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By Dobie - 8 Years Ago
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Guys, my damper let go today so I need to get a rebuilt one or have mine rebuilt. I found a rebuilt double sheave one online. The description says it fits 292's from '58 through '64. Mine is a '55 Merc. Before I pull the trigger, is there any difference between my '55 crank and later ones that would prevent me from using it?
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By charliemccraney - 8 Years Ago
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No difference for the crank. Belt width might be different.
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By slumlord444 - 8 Years Ago
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Yours should be rebuildable.
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By PF Arcand - 8 Years Ago
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John Mummert's site lists replacement dampers & I believe our Moderator Ted also has a source for new ones.
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By jumpstart - 8 Years Ago
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You can send yours to the Damper Doctor in Redding California. He does a VERY good job of rebuilding , and he is very reasonable in price.
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By Dobie - 8 Years Ago
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Damper Doctor it is. Thanks fellas!
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By Ted - 8 Years Ago
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Power Bond makes a replacement damper for the Ford Y engine that is a bolt on for the ’57-’64 car and pickup engines. The PowerBond number is PB1199N and accommodates the 3/8” wide belts. It’s made in Australia and has a billet center rather than being cast. It’s still an exact replacement for the original though when it comes to belt pulley size and location as well as adding additional pulleys. It is available from a variety of sources here in the U.S.; John Mummert offers these while I get mine from EPW (Engine Parts Warehouse). I also see them for sale on EBay so they are out there.
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By FGT1958 - 8 Years Ago
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New to the forum, so I hope I am not violating any of the rules!
I am trying to get some traction on a 55 basket case Tbird I bought a couple of years ago. I recently got the block, crank and heads back from the machine shop and I am getting started on the rebuild. Most of my time lately has been identifying parts and making sure I have everything. I have realized that I don't have the crank damper and they seem to be made of unobtainium. I confirmed that the block was a 292, but realized that it is a 1959 block, not a 1955 block. Apparently my block is a replacement block. Which leads me to my question.....what is the difference between the 55-57 Tbird dampers and the regular Y Block dampers? Can I use the stock damper for a non 55-57 Tbird Y Block?
Thanks for any help!
Frank
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By paul2748 - 8 Years Ago
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If you are using all the Tbird engine parts, including the water pump spacer, you cannot use the sedan front damper as things (generator, water pump) will not line up.
To get a Tbird damper, try CASCO or Hill's as they sell used parts.
Here are a couple of other sources (I have used all three with no problems):
Tony's Classics 515-263-3606
Adrian - 570-709-0823 or lilbrids567@wmconnect.com
Bob Schermerhorn 518-392-2472
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By NoShortcuts - 8 Years Ago
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FGT1958. Welcome to the site, Frank. There are numerous 'Bird owners who are regular Forum participants here.
There were changes in the castings of Ford y-block engines over the production years of 1954-1964. None of these will prevent you substituting a later year block for your car's original block. IF you were doing some high end restoration on Marilyn Monroe's '55 'Bird, to maintain optimum future value and sale-ability, we would help you find an original '55 engine block.
In Ford production year 1959, FoMoCo made a mid-year change in their casting of y-blocks. 292 engine blocks from 1955 'til April of 1959 all used the same length crankshaft main cap bolts. Commencing in April of 1959 'til the end of y-block production in the '60s, Ford engineers changed to longer main cap bolts that would utilize deeper threaded holes into the main bearing webbing area. Some speculate that Ford and / or their authorized Ford engine re-manufacturers were finding more cracks in the y-block main bearing webbing of engines to be re-conditioned than they viewed as being acceptable. Subsequently, Ford engineers decided to increase the depth of the main cap bolt thread into the cast block to reduce the frequency of main bearing web area cracking. Early '59 blocks have the casting I.D.of EDB 6015-E. Beginning in April of 1959, the y-blocks using deeper threaded main bearing cap bolts carry the casting I.D. of B9AE 6015-F. In 1959 and 1960 these engine blocks were either 292s or 312s.
Source for the above info. is John Mummert, web site www,Y-Block.com, engine block web page click the link below . . .
http://www.ford-y-block.com/Block%20identification.htm
Regarding your question about 'Bird crankshaft vibration dampers. Yes, they're a 'Bird only item. N.O.S. dampers are still around and some T-'Bird parts suppliers are now having reproductions made, I'm told. Why a different damper for the '55-'57 'Birds? It has to do with the location of the engine in the vehicle frame compared to the passenger cars AND fitting in the generator and the power steering accessory pump. Notice, too, that the 'Bird has a one inch cast iron spacer between the water pump and the timing chain cover to get all the drive pulleys to line-up correctly.
Used 'Bird vibration dampers are periodically available on eBay. Caution paying too much in obtaining a used 'Bird vibration dampers. The 'donut' mounted on the 'Bird vibration damper between the damper pulleys and the timing chain cover is a press fit with a vulcanized rubber sleeve securing it in place. The rubber mount deteriorates due to engine compartment heat and old age. When the mounting rubber degrades, the donut will shift in position eventually rubbing against the front motor mount that is secured to the timing chain cover. The vibration damper can be rebuilt, but the last time a friend had one re-done, the cost was $300 plus shipping for the 'Bird item.
Hope this helps! 
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By FGT1958 - 8 Years Ago
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Thank you all for the quick and very informative response. I definitely have a later 59 block, so I need to see if the PO simply replaced the block and used the 'Bird parts or did a complete engine swap. Time to dig through the parts and see if the water pump has the spacer. I assume the PO used the 'Bird parts as the heads are a 55 casting. I swear this is the last basket case I buy! What a pain in the tail!!
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By NoShortcuts - 8 Years Ago
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FGT1958. Click the link below to see pictures of a used 'Bird crankshaft damper sold earlier this month on eBay. This one LOOKED good in terms of the location of the 'donut', the apparent condition of the pulley grooves, AND the amount of wear on the snout seal surface.
NOTE:
- IF someone uses the wrong puller for removal from the crank, the pulley grooves can be bent.
- Notice the wear on the seal surface of the snout ~ 1 inch from where it enters the timing chain cover. This groove is not uncommon and is caused by the rubber in the front seal becoming hard due to time and engine heat. I've seen front seal grooves that were wider and significantly deeper than this one appears. A stainless steel repair sleeve can be installed to repair the surface. The repair sleeve will cost a little over $10 dollars (IF I remember correctly) and should be available at your local parts store.
- $200 is a common price for a used 'Bird damper offered on eBay, although their condition may not appear to be as good as this.
- Although appearing to be in good shape, the donut rubber mount may need to be redone. As previously mentioned, the repair cost from Damper Doctor with warranty will be in the neighborhood of $300 for the 'Bird unit.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1955-1956-1957-Ford-Thunderbird-Crankshaft-Harmonic-Balancer-Original-/292279400539?nma=true&si=quqqShIJy3ihW2sUslFtOTwjoaw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
Hope this helps!
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By Rono - 8 Years Ago
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It looks like John M no longer sells the Powerbond Dampers and when I checked the price under Ted's part number, you can find retailers that sell them from $300 to $600! Pretty spendy. So one question I have with the Powerbond billet Dampers is; Do they still have a rubber isolation ring or are they soild, one piece units?
Apparently, the coupler sold by YBLOKE for his 471 blower set-up was machined to fit the Powerbond Damper (because they are also made in Australia). So I'm wondering if the spec's on the Powerbond Damper and original Ford Damper are the same?
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By charliemccraney - 8 Years Ago
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The Powerbond is meant to be a stock replacement so it does have the rubber isolation ring and original accessory pulleys will mount to it. If it were one piece, it would not be a damper. However, that does not mean that it is an exact replica, and you can see from product images that it is not so items designed to fit the Powerbond damper may not fit factory dampers without modification, if care was not taken to ensure that they fit both. The manufacturer of each item should be able to answer these questions for certain.
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By 62bigwindow - 8 Years Ago
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Summit has the Power Bond damper for less than $250. I have been fighting some tuning issues and tracked it down to a slipped balancer. For what it's worth I wouldn't mess with a used one unless it's been rebuilt. There going to go bad. It may be a week or two years before it happens but it will happen. Also from what ive found Dayton(I think that's the right name) is making the Power Bond damper now.
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By NoShortcuts - 8 Years Ago
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FGT1958 (10/28/2017)
I am trying to get some traction on a 55 basket case Tbird I bought a couple of years ago. I recently got the block, crank and heads back from the machine shop and I am getting started on the rebuild. Most of my time lately has been identifying parts and making sure I have everything. I have realized that I don't have the crank damper and they seem to be made of unobtainium. ...my question.....what is the difference between the 55-57 Tbird dampers and the regular Y Block dampers? Can I use the stock damper for a non 55-57 Tbird Y Block? Thanks for any help! Frank
FGT1958. Here's a couple of used 'Bird dampers presently on eBay, Frank. Keep in mind that you may need to have any used unit you obtain re-built which will include re-mounting the donut, truing the pulleys, and installing a repair sleeve on the seal surface of the snout. The cheaper of the two dampers listed already has previously had a repair sleeve installed.
Click the links below to see the dampers presently listed on eBay . . .
https://www.ebay.com/itm/55-57-1957-THUNDERBIRD-ORIGINAL-HARMONIC-BALANCER/263283597260?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649
https://www.ebay.com/itm/263295907573?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
Hope this helps!
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