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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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Thaks for allowing me on your forum! Trying to determine if there ever was a distributor (OE or Aftermaket) made which included a mechanical tach drive?
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By John F - 11 Years Ago
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The 55, 56, 57 Thunderbirds had mechanical tachs.
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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Thanks, looking for a distributor to put in my 292 1960 F-600 HD which would run the tach in the HD intrument cluster I am putting in it.
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By MoonShadow - 11 Years Ago
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Occasionaly a Mallory with tach drive will show up on EBAY. Watch for them. Chuck
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By pegleg - 11 Years Ago
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I thought I heard that some HD trucks had a mechanical drive. Was that only for the 332's or MELS?
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By NoShortcuts - 11 Years Ago
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Like Frank, I THINK some of the Ford heavy duty truck applications with the y-block used a mechanical tach drive distributor.
I've been told '57 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, too. Fuzzy on this, think you have to change the distributor gear. Need 14 teeth.
IF you look at the o.e.m. '55 - '57 'Bird distributors, stay away from the '55 and '56 units. -They are vacuum controlled advance only units. You want a '57 which is the combination centrifugal and vacuum advance. -Likely some $400...
I THINK Prestige Thunderbird is selling new Mallory point distributors with the mechanical tach drive.
Hope these leads help. 
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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I think the 302/332 HD's had the mechanical tach. Will keep researching on the T-bird engine. Thanks for the heads-up on the vacuum only units.
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By Oldmics - 11 Years Ago
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According to a 1960 truck/car book that I have from Ford,the F-600 only came with the 223 six cylinder and the 292 MD or HD engines.
The F 700 and 750 series could have the 302,332 engines and the larger series would of had the 401,477 and 534 engines.
I have a listing for a tach drive dizzy with a governor for the 302 and 332 engines but no listing for the 292 dizzy with a governor.MY BOOK COULD BE INCOMPLEAT! and missing that information.
It does stand to reason that Ford built a 292 mechanical tach drive dizzy with a governor if your truck is getting an original H.D. gauge panel
Perhaps someone has the 57 and up truck book?
As previously mentioned a T Bird tach drive dizzy would work but make sure its a 1957 unit that uses centrifical advance.
Aftermarket dizzys should also be considered since the last 57 T Bird dizzy just sold north of $600.00
Oldmics
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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The plan was to put an instrument panel from an F-750 up into this F-600. It has aftermarket air trailer air brake system with the gauge mounted below the dash. Using the HD instrument panel I could use a factory ari pressure gauge, and wit the right distributor, us the mech tach. Biggest issue now is the cost of a distributor, didn't realize they were that salty. Don't think the mechanical tach drive was used in a factory application on a Y-block truck, based on my service manuals. Thanks to all for you help!
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By yalincoln - 11 Years Ago
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I believe the late 50' f-700's used a HD 272 with a 4bbl. might have what you're looking for.
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By bird55 - 11 Years Ago
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I know I have seen a few tach drive Truck dist. on EBAY that are not the tbird variety. As others have said I am not sure if they were for the MEL engine or not as it's been awhile. They are much clunkier looking than a bird dist. You'll be paying north of 500 of the bird dizzy, just to get a tach. As I remember the tach gauge only reads up to 4000 in that gauge panel? Keep checking EBAY. You should also check on www.slick60s.com. I bet you could put something together there, lots of old ford truck knowledge there.
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By MoonShadow - 11 Years Ago
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Check this out. Just popped up today! Chuck
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Holley-Distributor-Dual-Points-with-Tach-drive-model-1935-S-Ford-Y-block-/300981453610?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4613e4832a&vxp=mtr
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By The Master Cylinder - 11 Years Ago
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Whoa, wonder where you would find tune up parts for that Bad Boy... 
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By pegleg - 11 Years Ago
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I think I'd consider using an aftermarket electric tach unit installed in the original housing and face. Many of the T'bird guys do that instead of using the oe mechanical drive tachs, to get a centrifugal advance mechanism.
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By glrbird - 11 Years Ago
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Holley-Distributor-Dual-Points-with-Tach-drive-model-1935-S-Ford-Y-block-/300981453610?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4613e4832a&vxp=mtr#ht_600wt_1043
I think pertronix makes a conversion for this, good luck
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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Thanks for the ebay tip! I was wanting to use the OE tach in the HD instrument panel from an appearance standpoint, that's why I started looking for a mechanical distr. We'll just see how this shakes out.
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By Ted - 11 Years Ago
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While the Y powered Thunderbirds had tach drive distributors, some of the 272/292 Y-Block equipped HD trucks also had them. I thought I could go down to the shed and put my hands on one for a picture, but I’ve apparently given them all away as they seem to be a popular item for the truck restoration guys. If I come across another, I’ll post a picture as the tach drive distributors I do come across for the trucks are completely different in design from the Thunderbird distributors. As has been brought up, try to avoid the vacuum only (Load-O-Matic) distributors that came in the 1955 & 1956 Thunderbirds as there are a bunch of those on the open market. . As Chuck mentions, Mallory offers a tach drive distributor in the Unilite line for the Y. Here’s a picture of one sitting in an engine awaiting its turn for dyno testing. 
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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What would be the diff between the HD truck and the T-bird pieces? thanks,
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By The Master Cylinder - 11 Years Ago
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Just saw this on e-bay, not sure if it fills the bill tho...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1963-FORD-TRUCK-292-331-TACHOMETER-CABLE-DRIVE-DISTRIBUTOR-1965-1966-64-RAT-ROD-/121188522361?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c37661979&vxp=mtr
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By slick56 - 11 Years Ago
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The part no. for the 1957 Thunderbird Tach Drive distributor is FEJ-12127.
Good luck!
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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Thanks to everyone! Will watch it, know a guy who might be able to get it "dialed" for me
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By Ted - 11 Years Ago
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Resto_1 (10/4/2013)
What would be the diff between the HD truck and the T-bird pieces? thanks,While the truck distributors with tachometer drives seem to be available in at least a couple of different styles, they have all been using iron for the main body material instead of aluminum as used on the Thunderbird distributors. The ebay unit that’s pictured is a one piece design but I’ve come across some taller units that incorporate a two piece design around the points housing.
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By paul2748 - 11 Years Ago
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Since the truck is not going to be strictly stock, look at aftermarket electric tach's that will fit the hole.
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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Thanks for the suggestion, however using the HD instrument panel with n OE factory air pressure gauge and being able to us the a OE tach is the whole point of this exercise.
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By NoShortcuts - 11 Years Ago
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The same eBay seller of the distributor has the tach that goes with the distributor up for auction.
See eBay item number 161121147573
Regards,
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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Yep, got'er on my watch list. Thanks!
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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The ebay ad shows 292 or 331. I emailed the guy, it's out of a 331. But, found another one
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By Lou - 11 Years Ago
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What is a 331, and what did it come in?
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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I believe it's an FE motor
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By Lou - 11 Years Ago
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FE were 332 & 352 to start with.
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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MEL? Defintely not a "Lincoln" Y-block, they were 302/332 in the truck mode. --or-- Maybe the seller had the Cu In wrong when I enailed him??
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By ian57tbird - 11 Years Ago
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FT is the truck version of the FE. They where designated 330, 361 and 391 as fare as I know.
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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Not sure what he is talking about. 63 would have to be either a Y-block, Lincoln engine, or a Super Duty, only 3 V-8 choices. He say 1.5 Ton, That would make it a F-500 or a light spec F-600. Therefore it would have to be a 292, as they discontinued the 272 prior to that. Did they use 312's in MD trucks?
I've herad of a 330, as ian57tbird advises is an FT, but that didn't start until 65 I believe, not sure about 331, as my 63 Service Manual is only for 800 Series and up.
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By NoShortcuts - 11 Years Ago
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My understanding is that 1957 was the last year the 272 was used in any Ford cars or trucks. The 312 engine was never installed in any Ford manufactured trucks.
I'm unable to speak knowledgeably about other Ford / Mercury / Edsel / Lincoln series engines.
Hope this helps a bit.
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By Resto_1 - 11 Years Ago
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That answers my 312 question - Thanks. I do have an F-series medium duty brochure for 1958 that list a 272, and 272HD engine, not a 292 though. Maybe the type is too small for me read?????
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By skygazer - 11 Years Ago
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331? Odd. Cadillac's first OHV V8 was a 331 (1949).
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