I've been fascinated by the underrated and overlooked Ford Y-Block Engines
since the early 1960's, when they were being made obsolete.
In a world of "belly button" Chevy engines, there's nothing more enjoyable
than seeing a well-built Y-Block dust off its Bow-Tie counterpart in a
quarter mile dual. That's what I did when not yet a teen on visits to the
Owensboro Drag Strip (KY).
There were several local Y-Block powered cars that distinguished
themselves as strong runners:
MEDLEY'S MODEL-A COUPE: This black, full-fendered coupe was my first
exposure to the wonderfully different world of Y-Blocks. I first saw it
before I'd even been to the drags -- it was parked on the street in
front of the Medley brothers' home, prepared to be flat-towed to its
Saturday night battles at the Owensboro Drag Strip. I knew it was a
Y-Block because it ran without hood sides and with headers coming out
over the fenders. I recall it originally was a dual quad engine and
later a McCulloch centrifugal supercharger was added.
MIZE BROTHERS' "SLUGGO": Was a '56 Ford gasser out of Mize Brothers
Garage in Rumsey, KY. I recall many a Saturday night when it was in
eliminator run-offs with other local Chevy powered cars and the driver,
Rabbit, had his share of wins. Always claimed to be a 292, but everyone
believed it to be a 312, it started out with two teapot Holleys and
eventually became a serious gasser with the addition of Hilborn fuel
injection.
THAMES PANEL TRUCK FROM ROCKPORT, IN: Was a very strong car running
Y-Block power. Another car that started out with dual teapot Holleys
from a Police Interceptor engine, this lightweight gasser possessed
awsome power thanks to some exceptional headwork. A "unique" feature was
the flame decals on the valve covers that came from a model car kit.
I've seen this little panel truck blow the doors off similar, more
professionally built Anglia sedan gassers powered by smallblock Chevys.
TOMMY BLACKFORD'S ALTERED COUPE: Tom Blackford, then a counter man at Kelley Auto Supply (who now owns his own auto parts store), ran a terror of a fenderless, channeled Model A coupe altered. This BB/A ran a McCulloch
supercharged 312 with dual quads and the bark from the short zoomie
headers won't be forgotten.
UNKNOWN FORD MECHANIC'S '57 FAIRLANE: I never knew the name of the older
gentleman who was a mechanic at Harry Holder Ford in Owensboro.
However, his '57 Fairlane which ran as a Modified Production car was
ahead of its time. He fabricated a sheet metal dual quad intake that fed "tunnel ram"-like
into the original cast iron manifold. At times you could see his car in
the garage at the local Ford dealership when he'd brought it in to do
some after-hours work. The very streetable car would then be driven to
the strip and the headers were uncorked for the night's action.
Unfortunately, I don't have photos of any of these cars that influenced me
so greatly over 30 years ago. If you do, please let me know. I'd love to
post them as a tribute to these cars and their builders. I would be happy to scan and return your pictures and/orinformation. Also, if
you have any other details or anecdotes on any of these Y-Block legends,
e-mail me. (In addition, I would welcome copies of ANY Owensboro Drag Strip photos from the '60s or '50s which will be posted on a special tribute page to that small 1/8 mile strip that hosted many top level performers).
Y-block-Ford.com is a noncommercial site dedicated to providing education and information exchange regarding the Y-block engine. If you have information, stories, photographs or data regarding performance Y-block engines, the people who built them and cars that ran them please send to yblockhead@Y-block-Ford.com. If you have Y-block parts you no longer need and would like to dispose of please let us know.
