Hello. This is my first post here. Seems like a good group.
I have just puchased a '62 C600 with a HD 292. Actually I bought it for the tires, but I'm having second thoughts about parting out the truck to pay for the tires. The PO says it ran when it was parked two years ago, but was way underpowered for the drilling rig that was on it (since removed to a 70's IHC Fleetstar). I'm starting to think that if I traded or sold the 292, which apparently is worth something to street rodders, especially with it's special exhaust manifolds, and found myself a presumably common FE and some linkages out of a latter C-series cab over, I might be both power and money ahead enough to justify keeping the truck a runner. I know by '69 they used 391s - not sure if the FEs started out in '65 (292 ended in '64) with 330s or what.
Anyway, is a Y block to FE swap simple or complicated? Setting aside for a moment the cabover issues, I don't want to have to fab engine mounts, bellhousing, brackets. etc. I'll just sell off the 292 and scrap the rest if it comes to that. I'm trying to keep as "revenue neutral" as possible.
Thanks for any advice.
Andrew

 

Well, since the C series came with the FE or FT motors just a few years later, you just need to find those mounts. Your Y block has a front mount, right? The FE/t motors are side mounts.

We had one with a 330 in it, perhaps a '65. The old man bought it for $500 after it hit a telephone pole and was totalled by the insurance co. He fiddled with it for years and never completed it. He did get it running at one point, and that 330 ran like a sewing machine, even after sitting for 25 years.

These trucks are so old and mostly worn out I'd think many times before getting too deep into the wallet with an engine swap.

A 292 is plenty good for some applications. If it's a good runner, sell it to someone who wants a farm truck or local runner or whatever.

Generally speaking, an original running truck is worth more than a modded one. An original running truck is always worth more than a partially disassembled one that is missing parts....

As for parting it out, well that might be more money, especially if it has a good two speed rear axle, a good trans etc, and don't forget the cab parts.

But if all that stuff is good....

 

I just remembered that FEs won't go in a truck, because of the crank snout size difference. You'd have to have an FT crank and front cover, or fab a front bracket of some sort. And as I recall, FTs cost actual $$$. Not likely to find one cheap enough to make it worthwhile.
Andrew