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By 55ebird - 7 Years Ago
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converting the '55 Bird to better ignition system. Need the 1957 mechanical tach drive distributor.
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By miker - 7 Years Ago
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Steve. PM sent.
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By Oldmics1 - 7 Years Ago
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Currently on our favorite auction site
http://www.ebay.com/itm/152371359894?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649
Oldmics
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By 314 - 7 Years Ago
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thinking of all the ones i could have had for little or nothing.57 merc turnpike cruiser used the 312 as base motor in canada.seen lots going to scrap back in 60s
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By cokefirst - 7 Years Ago
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Did the Mercury use a tach drive?
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By 314 - 7 Years Ago
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the turnpikes all did.
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By miker - 7 Years Ago
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Back in '68 I went into the usual junkyard I got parts from, and the owner showed me a tach drive 57 dist. Said it came out of an ex police car he'd taken in. He owned an F code 57 bird, and he liked me. I suppose because I was usually covered in grease and willing to listen to his advice. " I'll put it under the counter kid, let me know when you can come up with 25 bucks". Took me a month, but he held it for me. That's the only reference I ever heard to a police car with a tach.
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By FORD DEARBORN - 7 Years Ago
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Greetings to all: The 57 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser did have a mechanical tach but every TC I have seen had the Lincoln 368 Y block. They may have been available with a 312 but I have never seen one in a TC. The 368 used the same distributor as the Ford Y but had a 15 tooth gear instead of a 14 tooth. About 4 years ago I was very lucky to find a 57 Merc tach drive dizzy from a 368 in excellent shape very cheap. Changed the gear to a 14 tooth and am using it to run the mechanical tach in my restored 64 F100. Sometimes it pays to look for the parts we want/need under totally different listings. Hope this helps, JEFF.........................
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By Oldmics1 - 7 Years Ago
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Interesting to note that in 1957 there were 2 different part numbers used for tach drive distributors in the Y Block engines. This does not take into account any dual quad or supercharger distributor units.
The 2 different tach drive distributor part numbers were slated as a B7S 12127 A and also a B7S 12127 D
Mercs , with the tachometer option 312 engines got the B7S 12127 D.
Thunderbirds (292 and 312s) could have gotten either the B7S 12127 A tach drive distributor OR the B7S 12127 D tach drive distributor units.
Curiously enough there was no specific tach drive distributor for the 292 engine.
The B7S 12127 A was cast as FEJ 12127 A
The B7S 12127 D was cast as FEK 12127 B
Oldmics
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By 55ebird - 7 Years Ago
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Thanks for the information, this site and the Y-blockers are always helpful. Currently looks like my options are Oldmics rebuildable 1957 tachdrive for $950 and a new Mallory unit for $851. Still not sure which option i will take.
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By NoShortcuts - 7 Years Ago
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Steve. The Mallory unit that is still in production for the y-block has no vacuum advance component.
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By NoShortcuts - 7 Years Ago
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My information regarding the '57 Merc Turnpike Cruiser distributor is similar. One small point is that the 368 engine distributor had a 13 tooth drive gear, not the 15 tooth that Jeff mentioned. In any event, yes, swapping the distributor gear to a 14 tooth unit makes it usable in the 272, 292, 312 y-blocks. I don't know how the vacuum advance and centrifugal advance distributor curves compare with what was used on the '57 'Birds.
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By Bobwanna - 7 Years Ago
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55ebird (1/3/2017)
Thanks for the information, this site and the Y-blockers are always helpful. Currently looks like my options are Oldmics rebuildable 1957 tachdrive for $950 and a new Mallory unit for $851. Still not sure which option i will take.
I will assume you do not need to keep your car 100% original. I think another option is to find a small face electronic tach to install in place of the birds original mechanical tach. This would allow you to use say a 1959 292 distributor with mechanical and centrifugal advance for cheap. I recall this question on the early bird forum years ago and someone posted a source for the tach. I cannot recall source since it was a long time ago.
Personally I would opt for the OEM dist with vacuum advance over the Mallory. It will always have a good resale value if needed. I suppose a machinist could cut up a 55 tach dist and graft on a 57 top but that would be quite an undertaking.
Good luck
Bob
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By Shaggy - 7 Years Ago
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You should be able to find a old 2 piece cap mallory dual point tach drive somewhere, or if nothing else lathe one down from a different application. Would a sbc spin the same way? because those tach drive mallorys are all over.
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By miker - 7 Years Ago
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To add to bobwanna's comment. I've got a SW mechanical tach, 3 1/2" diameter. By removing the bezel and grinding down the lip of the case it slips right into the 'bird bezel. Then I carefully ground the plastic face to fit inside. Easy there, they melt on a belt sander. I'd bet the electric tachs use the same case.
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