Has anyone ran the Y-block with the Volare? I really want to keep it in the truck. If so what mounts steady rest/other, what exhaust manifolds? I have crossover rightnow but I have cast car manifold with rear dump. Any comments/ replies would be great. Kurt G Y-blocks rule.

 

I'm trying to figure this out too... Y-block with Volare. Just tried a EDB-9430-A on Pass-side, plenty of clearance. Then tried its' mate, a EDB-9431-B on Driver-side and no go - tries to share space with my steering column. Next will try the "Tru-Ram" ram's-horn style manifolds sold by Speedway Motors and John Mummert at Ford-Y-Block.com

 

I too have given those some serious thoughts, I am at a toss up on Volare or the panther front end. I just picked up a Arc welder so my options are getting better.

 

Volaries are not for the faint of heart or weak on constitution. I had one back in the dim ages and we found no manufactured engines that 'fit'
Everything had to be modified. Passenger side was easy but dealing with that bread box sized steering box was different. Fabrication was the only
answer. Also you have to offset to the passenger side 1.5-2" to clear any kind of headers. I have a 460... a fat block. I used Sanderson headers but
one from two different sets to get something to fit. I ended up cutting it all out and doing a Mustang II.. One thing to consider is the availability of rebuild parts,
bushings, etc. Some of the current Volare guys can advise you on that .
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Here's an article I did on the Volare, maybe you can get some ideas from it.

https://jniolon.classicpickup.com/vo...ip/volare.html

john

 

Well, I typed a long reply and it disappeared. Volaries are not for the faint of heart of weak of constitution.
As far as I know there are no plug and play engine mounts for these subframes. After you box the frame you can
modify something for the passenger side but the drivers side is gonna be jigsaw puzzle time. Fabrication will be
required to work around that breadbox sized steering box. I did one with a 460 fat block and it was fun. Tests your skills
The engine will also have to be offset 1.5-2" to the passenger side to get clearance needed for headers. I used sanderson headers
and had to use the left one from one set and the right one from another. More fun. You also need to consider availability of rebuilt parts
but some of the current users can give you detail on that.

I cut mine out and went with Mustang II, mainly for looks. The easy adjustability (lowering) is a bait and switch. Yes you can lower it
easily but if you try to go too low you'll get bottoming out, bump steer and very soft suspension. But, the guys that have them that Ive
talked to seem to love them. YMMV.

I did an article on my install that might give you some ideas

https://jniolon.classicpickup.com/vo...ip/volare.html

hope it helps

john

 

You're repeating yourself John....lol

 

Yep, make it as hard as possible. When you get older easier (relatively) is better. '51 f1, Mustang II 460 with Sanderson.

 

I have a Volare suspension in my 53, if I were doing it again I wouldn't. I just put new torsion bar bushings in so I won't be changing it. It works just fine and my 302 fits just fine. When I did it 24 years ago it was either Volare, sub frame, or beam axle. Now Sids in Guthrie OK has the correct stuff to install a dropped axle and there are lots of independents available. I have ridden in one of our trucks with Sids stuff and it was pretty nice. If you are really sold on Volare and need steering clearance, Weedetr.com has a rack conversion available.

 

Kurt G: these days it seems the Panther of Mustang II options would be my preference, but I'm also weird about brand X or Y parts on my Fords. Think I'd go Panther for low cost these days since the availability is sooo high from Police duty for years. I inherited this Volare conversion so will run with it. Will order the Tru-Rams today ($389) and share the learning either way. Final option if they don't work will be a header kit to fab some shorties. Right now I have a nightmare with the original '54 driver manifold and some severely formed exhaust tubing snaking its' way downward and back between the block and breadbox steering gear, over-heating the oil pickup tube and pump and requiring an elect fuel pump. A mess...

John: Wow, good stuff... American ingenuity at its finest! The Volares were definitely the precursors to the Mustang II. Mine was done in SoCal about 10 years ago but pretty uncommon these days. It does ride/drive nicely, changing ride height is fast/easy, disc brakes work well, and serviceability is good. My only gripes are driver-side exhaust manifold limitations and it's narrow so requires spacers to get the wheels out into the fenders where they look right.

 

Rather than starting the endless Crown Vic argument over again, why is Mid fifties ford selling a narrowed kit for $ 650.00 and 321 company selling one for $ 1200.00.
It is not so low cost if it has to be modified (it does, its to wide) ... kind of defeats the purpose.

 

X2 on that , the great part about them is the virtual bolt on size but when narrowed not so much .

 

X3. Another recent thread brought up the 321 kit, so I looked at their website. They have given up on modifying CV parts and now make their own crossmember that uses coilover shocks and a T-bird rack and pinion to make what's left of the CV front end parts "fit" in the narrower 48-52 trucks.

 

Update: the Rams Horns exhaust manifolds from Speedway Motors are new castings, nice finish, look great. The Rams Horns from Mummert are original Ford manifolds from large trucks, essentially restored. Both share configuration and routing. Neither one will work with the Volare steering box, in fact they point directly at it without any room to even consider bending the exhaust tube to clear the box. No go. Then I stumbled onto Red's Headers in Thousand Palms, CA, on the other side of the I-10 from Palm Springs. A header fabricator... They offer '54-'56 F100 w/Volare front end headers for $295 in steel, more $ with coatings. Will be ordering up a set to try.
https://reds-headers.net/index.php?m...roducts_id=784