I'm with Marvh on this one.. Too change out the existing supposed 312 (or even if it's a 292)  back to a 256 is a poor use of time & money. First of all the engines essentially look the same. And could even be re painted the Monarch colors. 99+% of the public would never know the difference. And as pointed out, some parts for the original version are very hard to obtain & expensive as it was a one year only version. I'm sure it's a nice car, and maybe originality might be nice, .. but it's not a Packard 12 with an obviously wrong engine, it's a Monarch, with basically the same engine..    


Paul

That is what I thought to but he is one of those it has to be stock original kind of  guy.  He has a 1955 Crown Vic and a 1958 Fairlane retractable and on both of them Every thing is absolutely original!

Personally I would not change out the engine to the 256 OHV unless you are a purest. The 256 engine is very much an engine of its own and parts are hard to find. Water pump different, fuel pump different, not even close to performance of a 312.

Thanks for  all the good  information My buddy did buy the  car so now he can start looking for a engine that is a proper match!
 He has   some real work ahead  of him  but it should be a real nice car once it is done!   The original  color of the  Monarch  was light and dark green metallic  in and out.

The 54  Canadian Mercury and Monarchs had a Canadian built 256 CID OHV engine. The engines were stamped rj front of engine below drivers side head parting line if I remember correctly.
Engine casting numbers were CEBZ
The 54 Fords and Meteors had the 255 CID flathead engine. The Canadian 54 Meteor and Ford did not have the new ball joint suspension, they had king pins. The 53 Meteors had the 255 flathead engine except Mainline which had the 239 flathead. The 53 Fords all models had the 239 flathead engine.
marv

I stand corrected.  Must have been just the Fords.


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

This is an easy one,just google " 1954 mercury monarch" the flat head guys don't win this one .About 200  54 mercury

monarch's where glass tops,all of them had 256 y-blocks.
                                            
                                                      john2747

1954 merc cars hadY blocks 256 ,i think they where all us bilt in the us    54. the un knowen was monarch.has to be a canadian out there that will advise..all 54 cars had the old frame and the flathead .55fords and meteors had new frame and 272Y blocks mixed info on trucks256 was common on v8sdo not know when 272 and 292 came on canadian pickups.

The flathead Merc engines, as I remember, had 255. something  CI, while the YBlocks had 256.  Not much of a difference.  The flathead Fords and the Ford Yblocks both were 239.

And as far as I know, as I stated above and by Old Mics, the Canadian Fords and Merc's had the flathead engine, not the Yblock. Possible, I guess, that the Canadian Mercs had the YBlock but I doubt it.


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

There were 4 people that commented , But the part I do  understand is you don't need  to be a rude ass!