sometimes a compression check can be misleading. If the engine is cold it might show good numbers but when it gets hot and things expand, the numbers may change. If so I think your problem might be a head gasket.  Just had the same thing happen to me earlier this year with a 67 GTX 440. Ran beautiful cold but stumbled hot.

Bill,
Just joined this forum, just want to point out that there is a second option for electricity.  That is to put in an 8 volt battery, which supplies more amps for cranking and lights.  12V conversion is okay but biggest worry is moving from Positive Ground to Negative Ground.  A lot of the light bulbs will probably be needing replacement.  As has been stated keep old points, condenser & pigtail wire in car.  I've run Pertronics in my '56 Bird and also installed in my son's 65 Mustang 289.  Mustang is on its 17th year of use and Bird is on its eleventh. As is typical with any electronic equipment, if it is going to fail, 90+% of these fail in the first 24 hours of usage time.  

If you stay with 12V conversion, radio and any other accessories will not need special consideration for negative ground. As for charging, consider putting in a single wire  GM style alternator.  Voltage regulator is built in and 100 amp unit can be had for not much more than 40 to 60 amp (just my 2 cents worth as I am quite happy having done this.

Sounds like a great Father-Daughter project.
Good Luck,

Al
Columbia MD



 

Bill: I don't have any personal experience with an electronic conversion failure, but according to some on this site & in Y-Block magazine it has occurred. The main reason to do it is convenience, but you might want to carry a points/condensor in your Glove Box..


Paul

Update - after running compression check -had some cylinders at 60 psi - some at 100 psi - so much variance - I'm assuming rings are stuck or maybe cracked? Car had been sitting for a while. Also found one pushrod not there! Discovered this after learning with some more research that "valve lash" settings were important so as I proceeded we discovered that number one is gone- must be in the oil galley broken. So we are going to go through a complete fresh rebuild professionally - we do have a renowned ford guy locally that has the full gamete machine shop and reputation for building reliable engines. Thanks again for everyone's input. We now have a manual for the car which is very informative so we are proceeding! I'm sure when we get the engine and trans and clutch addressed the very next thing we will do is go the 12 volt conversion route and also the electronic ignition conversion so the car can be more reliable.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and input and look forward to being part of the forums !

Respectfully,

Bill in Georgia

In answer to your question, the 1957 Ford Service Manual lists the cranking compression at sea level being 160 lbs. for the eight cylinder engines.
 
My 272 has been upgraded with an Isky E4 camshaft but is otherwise a stock rebuild at 0.020” over and the original heads.  With any increase in camshaft duration, the intake valve does close later which in turn will drop the cranking compression numbers to a lower value.  Besides the starter condition also affecting the cranking compression numbers, compression testing gauges can also vary in their readings.  As long as the readings are all consistent, I’d not be overly concerned with the actual number based on some of the gauges I’ve used over the years.  A gauge that has been used on a ‘hot’ engine will many times give lower than expected readings.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Just a quick thought, First let me say BRAVO to your young daughter seeing the beauty in an old classic. Regarding your smoke I was wondering if you could be seeing water vapor and not oil could there be a leaking head gasket or a crack in the block when the engine comes up to temp . Just a though

Hey thanks Ted! For your input - should we expect higher compression on our 272 or is your engine been souped up with high performance components? Is my figure of 130 psi cranking pressure for a stock engine incorrect. Please advise!

Respectfully,

Bill in Georgia

It’s desirable for the cranking compression readings between all the cylinders to not vary any more than 10% between the highest and lowest.  My 272 runs in the 155-160 psi range on a cranking compression test.  That would mean no more than a 16 lb. variance between the lowest and highest readings.  Be sure to run the cranking compression test with the throttle blocked wide open.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

el
I use a Dremel Tool with cutting Wheel. Cut the filter all the way around above the Base. Nice and neat.  

  

Hey meteor thanks for that tip - we will also look into that possibility as well! Will advise what we find along with the compression check.

Respectfully,

Bill in Georgia