I have a 1956 ford tudor that I will be running a 292/fordo in and I'm wanting to use the stock shift rod, kickdown rod, belcrank bracket and all original linkages. Is this possible even with a 3x2? Wouldn't I just have to modify a new rod that comes off of the bellcrank to the progressive linkage?


Fomoco Low Life

What carb do you have now? Or what carb is the linkage for? If it's for the stock '56 two barrel you shouldn't have too much trouble connecting to the Primary (center) carb and running progressive to the secondary (outer) carbs.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

The thing is I have nothing. I will be buying a complete kit similar to the picture but the pictured set is a 57 and what I'm getting is from a 56 and from a stock 4 bbl. Will I have a whole lot of trouble? Or will itall work and just have to make a new rod going to the primary carb thwn the progressive linkage will take care of the rest?

Fomoco Low Life

Two barrel and four barrel linkage is different and I think that will cause you problems trying to connect four barrel linkage to a two barrel. I believe the stock '56 two and four barrels linkage is on opposite sides of the carbs for one.

Also hard to answer your question without more info i.e. what carbs are you planning on using?

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Everything is completely different? As for the carbs...undecided. either holley 94's or stromberg 97s

Fomoco Low Life

If you are going to run 3 deuces and use Ford's 2 barrel carbs from the 50's, they all had their linkage hook ups on the passenger side. 4 Barrels were on the driver's side. That is the difference.

If I were going to run 3 deuces like what you want to do, I would run the original 55/56 Ford 2 barrel Fordomatic linkage setup and purchase a 3 deuce carb linkage from Honest Charley's or from Speedway motors. Your only issue is going to be your intake manifold... does it have the bosses to bolt down an original 55/56 Ford 2 barrel bellcrank? If not, you will have to rig up something like you are going to do with the 4 barrel bellcrank on the drivers' side. This would mean that you would need longer butterfly shafts for each carb and run your carb linkage from those points on the driver's side.

If you google y block and 3 deuces, you may be able to see some images of what other guys have done.

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

One of my questions is what exactly is different from the 2bbl linkage and the 4bbl linkage? Is the bell crank and back the same and anything after the bellcrank forwards towards the carb different?

Fomoco Low Life

I don't have the two in front of me to compare but I think the trans kick down is different also. In the '55 FOM manual it shows and describes different adjustment procedures. I don't have a '56 manual but I believe they are similar.

I'm going from memory here because as I stated I don't have the two to compare. Someone please correct me if I'm incorrect.

I do know that the Edelbrock manifolds have the correct bosses to mount the two barrel linkage. I'm pretty sure the Offy has them also, but I would recommend NOT using an Offy manifold.

Just my opinion and worth about what you paid me for it...

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

I'm sticking to only edelbrock manifolds due to better flow and look 10 times better and I have matching valve covers


Anyone else here know the differences on the bellcrank brackets? I need the best stock setup that I can convert to work with a 3x2.

Fomoco Low Life

I assume you want to use a progressive linkage on the 3x2, which will act much the same as mechanical secondaries on a 4V. Not a problem with a manual transmission, but kind of tricky with an automatic. I think there is a good reason that the stock 4V setup had vacuum secondaries. I believe that the '63 M-code 390 FE t-bird 3x2 had "vacuum secondaries" as well.

Anyone have any success or tips running mechanical secondaries with a Fordomatic? I'd think the engine would always bog like crazy at low speed... at least until the transmission downshifts. Any special hints on setting up the "kickdown rod" so this doesn't happen, yet doesn't always shift down at full throttle?