IS THERE such a thing as a FORD 400M - or is it a myth?
#46
I tell ya what - in modern times they look like nothing less than wheeled catfish and "IRON FROGS" - but my God they were beautiful in their way....
Especially with layer on layer of shiny laquer.....
The options of later times such as sunvisors were available from the dealerships. The aftermarket had not been invented yet
NO PLASTIC! Plastic had not been discovered, or was not widely used yet. Everything was metal...
Suspensions consisted of a sytem best described as:
"WALLER, SQUASH, WIGGLE, WEIGHED DOWN, MASH, and GET THROUGH IT WITHOUT BUSTIN' SOMETHIN' with a few spring groans...."
CADILLACS had weight going for them. They were just so damn heavy the body of the car went on a projecile ballistic - and everything else happened as a consequence....
They generally went in a more or less predictable line, even on curves. (How can you keep a ton of "FROG" iron from going in a smooth line?)
But they were built as heavy as they could be back then. SHUCKS! Gas was five or ten cents a gallon...
(He notezzz)
The old cars of the "DAY" were dang near motor homes - it was like driving your whole LIVING ROOM across country!
But they didn't have "POTTIES"....
That was a later idea that led more or less directly to the concept of "RV's"
"Daddy I need to...."
YEP! That was the origin
Especially with layer on layer of shiny laquer.....
The options of later times such as sunvisors were available from the dealerships. The aftermarket had not been invented yet
NO PLASTIC! Plastic had not been discovered, or was not widely used yet. Everything was metal...
Suspensions consisted of a sytem best described as:
"WALLER, SQUASH, WIGGLE, WEIGHED DOWN, MASH, and GET THROUGH IT WITHOUT BUSTIN' SOMETHIN' with a few spring groans...."
CADILLACS had weight going for them. They were just so damn heavy the body of the car went on a projecile ballistic - and everything else happened as a consequence....
They generally went in a more or less predictable line, even on curves. (How can you keep a ton of "FROG" iron from going in a smooth line?)
But they were built as heavy as they could be back then. SHUCKS! Gas was five or ten cents a gallon...
(He notezzz)
The old cars of the "DAY" were dang near motor homes - it was like driving your whole LIVING ROOM across country!
But they didn't have "POTTIES"....
That was a later idea that led more or less directly to the concept of "RV's"
"Daddy I need to...."
YEP! That was the origin
#47
You're thinking of the 58 Buick Roadmaster. That was a massive, chrome plated, polished aluminum clad road load. Olds came close with one of their high line models, but not quite.
Is that a vinyl top I see on that car in the pic? It sure looks like there are seams in the roof. I thought vinyl tops were a 60s-70's thing. I can't ID the car for certain, but I'm guessing 53-54 GM product. (Chevy?) The earliest car I recall seeing with a vinyl top was, maybe , a 63 Ford or slightly earlier T-Bird. Being born in 62, I'm a little vague on earlier years, aside from the "popular" models.
Is that a vinyl top I see on that car in the pic? It sure looks like there are seams in the roof. I thought vinyl tops were a 60s-70's thing. I can't ID the car for certain, but I'm guessing 53-54 GM product. (Chevy?) The earliest car I recall seeing with a vinyl top was, maybe , a 63 Ford or slightly earlier T-Bird. Being born in 62, I'm a little vague on earlier years, aside from the "popular" models.
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.—Robert A. Heinlein
#48
I think you're wrong about being mistaken about the vinyl top. It's likely just a reflection.
Here's what Wiki has to say about the matter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinyl_roof
It looks like the 56 Caddy probably had the first vinyl roof as we know it today, but there were predecessors that went back to the beginning of automobiles.
"But they didn't have "POTTIES"....
That was a later idea that led more or less directly to the concept of "RV's"
"Daddy I need to...."
YEP! That was the origin"
I think you hit the nail on the head there Greywolf.
Here's what Wiki has to say about the matter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinyl_roof
It looks like the 56 Caddy probably had the first vinyl roof as we know it today, but there were predecessors that went back to the beginning of automobiles.
"But they didn't have "POTTIES"....
That was a later idea that led more or less directly to the concept of "RV's"
"Daddy I need to...."
YEP! That was the origin"
I think you hit the nail on the head there Greywolf.
#49
#50
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as has been said many times, there is no such animal as a "400M"
it is a pigment of uneducated imaginations.
#51
Definitive discussion of the 351C, and 400, as well as the entire 335 engine series:
WIKIPEDIA: 335 Series Ford Engines
*If you see an addition to a "TALK" page there by FTE Greywolf - that's me too. I started an account there tonight
WIKIPEDIA: 335 Series Ford Engines
*If you see an addition to a "TALK" page there by FTE Greywolf - that's me too. I started an account there tonight
#52
I'll chime in since I had a 1979. It was a 351M/400. I had it figured pretty close to 400CI displacement, but it was some kind of odd cleveland designed block build by canoots. Which is why 351C heads would work on it if you replumbed them for a coolant hose.
I probably learned the 351m/400 from gun guys, because I have a rifle that shoots 221/300. Being a 221 fireball case necked out to .308, some call it 300 whisper, it's also called a 300 fireball, just depends on if you talk to the guy responsible for the bullet design, the guys who build the rifles and companies offering dies.
I probably learned the 351m/400 from gun guys, because I have a rifle that shoots 221/300. Being a 221 fireball case necked out to .308, some call it 300 whisper, it's also called a 300 fireball, just depends on if you talk to the guy responsible for the bullet design, the guys who build the rifles and companies offering dies.
#53
I'll chime in since I had a 1979. It was a 351M/400. I had it figured pretty close to 400CI displacement, but it was some kind of odd cleveland designed block build by canoots. Which is why 351C heads would work on it if you replumbed them for a coolant hose.
I probably learned the 351m/400 from gun guys, because I have a rifle that shoots 221/300. Being a 221 fireball case necked out to .308, some call it 300 whisper, it's also called a 300 fireball, just depends on if you talk to the guy responsible for the bullet design, the guys who build the rifles and companies offering dies.
I probably learned the 351m/400 from gun guys, because I have a rifle that shoots 221/300. Being a 221 fireball case necked out to .308, some call it 300 whisper, it's also called a 300 fireball, just depends on if you talk to the guy responsible for the bullet design, the guys who build the rifles and companies offering dies.
#55
No, if it was a 351M it displaced 351 cubic inches. If it was a 400 it displaced 400 cubic inches.
#57
I can't remember much about it, I had just gotten into automotive when I got it and I knew that parts were a PITA to find for it. 351W and 351C parts were not a direct fit and I believe even the Ford Motor Sports book called it a 351m/400 in the back where they covered how to fit C heads on the block.
I want to say the truck had a Y engine code in 1979 and was only available from 1977-79. I found this in google https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...00_Engine.html
I want to say the truck had a Y engine code in 1979 and was only available from 1977-79. I found this in google https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...00_Engine.html
#58
I can't remember much about it, I had just gotten into automotive when I got it and I knew that parts were a PITA to find for it. 351W and 351C parts were not a direct fit and I believe even the Ford Motor Sports book called it a 351m/400 in the back where they covered how to fit C heads on the block.
I want to say the truck had a Y engine code in 1979 and was only available from 1977-79.
I want to say the truck had a Y engine code in 1979 and was only available from 1977-79.
1977/79 F100/350
B = 300 I-6 / G = 302 2V / H = 351M / S = 400 2V / J = 460 4V.
1980/82 F150/350: H = 351M 2V / S = 400 2V.
Where is Y? No see um.
Here it is: 1968/76 F100/350: Y = 360 2V / 1966/67 F100/350: Y = 352 2V.
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VINYL ROOFS = First FoMoCo vehicles to have them =
1950 Ford Crestliner, 1950 Mercury Monterey (1951 version SEE POST #40), 1950 Lincoln Lido.
None of these cars were hardtops. The Crestliner was a 2 door sedan, the Monterey and Lido were coupes.
Kaiser offered a vinyl roof on the "Dragon" series in 1952, Packard offered it on the 1956 Caribbean Hardtop.
1957 Oldmobile J2 engine 371 cid w/3 deuces.
#59
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
VINYL ROOFS = First FoMoCo vehicles to have them =
1950 Ford Crestliner, 1950 Mercury Monterey, 1950 Lincoln Lido.
None of these cars were hardtops. The Crestliner was a 2 door sedan, the Monterey and Lido were coupes.
Kaiser offered a vinyl roof on the "Dragon" series in 1952, Packard offered it on the 1956 Caribbean Hardtop.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
VINYL ROOFS = First FoMoCo vehicles to have them =
1950 Ford Crestliner, 1950 Mercury Monterey, 1950 Lincoln Lido.
None of these cars were hardtops. The Crestliner was a 2 door sedan, the Monterey and Lido were coupes.
Kaiser offered a vinyl roof on the "Dragon" series in 1952, Packard offered it on the 1956 Caribbean Hardtop.
Thanks, NUMBERDUMMY, for your (as usual) in depth info .....
“The laws that forbid the carrying of arms .....disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.” Cesare Beccaria
#60
The pic you posted is a 1951 Mercury Monterey.
The 1950/51 Lincoln Lido used the Merc's body, but had the [elephantine!] Lincoln Cosmopolitan front end grafted on to it.
Why Ford did this:
GM introduced hardtops in 1949 on the Buick (Riveria), Cadillac (Coupe deVille), Oldsmobile 98 (Holiday).
In 1950, GM introduced hardtops on the Olds 88 (Holiday), Pontiac (Catalina), and Chevrolet (Bel-Air).
Ford had nothing to counter these cars with, so installed vinyl roofs on 1950 Ford 2 door sedans, calling them Crestliners / 1950/51 Mercury coupes calling them Monterey's / 1950/51 Lincoln coupes, calling them Lido's.
Ford introduced hardtops on the: 1951 Ford (Victoria) / 1952 Mercury (Monterey) / 1952 Lincoln (Capri).