I just found out last weekend that Holman & Moody is still in business in Charlotte NC. Phone number 704-583-2888. Larry Wallace is their cam grinder & he's been at it for 46 years which goes back to Holman & Moody's hey days. I would say if one talked to Larry & told them exactly what you wanted the car to do he would grind the right cam for it.


Doing Fords for 45 years. '56 Customline Victoria

E.J. in Havana FL

nice 56, i like the color.

 lincoln/merc. y-blocks &mel's                                                               bucyrus, ohio.

3 X 2 is not a set up for me, they do look period correct installed and I think that's the value cause I see them on the eauction all the time sell at around $400 with 94s.  Not to mention the Offy just doesn't compare performance wise.  Looks good on the shelf.

Ted, Redding, CA

Re the Offenhauser intake.. don't waste your time installing it! Use the "B" intake & a suitable carb, max 600cfm. Sell the Offy or shine it up & display it on your garage wall. It's not worth a hoot on the car!

Paul

Started digging around Ford part # and found exactly that with an explaination, "The second character indicates the last digit of year of introduction or revision. The number remains the same until the part goes through a major revision."   

Also this from Mummert and COLORMATCH, "B7ME 312 cu. in. V8 1962? later 312 replacement block. C2AE main webs. Only example seen was a marine." 

I guess it really doesn't matter, but if I was a cat my curiosity would be lethal.

 

Ted, Redding, CA

But that does not necessarily mean that it is a 1957 casting. That number is an Engineering number which is sometimes different than the part number. The same part could be cast for years and the date code will tell you when.

Here's a useful site I just found.

http://mustangtek.com/FordDecode.html#Table21


Lawrenceville, GA

"B" = decade of the 1950's, "7" = 7th year, "M" = Mercury, "E" engine therefore, B7ME = 1957 Mercury engine.  The next group of numbers is the basic part designator (-9424-, intake manifold for example), followed by a suffix which is a series indicator or also used to designate "left" or "right" side.

Billy, forgive the ignorance, but if 3rd letter M is for Mercury what are B, 7 and E, if they can be decoded.  This engine was blue, I can see it under the current red color, were Merc engines blue?  All marines I have seen (in pictures) are blue, which probably means nothing.

My plans for a Mummert manifold are on hold for a couple months, so I bought a B manifold on the auction site, and I'll have a little time to figure out the headers.

Thanks

Ted, Redding, CA

The 3rd letter for ford parts identification does stand for Mercury, however I have seen several FE's in fords with the (I.E.) C5ME blocks, maybe they just got carried away and cast more blocks than they sold/built Mercury's so they just stuck them in Fords.

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

The "M" doesn't necessarily mean Marine.  I took one out of a '59 Mercury a few years ago, but M doesn't necessarily mean Mercury either.  That one was a 312.  I also have a B9ME block that is 292.  Some marine engines had reverse rotation, which meant they used a gear drive for the cam instead of a chain.  Saved them from casting and grinding a special backwards running cam and distributor.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"