I'm restoring a '64 F-100 that currently has a 292 in it. Right now, the engine hasn't turned over, and I'm thinking about getting it rebuilt. however, the truck will be a show car, and I would like more power. Which would be less expensive, an engine rebuild or an upgrade. Also if I upgrade, should I go with a 302 or a 351?

 

i would go for a 352 or 390.

 

would the swap be more difficult?

 

No mattter what later engine you decide to go with, you will find yourself with a lot of modifications.
The 292 and 312 Y-block motors won't bolt up to any bellhousings or automatic transmissions not made for them (without special adapters, anyway) and the motor mounts, transmission mounts, driveshaft, shift linkages etc etc will all be different.
Ford made radical changes to the underbody and frame after '64, so using a later motor will require lots of modifications. Yes, adapter kits are available for later motors into earlier trucks, but again, you are out more money.

Even though they have their own quirks, just like the FE, Windsor, 335 and 385 series have theirs, Y-blocks are still emininently rebuildable.
Power can be had. Y blocks were famous in their day for power and racing. Sure they were eclipsed later by the powerful 390 and the mighty 427, but they had their golden days.
I understand that dual carb intakes are still available. Tri-Ys were well known on the racing circuit at one time, so they don't lack perfomance options at all. Unless you are going to race it, I wouldn't worry about tons of horses, though.
I even know an enterprising mechanic who put a throttle body injection system from a mid-80s Ford car on a '64 292, and boy, did it MOVE!

You will need to decide which is more important to you, and which you can afford, whether to go to the trouble to retrofit a later motor, transmission and shifting system into a truck not designed for it, or rebuild what you have.

I tend to be conservative, and would rebuild the 292, keeping everything else original. It would most likely be cheaper in the long run, and would save you money for new paint, chrome parts and the like.

But, that is just my opinion.

Good luck on your project, however you decide to go!

 

I would say it depends on your mech aptitude and financial situation and what type of resto your up to. If stock is what your gonna do then there is no question -you have to keep the engine it came with. If you make a custom, then you have no limits but you'll need to do a lot of modifications. If you plan on showing and not driving it a lot, I would go with the biggest motor that will fit. The '65 I am building will be used for pulling, so I went with a 390, but that just bolted right in. I put a 302 in the '56 but thats a light truck and built for cruisin without killin me at the pump. Your truck is pretty big so the 302 will look puny in the engine bay. So - it's time to make decisions. In my opinion - use stock for savings or use any FE but be prepared to spend some coin and bruise some knuckles

 

This sounds a little conflictant to me. If all you are gonna do with it is back it on and off a trailer, stick a 223 one barrel six in it and call it good. Will bolt right up.(You'll need a six front motor mount)

If all you are expecting to do with it is show it, and maybe the occasional highway cruise to and from a show, go with the stock 292. Like Banjo says, there are many options to get more juice from a Y block, too. So my advice would be to stick with what it came with. They are dang good motors with a very unique sound. Get the good neoprene rear seal .

My 2 Canadian pennies

 

I'm also working on a 64 f100 long bed, I'm keeping the 292 in it. I painted the motor with por15, powder coated valve covers and air breather put headers on ran 3" exhaust through flowmasters (what a sound!) My intentions are to modify but keep as much stock as possible. My baby gets up and goes and looks good doing it (view my gallery & leave comment) I started showing the truck recently and the guys that know y blocks always hover around it it's a good feeling when the compliments are for keeping the 292 in it.

Good luck with your project.

 

They sell many kits for putting FE's (352 to 428) in older Slicks. they are fairly cheep. In many cases you can use the original transmission if you get the right bell housing. There are a bunch of manual boxes to be had, and granny geared transmissions are great for crusing slow around a show. You also can use a C4 or C6 with an FE. good solid autoboxes for show cars.

The Y block you have can be made to put out some good power. Nothing like the FEs, but then very little else will. Rebuilding it for preformance is a perfectly viable option, and if you're restoring it for show, it might add some uniqueness to your truck.

302's a car engine. same with the 351. They can make as much horsepower as a smaller FE, but No where near the torque. By comparison, the 302 and 351 would struggle to get off the line. In that regard, the 292 is still better.

The other problem with 302s and 351s is they're damn tiny. Its my humble oppinion that they look like toy engines under the hood of a truck. Kinda like a Baby bird still in the nest. Not very impressive at a Truck Show.

 

heres my two sense. keep the 292, call up john mummert at y-block.com and enjoy the looks ya get from guys at the shows. if you dont want to do alot to it, put headers on it, find a 4bbl intake and do the ignition upgrade. but like i said, thats my two sense.

 

Gotta agree with the "keep the Y block" crowd. You can cam it for now to get a little more power and later add a Tri-Y and some 4-2-1 exhaust manifolds for that old school performance look.
With a little dressup these motors do look great and can sound even better.

 

You recon after 2 years he is still in the wondering mode? This thread was started in Dec 05.


John

 

I'm keeping the 292 in my '64. It's badass and nostalgic.

 

My original 292 went belly up on me, so I replaced it with another 292 long block so I'd have harded valve seats for unleaded fuel use. However, just to keep some of the nostalgia I transplanted the fuel pump, water pump, distributor, coil, manifold and carb from the original...headers replaced the ugly exhaust manifolds and their crossover pipe. Runs like a top!

 

I too have a Red Headed Step Child (64 F100) which is pretty original. I wanted to go with the Y-Block 292 because of the nostalga and originality, but I wanted the comforts of A/C and Power Steering and to have same on a Y-Block is really more expensive than I can afford. I have a 223, so I would have to find a 292, probably have it rebuilt and then add the brackets, etc. to get what I wanted. Sooo...I elected to go with a 302 small block/and AOD tranny, out of a Lincoln (16,000 miles) which has all the brackets for A/C, P.S. and Alt in place and ready to go for $450.

FWIW: I do plan to backdate the 302 with black engine paint and ford red valve covers plus a large older style air cleaner (maybe convert an OB to a paper like I did in my 223)

I guess life is a series of compromises.

 

It's possible, I read a thread recently where someone said they had things for a couple years to do the work, but have'nt got'n a "round-to-it".
If I can make some "round-to-it's" I'd be rich.