I got in a big argument with a GM fan who swears up and down that the GM small block of the late fifties early sixties is better than the Ford Y-Block even thought about being.

I wonder who's right? My father had a 292 in both of his old Ford Pickups and he seemed to just fine.

Is there a right or wrong in this argument or is it just a matter of preference.

Who makes more horsepower and torque? The Y or the GM Smallblock from back then.

 

I think it's more of a draw. Chevy went with a slightly shorter stroke and larger bore while Ford did the longer stroke smaller bore thing. Doesn't really matter all that much. Chevy was probably better on the top end while Ford was perfectly happy taking care of the low and midrange. I do know 1960 SBC fuel injection vette heads were good for 7500 rpm +.

 

I've driven a '59 F-800 Fire truck with a 312 Y-block, it's got some get up and go in it. I would say some of the larger Y's could take an sbc.

 

Come on guys, there is no comaprison. Ford quit making the Y block in the early sixties, replacing it with the Windsor small block. The small block Chevy was a much better engine, lighter, and capable of being enlarged to 400 CID. How about the LT1, the L-79 327, the 302 in the 67-69 Z-28's. I know, Ford put a supercharger on a few 312's, but really, how many small block Chevy's have been sold since 1955.

 

Ford saw room for improvement, so they came out with new engines. It's like that for all of them. Chevy was satisfied with what they had and kept making it.

 

Yes, that's my point. The Y block was an outdated design by the early 1960's, that's why Ford designed the Windsor series. And, you better believe the target was the small block Chevy! The SBC was Chrysler's target with the LA egines (273, second 318, 340 and 360) also. Even if you are a dyed in the wool Ford guy, you have to admire an engine that was designed in the early 1950's that was in continuous production until the 1990's.

 

But don't you think they would have figured out after a year or two about the flat cams in the 350 and 305? I've seen flat cams all the way up to mid 90's (TBI/pre-vortec) engines.

 

I may be Ford blue but I do think the SBC is a much better engine than the y-block. Oh and flat cams can happen in any engine.

 

Yeah but they were most common with the 350's.

 

Ok, so what your saying is the GM small block is better just because Ford stopped making the Y-block? Does that then make the FE series worse than the GM small block because ford stopped making them in favor of the 351M/400? Does that then make the Windsor not as good as the GM SB simply because Ford stopped the Windsor series in favor of the 4.6/5.4?

I don't think longevity of a design necessarily makes it worse than others.

Remember also we are talking about engines for a truck here. Although I must admit that the Y block went in alot of cars you do have to remember it lasted alot longer in the trucks. So I guess my orginal question should have been slanted towards trucks and not cars. Sorry

 

It could be the reason you see so many in SBC's is that about a gazillion more where built. We have plenty of flat cam problems with 385's. Most of the time its operator error at break in, the rest a bad cam billet. This can and does happen to any engine.

If you limit it to truck engine's only I think the y-block might be better. Of course unless its a big block or a desiel whats in doing in a truck anyway.

 

For their time they were both good engines. The y blocks certainly hold up quite well and they don't leak half as much oil as the sbc. For stock vs. stock. They are pretty equal. Modified however, the y-block is not even close. It is constricted by cam and head design too much to be anything more than a low rpm truck engine. Pound for pound there is no equal in american builds to the sbc for the hp and reliability with affordability that the sbc provides.

 

As a Ford guy, I hate to admit it, but you're kinda right.
In '55 when the 265 SBC came out they were burning oil like stoves. It was recommended that you pour a can of BonAme (sp) cleanser down the carb. to help seat the rings. Through the years they suffered from leaking valve cover gaskets and oil pressure senders. I wish I had a dollar for every fuel pump or water pump I put on customer's Chevys in the 60's. I don't remember any problems like that with Y blocks, although they would tend to vapor-lock more, as I remember.
When Ford went to thin wall casting for their 221 in the 60's, the engine was smaller and lighter than the SBC...and aimed directly at it. Pound for pound I'd take the 302 SBF over the 305 SBC any day of the week for hp and reliability. However...Its cheaper to get hp out of a SBC because of the lower priced and quantity of available after market parts. Try finding speed parts for a 312.
Which engine is better? In the 50's, the Y block was probably a better truck engine, but the SBC was a better car engine. If I was giving out awards, I'd have to give it to the SBC. It was lighter, had a better valve train, was easier to work on, and was easier to modify. Hate to say it, but it didn't become the hot rodder's engine of choice for no reason.

MR

 

In the times in which both were made, in which I did not even exist yet, both engines probably had equal potential. Although I have to say, the SBC is lighter and has more cubic inch potential. But in the times of 265's and 283's, both engines were evenly matched.

However, when ford came out with the FE...

 

Don't know that 305's were rounding cams into the 90's. I think they went roller in 1988.