[font color="red"] What engines were available in '62 F-100s, specifically the Unibody trucks, if that makes a difference? [/font]

 

Hi, Available in the 1962 F100's were: (J)= 223 cid "Mileage Maker" Six; (C)= 292 Medium Duty V8; (D)= 292 Heavy Duty V8. The letters in the parenthesis represent the fourth symbol in the VIN number. To my knowledge, unit body or two piece made no difference. I hope this helps you.
Kenny

 

I have a 63 shortbed unibody,converted to a 289 with cruiseomatic.What is yours? there are a lot of unibodys here in arizona.

 

I don't have one, YET, Davlo.

I really want a '62, 'cause that's the year I was born. I want it to be a hot-rod, but I don't want to stray too far from original/stock. That's why I wanted to know about engine availability. I know where a 292 sits in a salvage yard, and I wondered if I needed to go save it.

I have heard that Unibody trucks weren't suited for farm work and similar tasks because they wouldn't flex like a normal pick-up. In my opinion, however, they make one nice looking hot-rod!! ;-)

When you say there are lots of Unibody trucks in Arizona, do you mean IN USE, or FOR SALE?? Maybe you could hook me up with a CHEAP '62 resto project???

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 29-Nov-00 AT 03:49 PM (EST)[/font][p]Red, if you want a period-correct hotrod (I guess that would be the right terminology)- you can do it with a 62. Within the same family of the 292 there was a 312 which was used only in cars to my knowledge. I'm not shortchanging the 292 because it has a lot of potential, but a 312 will fit as well. A lot of people modify these y-blocks but doing so is not cheap. You can get 4 bbl intakes, headers, your choice of cams, and even a Hilborn fuel injection system if you want to shell out a grand or two and find someone who is willing to part with one. There are even auto transmissions that will bolt right in and you can adapt a for C-4 or a mustang 5-speed as well.

Parts are costly for mods because you will be dealing with moslty vintage T-bird parts or high-priced companies like Offenhauser.

There are a couple of websites below you might want to look at which are dedicated to these engines. The first one features a 331 cid 425 hp y-block. That's quite impressive considering a stock 292 barely broke 160hp.

Also- before you settle on a V8- check out Clifford Performance parts for the 223 6 cyl. I've heard tales of impressive things being done with those engines.

Have fun dreaming! You can find lots of ideas

http://www.ford-y-block.com/
http://members.aol.com/yblock/yblock.htm

Nate

1964 F-100 Custom Cab 292 V-8 3 spd
1964 F-100 292 V-8 3 spd
1990 F-150 5.8L
Check out http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/fordpickups61to66fseries

 

Nate is right about the 312 fitting. Just for the sake of history.....Ford had engine supply problems in 1958 for trucks. When the 272 was replaced by the 292 halfway through the production year, some 312's were installed in place of the 292's when the supply was down.
Kenny

 

for sale in todays paper--- 1962 ford unibody V8 , runs good $1100.00 OBO (602)996-4074 . Also a couple for sale in the classifieds in this forum ,including a Mercury unibody truck I did not know they made. these trucks had enough rigidity for general use, I note mine has very strong underside construction, but they where in question for 4 wheel heavy use .Parts special to the unibody can be expensive, for example a mint unibody tailgate will bring up to 800.00 bucks. good luck on your search.

 

What is the difference between the medium duty "C" code and the heavy duty "D" code? Is there an external way to ID them? I have a '63 w/ 292 Y block, but the guy I bought it from said that the engine was a '60 model, so goes the VIN code.

I'm plan to overhaul the engine at tax return time (if there's anything left after my wife gets done at WalMart). You've got me wondering now about master overhaul kits, etc.

Thanks,

Alan

 

Alan, According to my shop manual, they have the same basic design. The differences are listed as follows:
Medium duty: Comp. ratio = 7.9:1
Carb. = 2-Barrel
Gov. = Velocity (optional)
Dist. = Dual Advance
Timing chain = single strand

Heavy Duty: Comp. ratio = 7.6:1
Carb. = 4-Barrel
Gov. = Vacuum
Dist. = Centrifugal Advance
Timing chain = double strand

The medium duty came with an exhaust gas control valve located between the manifold and the cross over pipe. I hope this helps.
Kenny

 

Do I remember correctly that the distributor on a 312 is in the back? I guess this was because the T-Bird hood opened backward?

I wouldn't mind a 312 at all. I would prefer to put a Y-block of some kind in a '62 model truck. I'm not real wild about the way that 292 cross-over pipe looks, though. Being close to original does carry a lot of weight with me, however. What other engines belong to the Y-block family? Isn't there some Mercs, maybe a 332? Are those worth having?

I've always kinda liked the '53-'56 trucks the best, but I saw a Unibody truck at the F-100 SuperNationals a couple years ago that really turned me on to them. We were all walking up and down the strip, checking out all the rides, when I heard this rumble which made me immediately turn my head. It was a Unibody, tube-framed, big-block powered, tubbed out, and slammed. Man did thing really turn my screws!! I looked and a young boy was driving it (looked like he was about 14!!) and he had his little girlfriend sitting right up next to him. Boy, was I jealous (of the truck, not his girlfriend)! Some how, some way, I gotta get one!

I saw a'62 Uni with the large back glass for sale somewhere (maybe in here?) about 2 months ago that I wanted to buy desperately. It was about 1500 miles from me, though, and the current financial situation discourages such purchases. I still have daydreams of me pulling the goose-neck trailer on that 1500-mile journey!! One of these days, though, one of these days.........

 

>Do I remember correctly that the
>distributor on a 312 is
>in the back? I
>guess this was because the
>T-Bird hood opened backward?

Yup- It's in the back on all of the y-blocks- not sure why but it makes a dressed out engine look nicer in my opinion

>I wouldn't mind a 312 at
>all. I would prefer
>to put a Y-block of
>some kind in a '62
>model truck. I'm not
>real wild about the way
>that 292 cross-over pipe looks,
>though. Being close to
>original does carry a lot
>of weight with me, however.

The crossover is a bit awkward at times. You can get headers from red's Headers- even ceramic coated. Some places sell log-type headers, too (single primary pipe with three others branching off at different intervals)- or you can find some manifolds which will allow you to run true duals- like the ram's horn exhaust and some others. You can use these options on any of the y-blocks.

> What other engines belong
>to the Y-block family?
>Isn't there some Mercs, maybe
>a 332? Are those
>worth having?

I dont' know anything about the Merc engines, but the y-block family inlcudes the 239OHV, 256OHV, 272, 292, 312. I understand there are some early FE's that will bolt up to the frame like the y-blocks, but I'm unsure about the specifics and I don't know about the transmission compatibility.



Nate

1964 F-100 Custom Cab 292 V-8 3 spd
1964 F-100 292 V-8 3 spd
1990 F-150 5.8L
Check out http://clubs.excite.com/f100