F-600 Question

[sweetlou]

I was just curious. My father had an F600 that had an 20ft box. It was a cabover truck and as I remember, the year was either a 1961 or ’62. What I don’t remember was what size motor was in this thing. I know it had problems being underpowered, but could it have been a 289?

[Art]

I was just curious. My father had an F600 that had an 20ft box. It was a cabover truck and as I remember, the year was either a 1961 or ’62. What I don’t remember was what size motor was in this thing. I know it had problems being underpowered, but could it have been a 289?

289 was never used in a truck by ford.

If the 61/62 F600 had a V-8, it was probably a Y-block engine - most likely a 272 or 292.

[sweetlou]

I was just curious. My father had an F600 that had an 20ft box. It was a cabover truck and as I remember, the year was either a 1961 or ’62. What I don’t remember was what size motor was in this thing. I know it had problems being underpowered, but could it have been a 289?

289 was never used in a truck by ford.

If the 61/62 F600 had a V-8, it was probably a Y-block engine - most likely a 272 or 292.

/what was th smallest engine that it could have had originally? I really don't beleive it had a big block in this.

[fastEdsel]

That would be my guess was that it was a 292 Y block. But in some of the big Mercury's, Ford built a 383 big block for just a couple years and I am fairly certain that I saw one of these engines in a 1959 F600 conventional medium duty truck. I know it was not a Y block, but much larger. It looked stock and not a change up and there was a space between the intake and valley pan much like a Y block. But these were powerful engines and most likely didn't break the front journal off the crankshafts like the Y blocks did.

[sweetlou]

That would be my guess was that it was a 292 Y block. But in some of the big Mercury's, Ford built a 383 big block for just a couple years and I am fairly certain that I saw one of these engines in a 1959 F600 conventional medium duty truck. I know it was not a Y block, but much larger. It looked stock and not a change up and there was a space between the intake and valley pan much like a Y block. But these were powerful engines and most likely didn't break the front journal off the crankshafts like the Y blocks did.

I remember that this did not look like a big engine. I also remember that it had to be rebuilt a couple of times. I was underpowered for the weight that truck had to carry. It probably was not a very good match by Ford to place this into that kind of service.

[gregamorton]

most any gas engine truck with a big tall box would not run fast because of the wind drag. We have a international 90 model or so and it has a crash cushion on back and it takes all it has to pull the truck with that big drag on back!

[fastEdsel]

In any of these trucks the Y block was easy to identify by the external crossover exhaust pipe coming off the left side of the engine, just below the top radiator hose and entering the front top of the right hand exhaust manifold. Very nasty for burning your wrists and the external oil pump on the bottom left of the engine. Also were the two "acorn nuts" on the top of the valve covers that were used a lot to remove the covers fast to adjust the solid lifter rockers. And some of the "R" series International big trucks, like three tons and larger had a 454 six cylinder in them turning 5+4 transmissions. In the late 50's they had a big V8 available but I don't know the displacement. Remember, a lot of these trucks were not built for speed but work. I often wonder just how much of this country was built with flathead V8's, GM 235 six's or Chrysler 262 flathead six's all turning 4 speed transmissions and vacuum two speed rear axles.

[Whateverman]

a little semi-useful trivia : a cabover would have been a C- series truck rather than an F-series

[fastEdsel]

Actually, that is real good trivia and good point. Some manufacturers referred to them as "COE" or "cab over engine". I have seen in later C series Ford's the transition to big blocks or 361 and 391 engines. They were really good trucks and also a diesel was thrown into the mix there someplace but not sure the year. But I am almost certain the truck mentioned and the year that the engine was a 292 Y block. And for a 20 ft. box, depending on what they were hauling, it may have been underpowered. In those years all the car companies were going through some growing pains and experimenting with different engine-transmission combinations. But there is no replacement for displacement and a lot of GM COE trucks had a 409 in them and the big Dodges had 413's.

[Art]

And some of the "R" series International big trucks, like three tons and larger had a 454 six cylinder in them turning 5+4 transmissions.

I drove a tandem (10 wheel) R190 dump truck with that six, it was 450 cubic inches and named the RD450. Fortunately I was driving off-road because it had inoperative juice brakes and it was four or five years before I could even get a learner's permit. That would never fly these days...

Many years later I worked on the big holley two barrel and the 12 wheel cylinders in order to sell the truck. That thing had a split manifold and dual exhaust. It was a really cool truck.