Is there any easy way of determining by visual inspection what
engine is in my '55 F-100? It's a V-8 with a strange exhaust
manifold setup that runs from the drivers side exhaust manifold
up and around the front of the engine, connecting to the passenger side exhaust manifold and then down and back to the muffler. Also is there any simple way of determining whether it
has the original 6-volt system or if it has been changed to 12-volt. It still has a generator and voltage regulator. Any help
would greatly appreciated. My e-mail is davidmcnair@mediaone.net
Thanx.

 

odds are if unmolested that its at least a 272, maybe a 292 and it probably is a 12 volt, what are the bulbs in lites, and the gen and reg ?? normal for those years .check the numbers on the block to see, behind or under the dist on back and either under the gen side or other side, charlie mummert has a site that has the history of the numbers and where manuufactured, cleveland or dearborns www.ford-y-block.com i think ,
garry
ps and if you can find the head n# you can check that too, kenny and others can add to this info here

 

1955 V-8 engine was only available in F-100 as a 239. The stock electrical system was 6 volts. The 272 engine and 12 volt system first appeared in 1956. Most of the Y-blocks had to be replaced or rebuilt in the past 45 years if they were driven a lot. The 272/292/312 engines all interchange and were readily available, so you could have most anything. Post some engine block, intake or head part numbers on the Y-block site. You can look on the generator to see the output, 6v or 12v.

 

Look at the battery if it's there. You can also
check it with a meter, if it says anything near 12volts
(on a good battery) viola'! It's probably 12volts.

 

Yes, it appears to be stock. And with the help of you folks on
this message board and information on the ford-y-block.com site,
I have determined that it is, indeed, a 239, as indicated by the
serial# F10V5A-19205. Also it has been changed to 12volt. One
odd thing; when I removed the water pump, I found, attatched to
top right motor mount bolt, a fiber disk, about 3" in diameter,
with the numbers 121 cut into it. Any clues?

 

Appearances can be deceiving. As "ranger pat" said, you could have most anything, since they are all (239, 272, 292, 312)similar looking and are pretty much direct swaps for each other. The guy I bought my '56 from swore up and down that it was the "original 292", but that model only came with the 272 (according to everything I have ever seen). Tracking the block casting number and date code, it is a 292 from 1958. However, it apparently is still using most of the peripheral pieces (intake/carb, distributor, etc.) from the original 272. Look for the block casting number and casting date code on the drivers side of the block. This obviously requires crawling under the truck, but as I remember, it's a pretty unobstructed view unless the block is coated with grease and dirt. I have a Hollander's interchange manual that *may* list it, depending on the year (mine goes back to the mid-to-late '50s). Someone else probably has a way to check the numbers too.
BTW, the "strange" exhaust setup is standard for the trucks since the normal rear-dump exhaust manifold would interfere with the steering column.