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?

The 55, 56, 57 Thunderbirds had mechanical tachs.

John F

Ballwin, MO

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.

Occasionaly a Mallory with tach drive will show up on EBAY. Watch for them. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I thought I heard that some HD trucks had a mechanical drive. Was that only for the 332's or MELS?

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

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.

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

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.

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

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!

I believe the late 50' f-700's used a HD 272 with a 4bbl. might have what you're looking for.

 lincoln/merc. y-blocks &mel's                                                               bucyrus, ohio.