The Ford Barn - View Single Post - 57 T-Bird Distributor Codes

JerseyJim · 06-09-2011, 07:14 AM

I know that topics like this always bring out comments from the purists. I like to drive my cars. I try to keep the cars as close to original as possible. Just do the bare minimum needed to make the car nice and reliable to drive.

My primary concern and the reason for the change is the Holley 4000 Teapot carb. I have already been through one severe leaking incident that by rights should have incinerated the car. While the freshly rebuilt carb is probably safe right now, my experience with the first incident was that it went from being fine one day to leaking like a sieve the next. So it would give me a lot more confidence in he car to swap out that relic for the more modern and safer 4150.

I have a 63 Econoline Pickup that cosmetically was just about pristine when I bought it. But it was just about undriveable. It had a 4 speed on the column with worn shift linkage that would lock up between first and second. A 170 CID mechanical lifter engine not only was unbearably loud inside this tin box, but struggled to reach 50 when coupled with that trans and a 4.00 rear. The trans was a Dagenham. Not very good to start with. The net result was that I couldn't really rely on the truck enough to take it on trips and it certainly couldn't handle interstates.

A change to a 200 CID Mustang six with hydraulic lifters which looks identical, gave me 20% more HP. A 64 Econoline C4 trans (very hard to find) and a change to 3.00 Mustang ring and pinion in my stock rear... Gave me a truck that only an Econoline expert like Jay Long out in California could tell from the original. The real plus is reliability, the ability to keep up with traffic on the interstates, and the pleasure of taking trips to Carlisle or Hershey or wherever.

There are a couple distributors on eBay. I'm trying to figure out which one to try for and what I should be paying.

Thanks for the comments.

06-09-2011, 07:14 AM	#5
JerseyJim Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Jersey Posts: 71	Re: 57 T-Bird Distributor Codes I know that topics like this always bring out comments from the purists. I like to drive my cars. I try to keep the cars as close to original as possible. Just do the bare minimum needed to make the car nice and reliable to drive. My primary concern and the reason for the change is the Holley 4000 Teapot carb. I have already been through one severe leaking incident that by rights should have incinerated the car. While the freshly rebuilt carb is probably safe right now, my experience with the first incident was that it went from being fine one day to leaking like a sieve the next. So it would give me a lot more confidence in he car to swap out that relic for the more modern and safer 4150. I have a 63 Econoline Pickup that cosmetically was just about pristine when I bought it. But it was just about undriveable. It had a 4 speed on the column with worn shift linkage that would lock up between first and second. A 170 CID mechanical lifter engine not only was unbearably loud inside this tin box, but struggled to reach 50 when coupled with that trans and a 4.00 rear. The trans was a Dagenham. Not very good to start with. The net result was that I couldn't really rely on the truck enough to take it on trips and it certainly couldn't handle interstates. A change to a 200 CID Mustang six with hydraulic lifters which looks identical, gave me 20% more HP. A 64 Econoline C4 trans (very hard to find) and a change to 3.00 Mustang ring and pinion in my stock rear... Gave me a truck that only an Econoline expert like Jay Long out in California could tell from the original. The real plus is reliability, the ability to keep up with traffic on the interstates, and the pleasure of taking trips to Carlisle or Hershey or wherever. There are a couple distributors on eBay. I'm trying to figure out which one to try for and what I should be paying. Thanks for the comments.