive to overhaul but they were designed for this kind of job. A basic F600 empty is 6000 plus pounds and you will go up to 16000 pounds, maybe a little more, fully loaded. You need an engine to handle that kind of stress. If you are gonna chase parts or haul a car the 460 will probably be ok but if you are haulin anything heavier, get the right engine. By the way Ford made an industrial Y block that was in the neighborhood of 350 ci (I forget exactly) but you take one of them apart next to a 292/312 and you'll see the differences.

It ain't just hp and torque that you are looking for in the big trucks.

 

That truck Y Block is the 279, 302, 332 that was based on the Lincoln 317 used earlier as a stop gap measure by Ford. It was followed by the FT series.

Big truck (not pickups) engines are designed to have their peaks at much lower rpm than cars. To do this, they have different head designs, different cams and advance curves. Often had governors attached also plus tachs.

If a 390FE or 429/460 did the job Ford would have used them instead of developing a distinct alternative.

Now, OTOH, if the F600 isnt going to be run 6 days a week as a pure work truck a 460 will probably last a long time. You want to keep the low end torque preserved (enhanced) so that means no headers and possibly even an aftermarket intake designed for the purpose such as used in RV's.
After all they lived in F350 dually's at 10000+ GVW, wreckers, ramp trucks, towing big horse trailers, RV's, etc.

Of course if you won the lottery consider a diesel

 

Thanks for jumping in 286 (can I call you by your first name ) I knew if I mentioned the differences between little trucks and big trucks, somebody could explain them clearly. Also, he mentioned that his truck had a 4bbl carb. Didn't the industrial y block come with a 4 bbl either stardard or as an option??

 

As a former owner of an F350 dually that had a 460, 4 speed and was used to pull a car hauler trailer, I would definitely endorse a 460. There are numerous engine setups that can come from that block, and frankly the selection of cams, etec. can give the right combination to provide major amounts of low end torque. In the northwest there are several jet boat builders that use these engines, and have been able to abuse the dickens out of them with great success. The cost of overhaul for a 460 is often now less than for the other "big block" engines from that "other" manufacturer. I would stay away from the FE series for a couple of often ignored issues, namely cam problems, and lubrication limitations. A good rebuilder can always overcome these issues, but they will still cost you more. Just my $.02 worth.