New member, first post!  This is a great forum and I plan to use it frequently on my first major restoration project.  I have a 56 Crown Victoria, Raven Black, with M code 292 and Fordomatic transmission.  The car is now nearly completely disassembled and ready to begin frame-off restoration. My Dad purchased the car used in 1958 and has been in our family ever since.  While it has been garaged nearly the entire time, it has neither been started nor driven in over 25 years.  I am starting my list of purchase items for upcoming swap meets and online shopping and want to confirm what I am starting with in the engine and get suggestions for budget upgrades.  I plan to keep the 292 and don't need a hot rod or race car.  It will not be a daily driver but will only be driven on fair weather weekend cruising and to area car shows.  I want something the starts and runs reliably, decent gas mileage and little maintenance/tuning.  So to start I have a few questions:
1)  Engine block - The casting numbers are EDB 6015 A.  I understand this to be a 55-57 Dearborn 292. Is that correct?  I do know that this is a rebuilt engine and not the original engine to the car.  There is an aluminum plate attached to the side of the engine with 3 different overbore numbers.  See attached pic.  Numbers are in the following sequence: 040, 020, 030.  I would have expected one of them to be marked in some way to indicate the cylinder overbore for the rebuild, but can't see any marking.  Do these 3 numbers all indicate something on this tag?  
2)  Carburetor - The intake manifold appears to be the standard 56 4bbl intake with casting numbers ECZ-9425-A.  It has the original Holley "teapot" 4bbl carb.  As long as I can remember, we always had issues with the carb despite a few rebuilds.  I would like to upgrade to a later model 390-450 cfm carb.  I realize that I will either need to find an "ECZ-B" intake (which are difficult to find and expensive), or use an adapter plate (such as Trans-dapt) to attach the larger bore carb to the smaller stock intake.  Are there any issues with using these adapters and are there any suggestions on good street carb to use for my engine?
3) Ignition - The engine still has the original Loadomatic distributor which I know I will need to replace if I change the carb.  I would like to go to electronic ignition.  As with the intake, the 57 and later distributors appear to be difficult to find and expensive.  It also sounds like I should avoid the rebuilt Cardone y-block distributors based on info from this forum.  Has anyone used the Pertronix D135700 distributor made specifically for the y-block?  Would this work for my 56 292?  Or what about all those billet electronic distributors (Maxx performance, CRT performance) for y-blocks that you see on ebay for $200.  Has anyone ever used one of these or are they cheap import junk?  

Any other suggestions for a budget 292 upgrade would be greatly appreciated.   Thanks!

I had an Edelbrock 500 with manual choke on my '55 Fairlane years ago and it ran great for general street use.  I "made" the adapter out of a 1" carb spacer and ported the intake holes so that the air would have a nice smooth, clear path.  I used the appropriate gasket as the template, then drilled through and countersunk for Allen bolts to hold it to the 9425-A intake.  It worked great.  

I see the "B" intakes on ebay fairly often; expect to pay about $300 + shipping for a nice one. You can also take a look at Mummert's aluminum intake manifold, but it does not have the heat crossover for the choke. The crossover isn't necessary/w electric choke, but it might take longer to warm up engine, if you live in a colder climate. 

If you can get your Teapot carburetor sorted out, it can be modified to work with 57-up distributors/w both vacuum and centrifugal advance. You can find the article for modifying the Teapot at eatonbalancing.com. The modification is pretty simple. 

You can find block and cylinder head identification information @ ford-y-block.com. 

That aluminum tag/w .020/.030/.040 is a new one for me. You're right, it would make sense if one of the numbers had been marked if the block has been bored. Otherwise, I see no reason for attaching the tag. 

Ted tested the CRT distributor about 6 months ago/w positive results. He posted it on this site. 59-up non tach-drive distributor will work well with a 57-up carburetor. They used to be very affordable, but it might take some time to find one. 

The numbers on the tag are bore, rods and mains but not necessarily in that order.  The ink or paint that was originally on the tag, which has since come off, would have identified them.  It doesn't matter.  If you need to rebuild it, you will know all of that once it is torn down.



Lawrenceville, GA

Those carb adapters work very well. PM me if you need a 57 or later distributor. Dave

SE Wis

If the engine has been rebuilt, those numbers probably mean the bore size, rod and crank dimensions, but not necessarily in that order.  It will need a complete disassembly and inspection to determine that for sure.  Joe-JDC

JDC

Welcome to the site. I too have a M code 56. I first changed to a later distributor then added a Pertronix ll because of condenser failures. I directly bolted a 1953 Cadillac Carter WCFB to my A manifold with a 3/8”phenolic spacer for heat. A minor fabrication for the throttle rod and the fuel line went identical to the Holley into the back. Adapted the factory air cleaner so it looked stock and drove trouble free for 4 years. I still have it all but went to dual quads. 
if your engine needs freshened then don’t get sold on other boring or crank work. Your 20-30 crank may just need polishing and be fine. If it does need boring and it’s .040” over now you don’t need to go to .060”. Stock 312 pistons are .050” over a 292 and replacement piston and Hastings rings are shelf items. A good machine shop will do it all with power honing If you need it. 

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

If you put 312 pistons into a 292, don't you have to use 312 connecting rods as well? The 312 rods are shorter to compensate for the increased stroke of a 312.

55blacktie.  312 pistons can be used with a 292 crank and rods.  292 pistons will not work with a 312 crank.  The OEM skirt of a 292 piston will have interference with the 312 crank throws.  The skirt of the OEM 292 piston is not the same as the OEM skirt of the 312 piston.

The piston pin location is the same for all OEM 292 and OEM 312 pistons with one exception.  The 1961-1964 HD 292 truck engines (with the forged steel crank and C1TE connecting rods) had pistons with a different piston pin height.

Below is a link to a chart on John Mummert's website.
http://www.ford-y-block.com/dimensions.htm

Hope this helps. 


NoShortcuts
a.k.a. Charlie Brown
near Syracuse, New York

Watch the compression height of those off-the-shelf cast pistons, some of which can be as much as 0.035 below the deck.