so i was wondering what a decent price would be for a 312 crank and a ball park figure for getting said crank ground to a 292 block.

Approx. 2 years ago it cost me $200 to have a 312 crank ground .010 on the rod journals for .020 undersize, and the mains ground to 292 standard size.  The grinder was able to save the oil slinger.  Dont think they have increased their charges.  Price of a core crank without cracks can be pretty high.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

Ditto on the price for me. I paid a little above 200, and I also paid a little above 200 for the core before I started. The rod journals ended being .040, but it was a good crank. Ole Cactus "talked" me out of it.

dan

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

And a nice crank it is. It now resides in my '56.  Thanks, Dan.

Jan  Urbanczyk  Major USMC Ret.

                                                                 Bowie Maryland

Hey Cactus

Where did you get your machine work done?We are in the same neck of the woods and I"m curious as to who is familiar with "Y" blocks in the area?

Thanks,Oldmics

Oldmics, Dan Jessup already had the machining done before I bought the crank. Perhaps he will chime in and provide the info. I had my machining and assembly on this engine done by a fellow named Bob Coleman. He is in the Baltimore area, and I feel that he is pretty knowledgeable.  If you would like to contact me send me an Email at jbuloveusa@yahoo.com and I will look up his contact numbers.  I believe that Doug Thrasher also had dealings with him and might want to add comments.

a

Jan  Urbanczyk  Major USMC Ret.

                                                                 Bowie Maryland

Fellas, the work on Cactus' 312 crankshaft was done by none other than CarQuest Auto here in Winchester, VA. It may sound odd, but they do all of the machine work for White Post Restorations (the company made famous in Hemmings for their brake restoration work). Winchester is quite a few miles away from Baltimore, and to be honest, I really had to watch over the machine work. Some of the fellas who work there are old timers who really know a thing or two, and well, some of the young guns that are there don't really want to learn or don't care, so I had to stay on top of things as far as who did the work, etc.

Cactus - glad you like the crank. I may have another ground soon.

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

The local Carquest here does some good work too, but cant grind cranks.  They are working on a set of my heads now.  Too bad their head machine is busted for a month .  But unless it is somebody like Ted, John or Tim, I think it is important to be actively involved in the machine work, whoever a person is working with.

Probably the best of 6 machine shops in this little town is a guy that works totally alone.  Problem is he doesnt have a lot of respect for our engines.  So it isnt a lack of knowledge or skill, but determination to get everything as right as most of us want, because it is "just a y-block".

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.