First post here, but been lurking & searching for a while. Great information from very smart folks here.

I have a 56 Bird, with T-pot & load-o-matic with the famous off idle hesiation. T-pot sent off to Pony for the big $ rebuild, still the same. From searching the forums it appears I should go to a 64 F100 style dizzy & a 57 intake with Holley 395 or similar carb.

My question is can I do this in stages? Dizzy first, intake/carb later when I can save the money? If so, how to hook up vacuum advance to 56 intake?

cheers!

Brian - 56 T-Bird

Woodinville WA

I would do distributor first.Thats what I did.You should notice a difference in the way it runs.You will have to plug the  vacuum outlet on the carb(use a pipe plug).That way you can always switch back if you sell the car or just want it back to original.Hook the new dist. into the outlet on the manifold.The distributor you want is listed as being for a 64 F100 with 282.Autozone or(your choice) can order it and you will need a cap and rotor for Ford  up to 1974 eight cylinder.By the way,I was told that "hesitation" off idle was a problem from day one when these were new.I tried a "fix" on mine by opening up a passage with a very tiny drill bit.It helped but it was still there.I had mine rebuilt too.Then I changed distributors and the intake manifold and added a new 390 cfm Holley carb.Now it runs very well.Starts immediately even after sitting.(gas doesnt disappear from the bowl),I would not have bothered with the original carb if I knew than what I know now.

  

Greetings from the southwest....

Do consider finding a replacement distributor - just as Mark suggested, a '64 truck 292 item is the best to ask for. It won't be able to drive your tach - so you may have to get an electric unit to subsitute into the dash. Plumb a connection to the wiper vacuum / power brake port at the rear center behind the carb.

Look for a deal on an ECZ-9425-B four barrel intake manifold - ebay is not usually a good place to shop these days - I've seen some better deals on Craig's list. At a glance, it can be seen to have the characteristic Holley 4150/4160 base gasket shape.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Brian, Before you give up on your load o matic make sure that the diaphram (s) are intact and the distributor is in fact advancing the timing. You can buy a dial back timing lite at Harbor Freight for about $15. I drove my 55 Tbird with the Tea Pot and Load o for years and it worked very well. Pete

What is your initial timing set at? A little more advance may get rid of the hesitation.

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

I have to agree with Pete. If you spend some time and money all you have can be saved to function well.

But If you are after a performance change you'll need to do as others have said. Just don't ditch all the other stuff so quick. Most of us will also tell you that performance comes with a price. Once you start down THAT road its gets a little harder to turn back. Just trying to save you a buck, now I'll shut up.

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

Thanks for all the replies.

This car has been in the family since 57. It was my Mom's car, she passed it on to me a few years ago when she passed on. It was the car I learned to drive on many years ago. Since I have had it, I have re-done the interior & have been working on the exterior. Now I want to work on the engine some. My goal is a bit better performance & drivability (hence the later dizzy & intake/carb eventually). She also tends to run on the hot side despite the CASCO high volume water pump & smaller pulley. I assume it's crud build up in the rear water jackets, so I want to attack that in the future with a very mild performance rebuild (heads have never been off the car). Something like a cruise night cam.

Current initial timing is ~8 degrees.

Brian - 56 T-Bird

Woodinville WA

I would push the timing up too 10 degrees and see if that helps.

-Gary Burnette-

Brian , Welcome aboard. Good looking car. Dizzy is most likely the cheapest and easiest change to make. Finding a tach drive distributor is almost an impossibility and expensive. They are out there but stirring one up is hard to do. The intake is around everywhere you look. Price is not too bad, 100 bucks and up. I bought my 390 carb from Carburetor Rebuilders in Arizona. Not too bad 155.00 exchange.  All boils down to what you want to do first . My problem was the Tach. and finding a replacement dizzy. I didnt want to be without it so I looked and found one and all is well. I have a few contacts and will check with them to see if they have any of what you need lying around. I assure you they will be very affordable.  You may want to consider a 6 blade fan. Contact John Mummert in Ca.  for help with the cam. He is the one to go to for parts and advice. His website has a ton of tech info that may help you.  Again welcome . Enjoy the ride. Earl

55Birdman  Hickory NC

I just "have to" ask this - does it have the same hesitation if you start out in low gear? I finally came to the conclusion that the second gear start only works well with a "like new" engine, carb, tune-up, etc. Anything less than right on the money - its not going to perform the way you think it should. There is a very thin line between "'enough" torque for a smooth pull away from stop - and choking up. Guys with the stick transmission rarely say a word about hesitation.....

The over-heating difficulty is indeed a hint that all is not well with the dual diaphragm advance system. I'm not up to snuff on current pricing - but the vacuum pot replacements may cost as much as the later re-built distributor.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona