Thread: 1959 F100 Inline six banger

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For 59, it's a 223 according to all the info I can gather. This weekend I ran through the motor changed oil and filter (I think is had the OEM oil in it...black as ink, sludge in the filter cartridge), cleaned spark plugs (one was carbon fouled so bad the spark gap was non-existent), installed exhaust manifold/pipe gasket (none installed, nuts were not even finger tight), pulled VC and half of the rockers had 1/16 of "lash" or so...very loose, adjusted all of those. The guy said the head was off when he purchased it a couple years ago so I am thinking that it was not re-installed properly. It already had a new cap (not sure if new rotor), and new fuel pump with integrated vacuum pump, and new wires. All I need now is to repair the choke linkage on the carb and drain/replace the gas in the tank and I will be ready to start it up again. Should sound and run much better. I am surprised it ran at all prior to this. Might explain why it "would not go over 20mph"... So three questions for the time being...

Being a 59, would this have solid or hydraulic lifters? When I adjusted them, I just took the play out of the rockers and left it at that.

Are the rockers non-sequential? IOW, instead of E, I, E, I, E, I.....it looks like it might go (front to back) E, I, I, E, etc...where the #1 and #2 share an intake runner as do #5 and #6. True?

How do you set the timing? I could do it "by ear" I suppose? No timing marks that I can see unless I missed it, no idea what vacuum ought to be...

Originally Posted by 65cayne

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Being a 59, would this have solid or hydraulic lifters? When I adjusted them, I just took the play out of the rockers and left it at that.

Are the rockers non-sequential? IOW, instead of E, I, E, I, E, I.....it looks like it might go (front to back) E, I, I, E, etc...where the #1 and #2 share an intake runner as do #5 and #6. True?

How do you set the timing? I could do it "by ear" I suppose? No timing marks that I can see unless I missed it, no idea what vacuum ought to be...

Still waiting patiently... nobody has any knowledge of these? Or is site traffic just getting really low...

1959 223cid straight six, 1bbl, standard 3-sp

Apparently, you have the last remaining 1959 Ford 223 in existence. It’s probably worth a mint.

Are the rockers non-sequential? IOW, instead of E, I, E, I, E, I.....it looks like it might go (front to back) E, I, I, E, etc...where the #1 and #2 share an intake runner as do #5 and #6. True?

Since most of these were farm trucks the rockers go: E, I, E, I, O

Actually I don't know.

I actually have 2 of these motors. I have not had them apart and would like to know this as well. I got as far as building intake/exhaust for mine but, I never had a reason to pull it apart. The motor ran really well with the new intake/exhaust combo. We built it all out of stainless (even though it looks so dirty) Those are all holley glass bowl 1 bbls on there with progressive linkage.

It always ran very well, plenty of power for my '53 truck.

223's are solid lifters, .015 clearance hot, intake and exhaust.

dang...I typed out a big reply and it got lost for some reason...

Signshop, you got a laugh out of me on that.

Short story, last friday I tightened down the (very) loose bolts holding down the valve train assembly, then ran through and adjusted the valves w/engine running to 0.012" and by the time I finished the engine sounded AMAZING. Took it for its first test drive the next day day. More later...

Here are a few more pics of my truck that I took after driving it...

some more pics...

and a couple more...

Valves are .019 and .019 hot. Point gap .025 ,plugs .034 .Timing 6 BTDC . Front to back E-I-I-E-I-E-E-I-E-I-I-E . Firing order I will always remember 153624.


I have a 1963 Motors Manual if you need more info.
Make sure your vac advance is working.

I grew up with these in my Dads 54-56 ford trucks.I had one that I rebuilt that I sold cheap.I just didn,t care for it.Really slow and fuel mileage wasn,t that great.But they are a steady old engine.

Should be a 223, never heard continental get credit. If you go to the Fordsix site you can get some good info. The truck version was a 262 I think but I don't think a straight out interchange on parts, those are fairly uncommon. 1964 was the last year for the 223.
When changing a timing gear, remember the marks don't line up like later engines, they have 12 pins (chain links) between them. Ask me how I know, lol.
Also the head bolt sizes changed somewhere. I put a 60 head on a 63 block once and had to drill out all the holes in the head.
To me the 57-60 is a way nicer and more desirable truck than the 53-56, better looking too except for the 60 and it has an ugly mugg. The best looking one is 57 with the single headlights, then 58 still had the nice hood lines and round turn signals, 59 looked like a 58 but had the uglier hood and square turn signals.
These are very good cabs but the cross brace will rust out, you can pull up the matt and see if it is coming through. Also look at the door/fender gap. If it is starting to be wider at the bottom then you need some attention to the cab mounts. I have actually jacked the cab back in place with a floor jack and put 2x4s on top of the frame to keep the doors out of the fenders, worked good for a couple years.
My ideal truck would be a red/white or turquoise/white 57 big window, short wide with a 312 and 3 speed with overdrive.

65 Cayne - Truck looks great as is. Those old six's have great torque, and are very reliable. You better install a security system, like Dave said theose trucks are more valuble than 401k's these days, as evidenced by the guy hidding in the bed of your truck in the above photos, he looks to be waitng for the opertunity to go for a joy ride!

Find a late '70's pickup toploader four speed overdrive trans, it should bolt right in and give the six a break at highway speeds. 70% overdrive.

Originally Posted by willowbilly3

Should be a 223, never heard continental get credit. If you go to the Fordsix site you can get some good info...

Already registered over there... agreed. And yes, it is a 223 for sure.

Originally Posted by willowbilly3

To me the 57-60 is a way nicer and more desirable truck ...

Thanks

Originally Posted by willowbilly3

59 looked like a 58 but had the uglier hood and square turn signals...

Thanks I guess...

Originally Posted by willowbilly3

These are very good cabs but the cross brace will rust out, ..

Yes, and that is about the only spot I have rust. The rest is solid.

Just got a 1960 MOTORS manual from pops. Go tthe truck running/starting reliably, rockers adjusted, timing adjusted to 4 initial, and I am getting about 8-9 degrees advance from the vac set-up.

I still have NO power though. It falls flat on it's face with even the slightest load. I am suspecting the carb but not sure.... suggestions?