I saw this on eBay this morning...is this what you're talking about? Will the car heads fit on the truck 292? What do I need to be careful of when I buy heads off of eBay? Cracks? Sorry about all the questions....

1 pair used 292/312 Ford 4 BBL heads. Came off 57 Fairlane. Needs to be rebuilt. Has original FOMOCO valves.

Head casting # ECZ-C A20, ECZ-C A5

Edit: I also just saw a pair of 113s on eBay...never heard of those...man, do I have a lot to learn...

 

113 is short for 5752-113, heads were out in 58 and 59, with big intake valves of 1.92 inches, compression of 8.8, combustion chamber volume of 72cc. They also have larger intake runners for better flow between intake manifold and head.
ECZ-C is a 1956 head, intake valve is 1.78 inches, compression of 8.4, with intake runners smaller than the 113.
Your heads are C1TE most likely, with 1.64 inch intake valves, 76 cc combustion chamber volume and compression of 8.2.
Any head, car or truck, from a 272, 292, or 312 will fit your truck.
I obtained my 292 from an Oklahoma junkyard years ago, from a 1956 F-350. Knew nothing about Y's. Took it in and had it rebuilt completely with all new parts. Got it home for assembly of the long block. Installed heads, ready for intake and got to looking at the intake runners on each head, and they were larger on one head than the other. Upon further investigation finally found out that one of the heads was a 113 with 1.78 inch intake valves. The other head was an ECZ-C. I wasn't very happy and scrounged around until I found a set of 113s. I still have those two mismatched heads, all new, collecting dust.

 

I took a look at Mummert's site and he recommends ECZ-G (of course) but, if you can't get those, 113s next.

What could ruin a set of heads? In other words, if I run across some, what should I look for to make sure I don't get screwed? Can a good mechanic fix just about any problem with a set of heads?

BTW, all of my family lives in Oregon...I have family in Medford, Eugene, Springfield, Coos Bay, Bend, Corvallis, etc. etc. etc....

 

Cracks are bad. Often it takes a better eye than mine to spot them, or magnafluxing. You certainly can look and see if there are any stripped threads on the exhaust manifold side. If you happen upon a long abandoned 58 or 59 in a field or old junkyard, and the hood is off, and the aircleaner is off, you may (or will) find the inside of the combustion chambers heavily pitted due to years of standing water, rendering them useless.
Seats, valves, guides all are of course replaceable. Old heads are almost always resurfaced at rebuild.. Maybe there are more fatal flaws, I don't know.

You do have family all over Oregon!

 

rebman, you might be interested in some pictures of the engine in my 46 1/2 ton. Go to www.y-blocksforever.com , click on profiles, and then the northwest section of the map. I am kind of proud of that engine. It is in the area of 280 hp. The truck itself will weigh in around 2850 lbs. I would post pictures here in this gallery but can't figure out how to do it. Mike

 

Nice ride, man!

You are where I want to be someday...

So you have the 113s, eh? I've been reading a lot (I've never been mechanically inclined, but I like to learn) and I think I'm starting to figure things out.

What sort of cam do you have on yours? I basically want my truck to be middle of the road. I don't want some behemoth that makes everyone cover their ears...I'm just looking for some nice power to take to local car shows. I've looked at a bunch of different cams and it seems like I'd want something in the mildly lopey range at idle...I think so anyway...

 

Glad you liked it. I can't call it a ride yet though. Took it out for a short test drive a month ago and that is it so far.
I started this project back when there was no internet, and just hardly anything for a Y-block except basic rebuild parts and performance items dating back to the 60's.
So, the cam is a NOS made by Bowman (no longer in business). It has a .460 lift and 270 duration.
Like you I had no experience with this sort of thing when I started, and made a lot of bad choices which I am still remedying. But with this and other forums you should have a better time.
Given your stated objectives I still think the ECZ-C head with the larger than stock intake valve offered by Mummert would be a good choice. If you are going to drive the truck frequently, that size valve might suck down a bit less of expensive gas, and still provide good power.
Mike

 

I talked to John Mummert on the phone a couple of times over the last few days and learned a lot. (Man is he a nice guy).

He felt that even with my stock heads (I think they're the C2AE heads) I could get good performance. He felt that if I took the money that I would have spent trying to buy a set of ECZ-G/113/etc. heads and combined that with the money I would spend porting/rebuilding the ECZ-G heads and used all of that money on my heads, that I would have something BETTER than the ECZ-G heads. I asked him the question twice to make sure I got the right answer. In other words, if I spent $400 to get a good pair of ECZ-G heads and then did $1000 worth of rebuild on them (stainless, porting, etc.) that this would be *inferior* to what I would get if I took my C2AE heads and spent $1400 on them....interesting stuff.

While I was at it, I bought a 264 cam from him that had 0.450 lift. I also bought some 95# springs to go with them.

The thing that scares me is that say I buy all these parts for it (MSD distributor, blue thunder intake, red's headers, 600cfm carb, etc.), have Mummert do the heads, and have someone like Bob Carlisle do the block...could my local mechanic put all that stuff back together and get it to work correctly even though they have no knowledge of y-blocks? I know it's probably just basic know-how, but it still scares me. I'd rather have an expert on y-blocks reassemble the whole thing and make sure it works...but it seems like very few mechanics work on turn-key engines anymore. Everything is just the short block and maybe the long block, but nothing else. Everyone is a specialist.

 

As big as Las Vegas is surely there is someone there that can meet your needs. Even in this little town of 15,000 several of the machine shops have experience in working on Y's.
It sounds like you are getting closer to decision time. Those prices you quoted on head work are scarry. Guess everything goes up.
I would like to make a strong suggestion. On the carb, forget the 600cfm. The engine will not come close to using that many cfm's. I have a 600 cfm Holley. When I can afford it, I will be changing to a 500 cfm Edelbrock.
You can use a 600 unit, but it seems like it requires a lot of carb tuning to get it right, and I am almost certain that if you spoke to a Holley factory technical guy, he would say the 600cfm is overkill, and that a smaller unit would work better.
Mike

 

When you factor in all of the labor/performance parts, etc. it adds up. I know it's expensive but hardly anything phases me anymore. It just means I need to wait longer to save up the $$$.

I'm glad you mentioned the carb. I've been getting inklings that large carbs aren't necessary, but I can never find anywhere that says: You need to buy this, this and this and you'll be fine...sometimes I wish there was a book or something that had a chart or diagram that showed "For a mild cruiser you need parts A1, A2, A3 and A4; if you want a street racer you need parts B1, B2, B3, and B4; etc.", but I guess that would take the fun out of it...

Another comment about your carb suggestion: The one thing I'm learning in all of this is that I need to find all of the right "level" of parts so that there isn't a significant bottle neck in the engine. For example, I don't want to pay $1400 to have the heads redone and then buy inferior other parts that make a waste of the money I spent on the heads.

Since you're in Southern Oregon do you ever go to Grants Pass (we always called it Grants Pants when I was a kid) to Bob Drake? He sells those early Ford parts....

 

I actually got several chuckles about Grants Pants. We have enjoyed living in this area over 10 years and I havn't heard that. I like the area. Someone told me that there were more rods and customs in Southern Oregon per capita than anywhere else. I live in a little town called Williams, and it has a premier rod and custom builder, with vehicles featured in many mags.
I suggest that before you spend $1400 on heads, you get a second and maybe even a third professional opinion/quote.
Point: Stainless valves? I am obsessed with my 292. It does not have stainless valves and I don't care. I figure the non stainless valves will outlast me. I have been thinking real seriously about going with aluminum roller rockers, which I would rather have than the stainless valves. However, that is me and my obsession. best not to get caught up in it, and if anything put in new forged 1.54 rockers.
Mike

 

the biggest sin of all is overcarberation.if i spelled that right.since hot rodding began people have been putting on to much carb.most are still doing it.

 

What is the benefit of stainless valves? And why are they more $?

 

I was reading some of this post and have to say if your pockets are deep enough you can shoe horn any set up you like into these old trucks...
BUT....Isnt the best part of an old Ford with an original engine the need for tinkering with it, always being able to tweek it a little for a small difference that makes you grin, seeing the look on others faces when you tell and show them the 50 year old block still purring under the hood, or is it just the time in the garage spent working on your truck that seems to take all of lifes other troubles off you mind..if just for a little while?
I just got back from Supernats in Tenn, had some carb trouble and limped home. It was a great adventure and I am now looking for carb and intake stuff...not a new block combo.

1954 Ford F100 w\original 239 y-block\suspension\trans and brakes

Just My Thoughts, Ed

 

This time hopefully i can reply to the right person!! Sorry!!

I'm sorry but your MECHANIC IS RIGHT. With the exception of being underpowered. The Yblock puts out plenty of good power. They are oil slingers though. One of the main reasons is because of the prehistoric lathes used to bore the crank saddle line ream back then. One can have much fun with a Yblock for sure! Nothing sounds better to me than a dual exhaust Yblock. But if you want dependability and any decent fuel mileage as well as an engine that can hold its oil, my suggestion is a good ol 302, as 302 had NO PROBLEMS, and wont leave you stranded. Even thought i have several Y block vehicles i'm just telling you what is fact. BTW, why would you need to go with a 351 Windsor? when a 302 is good for any stock application??? Janet