Have a look at Ebay item#200550190574.I have heard of these kits but never seen one.Until now

  

Wow, that's a real find there. I'm going to watch it and see how much it sells for.

Now bid to $4250 reserve  not met!

  

  Wow. FoMoCo dual quad intake manifold, both carbs, all the linkage, heads, lifters, springs, camshaft. Even instructions. If I were a rich man...

I'd spend the winter tearing down my engine and having fun installing all that stuff, and probably bump up the value of my y-block besides.

Did anyone know this kit even existed...?

Joey:

There is documentation on these kits, even a bulletin from Ford which included the instructions for installing the kit and a flat rate time from which to figure the dealer's mechanic's pay.  I read a long time ago that the kits sold for about $400 in '56.  I have a copy of a letter from Ford to the dealers offering leftover kits for $100.  This may well be one of those $100 kits.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Thanks John. Some pretty cool info.

I believe this is the kit I posted on several months ago. The owner mentioned he would sell it at a later date.

My "55 years of Mercury" book says this concernig 1956 Mercury models... which production actually started in 1955.

"There was also a 225hp engine option introduced in the later part of the year. In addition, a dealer installed M260 engine kit was released in January 1956. it consisted of a new camshaft, cylinder heads and an intake manifold with two four-barrel Holley carburetors. This was used primarily for stock car racing."

Now come on... Don't tell me you have never heard that...

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

Seppo:

What is really strange is that the Merc 260 kit did not use the same intake manifold as the Ford 260.  May also have used Carter carbs instead of Holleys.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

What never made sense to me were why new cylinder head castings, valve springs, and keepers were supplied in the kit, but the instructions told you to use the old valves and I assume old valve spring retainers.  Why not just supply the cylinder heads already assembled?

Regards,

Dennis