Rebuilt later distributors are available from several parts houses.  NAPA is one.  Most can order them.  don't confuse the data entry guys at the parts house, just tell them it is for a 1964 F100 V-8.  About $70.

TC

You gotta have the right tools and know how to use 'em.

TC - Austin, Texas

Brian:

The all vacuum '56 distributor will not work properly with any but a '56 carb.  The '57 and later distributors have both vacuum and mechanical advance, work much better.  Actually, your '56 will run better with a later distributor and your '56 carb, and it isn't an expensive change.  You'll need the later cap and rotor also.

John in Selma, IN

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Yes I still have it . eadgpdhome@msn.com

55Birdman  Hickory NC

You took it off to install what? Trips ?

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

I finally ended up with a stock 9425-B manifold and a "new" factory rebuilt 525 Road Demon Jr. that I got off an e-bay store. Electric choke. $263.00 with shipping....

Installed a maodified 1/2" phenolic spacer to funnel the bigger carb throats into the smaller bores of the Holley base manifold.

The 312 seems to like it and the only changes I've had to make are installing a set of steel needle and seat assemblies (.130) - and a stiffer vacuum secondary spring (the Holley black one). 

I believe she will make a good bit more top-end power if I take my spare manifold to the machine shop and (1) have the carb deck milled flat and (2) slot the two fore/aft throttle bores together side for side (so its like the Blue Thunder manifold). Then use a larger phenolic spacer that matches the Demon throttle diameters.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

well I am going through all of this too. I wandered back and forth between a Holly and a Edelbrock carb. I have almost decided on an Edelbrock 500 cfm carb. I got a manifold off of ebay with the big bolt pattern. I also got a 57 up distributor and just ordered a Mallory electronic conversion kit and a Mallory coil from Summit Racing. Now all I have to do is wait for all of this stuff and decide on a carb.

Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

John, Whoops, well you said I was a little backwards!

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

As Daniel mentions, the damper timing marks needs to be correct.  But with that checking out, then the condition of the engine has much to do with how much more initial advance the older Load-O-Matics can handle.  Simply said, the more worn the engine, the more initial advance that can be tolerated without detonation.  This has to do with the vacuum signal being reduced as the engine wears and the advancing of the timing simply compensating for this.  I visualize as much as 12° intial on a well worn engine where the vacuum signal is greatly reduced.  If the timing chain is stretched, then the vacuum signal is also reduced which in turn would allow more igntion timing.  Experimentation is the best solution  but I’ve found that the factory settings typically give the best results on engines that are in good condition.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Frank:

Not to belabor a point, but you have the damper info posted backwards.  The passenger car marks are on the rubber mounted damper ring, the T-Bird marks are on the fixed, non-movable part of the pulley.  Don't want everyone to assume their passenger damper can't slip.

John in Selma, IN

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Dan,

         Only on the ThunderBirds. The car damper has the marks on the part of the damper that's not rubber mounted. Doesn't change.

   Larger carbs are not intrinsically bad for mileage. There were several different versions of the Holley 600, with varying primary sizes. If you pick out a Carb with small primaries you will be able to generate respectable mileage numbers. The Secondaries will not operate unless the throttle is floored and manifold vacuum rises to a point that demands more airflow. They don't operate very often on the street. 

     Probably the biggest issue with the loadamatic is that nobody understands them anymore, and most of them no longer function as they were intended. Also most of us have issues with the Teapots and todays gas. 

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart)