Well I have others, I may use a billet Mallory distributor that I have, this engine is 11-1  (a real 11-1) cast piston, stock crank and rods .060 over, the good stuff is the heads
(speed master), these heads were a lot better than I expected, I bought them bare, when I checked the valve seats they were perfect, check the guides they were perfect, when I CCd the heads I had to cut one more than the other (about .013) the even up the chambers, 30deg intake seats, 45deg exhaust (Ferrea Valves), Isky springs and retainers (8005), the cam is a Howards Mech flat tappet, the Intake is a real Holman an Moody 2x4, 2 600 Holleys, all good parts in this engine, this is a street engine, I like the the old and the new mixed up. 

What's with the trim on the engine vs the choice of distributor? I mean i run a lot of those mallorys but i would never dream of doing it on a motor running those valve covers. I cant imagine that is the best distributor for a modern dressed engine like that

Going home, worked like a horse, push rods still rub, grind and check over and over all morning.

Hi, working all morning, I've been running a reamer through the sleeved push rod tube to get enough clearance for the push rod, been doing it by hand, I don't want to break through the sleeve, the mill would have been quick but if I went through big problem, I taking a break for a soda, here's the 428 I just built for my son, it's going into a 1957 Fairlane  500      

Good question. I’m still running the original 55 tach drive dist. in my 55 bird. It’s been rebuilt, probably 8000 or so miles ago. I had a lifter failure (#1 exhaust, head fractured into 3 pieces. Took out the cam, no wear on any other lobe or lifter. I think it was a fluke). We went over the engine real close before a complete rebuild, and there was no sign of galling on that surfaces. All those miles were with either a set of Mummert’s ported 113 heads or the aluminum ones, both using pressurized rockers. Just a drilled orifice no factory tubes.

The distributor is locked out, the computer controls the timing, before someone jumps on me.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

I thought of something else regarding the distributor gear/block juncture.  Maybe I should stop thinking.  Anyway, why would Ford spend the time and money to spot face the block and machine the bottom of the gear if they didn't intend for them to rub?  Then they put the rocker arm drain tube back there to flood the area with lubricating, cooling oil.  Have any of you guys who pressurize your rocker shafts noticed any distress in the block and on the gear?  Jus' wonderin'.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Well a little more trouble, these heads have push rod tubes installed in the lower ports, 2 push rods rub on the tubes, so apart again
(I may try to rat tail file them on the engine)

An idea for Ted and Cliff for your performance builds.
Why not machine the gear or block for a thrust bearing. Eliminate the friction of the gear riding against a bushing or the block.  We do this with our racing power glides.
Ray Barton built an oil pump for the hemi Stock/SS engines that had the oil pump drive gear supported on both ends by a bearing and a thrust bearing for the drive gear to run against.
It would be interesting if done for the Y.
It was expensive to buy but was an interesting piece, and showed out of the box thinking. 
Unfortunately he has stopped producing them.
Dave

Bass at MSD has referred this to R&D, I think it's a way of putting me off and maybe I'll go away.

Cliff

PS https://performanceparts.ford.com/download/pdfs/DistributorGearInstallation.pdf

I agree 100% with Ted, we must remember we are dealing with 60 year old parts, I have noticed there are different lengths of oil pump drives, don't know why, maybe a running change? as far as MSD if the shaft was to long and the end play was large there would no problems, the cam gear would pull it down to the block, the upper movement does not matter (within reason, well maybe if the engine was run backward it would) LESSON check all things on all engines, I just put together a 428 Ford for my son, the intake valve pockets in the pistons were off about .030 who would think? how about all the drama in the rocker arms? how many timing sets are off ? I sent a block out to be bored and honed to match the pistons however he put the pistons in the order of a Small Block Ford (domes and valve pockets in wrong places) so matching the pistons to the bore was useless.

Cliff Murray

PS This is a good place to share ideas