I have an FEJ 12127A2 57 tach-drive distributor. The distributor body also has H 721. Someone has identified it as a replacement 292 distributor. The A indicating 292, and the 2 indicating replacement. Could H 721 be a date code/w H representing the month of August, and 721 representing year (57) and day (21)? No doubt it's a 57 distributor because a 55 cap won't fit, and the advance springs are not visible as found on 55-56 distributors. 

The distributor was on my 55 T-bird when I inherited it, along with the original 55 Teapot/w divorced choke. I don't know if the carburetor was modified to work with the 57 distributor. Although the car has been in the family for 50 years, I know little about its history. I rather doubt that my dad knew. Unfortunately, having passed away in 2012, I can't ask him. 

Would Ford have used a 57 replacement distributor in place of the 55 Loadomatic, if the Loadomatic was defective? In other words, did Ford continue to manufacture Loadomatic tach-drive distributors after the 56 model year? If so, why do I have a 57 distributor? 

I realize that a lot can happen in 66 years. In addition to the distributor not being correct for 55, my block was manufactured in 56. The heads, manifolds, and carburetor are all correct for 55. Just another one of life's mysteries. 

After posting and emailing, I found this in the CTCI Thunderbird Restoration Details and Specifications Manual: "The distributor numbers are located on the housing. The 1955 & 56 numbers are on a tag attached to the housing. The 1957 model has the data cast and stamped into the housing. The numbers are as follows. 1955-FEA12127-E or F, 1956-FEF 12127B, 1957-FEJ 12127-A2, FEK 12127-B2, 1957 w/dual 4/Bcarb-FEJ 12127-B2. Supercharged models FEJ 12127-D. Ref. 1949-1959 Ford Car Parts and Accessories Text Catalog, page 545 and observation."

Sounds like you’ve got the right distributor for the current application. That’s good to know.

But since we’re on the subject, I’ve got a little story, maybe a mystery. In 1967 I bought a 55 bird with a highly modified 312. It was running a more modern Holley on a 57 manifold, and a 57 dist. with no tach drive. I got friendly with one local junkyard guy, who just happened to have an F code bird. One day I walked in, and he reached under the counter and came out with a distributor. “Got an old wrecked police car in. The tach was gone, but it still had the distributor. This is what you want. $20.00”. I told him I didn’t have the $20, and he said he’d hold it for me. Next paycheck I went back and got it. I’ve never heard anyone mention the mechanical tachs anywhere but the Birds, or maybe an F code car. Can’t think of any reason he would have made it up.

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

According to Justin Minter, all 57 Thunderbird distributors are comparable in value. The E-Code distributor (FEJ 12127B2) does have an extra shim for the vacuum advance; otherwise, there's no difference. $600-$800 is a ballpark figure for any 57 tach-drive distributor. $2,499, to say the least, is unrealistic. I hope no one bites. 

No, I don't think anyone will bite, least of all me. However,  if someone is trying to achieve the perfect concourse correct E  or F  code bird, a distributor with the proper suffix could be priceless and probably will add that amount or more to the value of the car.  






64F100 57FAIRLANE500

Minter's didn't suggest that it would increase the value of the car, but I can see where it might add a point or two during judging. Amos Minter is the #1 restorer of 1955-57 Thunderbirds in the U.S., just in case it's not common knowledge. 

I know Minter's is supposed to be the guru as far as early birds are concerned, but with the CORRECT distributor for an E bird being in such short supply I would tend to believe they are worth a lot more than the "ordinary" C or D bird distributor.  Is it worth 2,500 - it's worth what a buyer is willing to pay.

That said, in my experience in judging early birds (never did the engine part) I doubt that judges would check the part number on a distributor.


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

... early birds (never did the engine part) I doubt that judges would check the part number on a distributor

Maybe not, but a buyer wanting an exact car would (should) want to see the correct ID NO and PRODUCTION (BUILD) DATE STAMPING.

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The FEJ-12127-A distributor is correct for both the 2V 292 and 4V 312 equipped Thunderbirds.  While Ford continued to make the LOM distributors for service and replacement purposes after the 1956 model year ended, it would not have been standard practice for a dealership to have performed a non-year replacement of the distributor.  In this case, installing a 1957 distributor in a 1955 or 1956 Thunderbird would not have been performed as a standard practice by a dealership.  On the other hand, any non Ford shop could have easily put in the newer distributor for a variety of reasons including the LOM distributors no longer being available at the time the distributor replacement took place.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)