Hi Guys, Newbie from Australia.

Recently imported a 56 2Dr hardtop Mercury Monterey into Australia and want to replace the dual point mechanical advance Mallory Magspark distributor it has in it currently. The car runs 4BBL WCFB Carter so its a standard (for now!). The question I have is will a Ford/Mercury 57-59 vacuum advance distributor be a simple and straight forward replacement? I have heard to stay away from the 55/56 dual vacuum load-o-matic distributors?



I intend on converting whatever I get to Pertronix Ignitor II system with match flame thrower II Coil, is there anything I should be aware of electrically (& wiring) or is there something better I should be looking at?



Regards, Brian

Brian

Kilsyth Australia

A Pair of 56 Mercury 2Dr H/Top's

The best service distributor deal here in the USA is the rebuilt/replacement for the last edition of the 292 built in 1964. What you ask for is a rebuilt for a 292 cid 1964 F-100 pick-up truck. It will have a useful advance curve, and both mechanical and vacuum advance of the more modern type. The only reported problems with them have been som instances of excessive endplay (easily fixed) and some mis-installed advance springs. A much larger percentag have simply been drop in and go. 

Do a little cruising of our past threads and you will find several of our Aussie mates that can guide you on your own home turf.  Our friend "Talkwrench" - Rob MacDonald - in Perth has been through the whole set-up you are asking about and by now- knows the drill for sure. He may know a good way to get the parts found and shipped - dunno for sure.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Brian,

Your approach is common sence and easy. I have done the same thing on my Mainline Ute. I generally deal with Dennis Carpenter or Macs auto and I bought a reconditioned dizzy from one of them. I paid the core price and frieght but I generally get a few other parts as well. (the core price is cheaper than frieght).

I got it running on points and drove it for a while and converted to the flamethrower II as I like the safety cut off which stops it burning out. I bought the flamethrower II off ebay as pertronix does not seem to have a OS option for frieght. I run a bosch GT40 transitorised coil but would like a better one later. you may find one through that company you buy the dizzy from.

You will have to check prices as these have changed and the exchange rate always has a bearing.

Cheers

Warren

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

If you are not comfortable with Internet give aussiebill on this site a pm. Bill is very helpful and can probably help you. Generally speaking our distributors in Oz are not the best to use as from my experience, the only ones we had were the the loadamatic and then the ball bearing plate dizzies. The later model F series may have the later distributor you need. They have a bent arm vacuum canister. The straight arm canisters are very hard to find here.

Another suggestion is to cut the end off a driveshaft of a Windsor dizzy and extend it using your drive shaft welded on the end. Bill has done this before.

If your comfortable with the Internet and/or eBay the correct dizzy is always on eBay. A couple of years ago I picked up a NOS dizzy for $20 plus post. Nowadays the killer is the post.

If you are new to all this stuff aussiebill aka Cusso Bill is a great guy to deal with.

Regards


Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

Just to add something further depending on the depth of your wallet MSD make an excellent billet dizzy for yblocks. They bolt straight in and sure look good.

Regards

Rick - West Australia
Do Y Blocks Downunder run upside down? Gravity Sucks!!

Brian,

I will add that the referbed dizzy I got was the later three sided body type.

I have a (very) well worn y block unit you can have. The spring posts are almost worn through etc, etc, so if you are into some fabrication and willing to chance it, your welcome to it.

Cheers

Warren  

Grizzly (Aussie Mainline)

Gee, look at all the Aussies that just popped up

Where's Bill now?

Gary - 1958 Star Customline and 1940 Ford Deluxe Hotrod

    You stated that you have a WCFB Carb.  They have  manifold vacuum.  It is my understanding that you need throttle vacuum to properly operate the vac. advance on the Ford distributor.  Most likely the person that set up your engine knew this also and that is probably the reason that he installed the Mallory which usually has a manual advance.  Maybe some of the experts can chime in on this and give us more info. 

There were/are three vacuum sources available - depending on the carburetor.

(1) The Ford "Load-O-Matic" distributors depended on VENTURI vacuum as a signal proportional to engine speed. In effect - how much air is bing sucked down the intake manifold? This signal came from a carefully placed orfice in the caburetor venturi - vacuum was induced by air flow over the open orfice. The carb either has this port or it doesn't - Ted knows how to add it to some of the carbs that will accept the modification. Ford used this system on the Y's up to 1957 - with no centrifugal advance.

(2) MANIFOLD vacuum - simply the level of vacuum existing in the plenum of the intake manifold tract under the carburetor. Suction provided by the engine working as an air pump with the throttle at various opening levels. Can be a good source of engine information and tuning aid if you know the "signal" the gauge is giving you. Can be used as a source of vacuum signal to a distributor if the arrangement is designed and tuned for it.

(3) PORTED vacuum - In simple terms this a a source of manifold vacuum (2) that is regulated by the primary throttle plate of the carburetor. At idle the port is at atmospheric pressure - no vacuum. As the throttle opens, the port is gradually exposed to full manifold vacuum. Ford used this vacuum signal for the vacuum advance system on vehicles 1957 and later - to sum with the centrifugal advance.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Let me add that the distributor recommended uses ported vacuumfor the vacuum advance. I'ts a good match and will work fine. Don't get confused with the loadamatic. The 64 distributor is not one of those.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart)