I have a 56 Fordomatic Bellcrank (passenger car) that I have modified to fit my 57 "B" 4 barrel intanke manifold (a little judicious grinding on the bottom). I have never seen a 4 barrel original automatic setup. From the picture, which end is "up"? I assume that the linkage needs to be in place so that when the bellcrank is spun, the automatic hookup (driver's side of the linkage) needs to be going towards the rear of the car?

If I am correct in my assumptions, then I need an extra, extra long rod to make the hookup to the Edelbrock carb.

Dan

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Well - here's a couple of photos of the '56 linkage and a diagram that might help. This isn't a Carter - but a lot will be the same. I had some trouble with mine - rapid throttle closing would cause problems with "overtravel"and lock things up. The Phillips screwdriver is slipped through some alignment holes that establish the linkage positon with the carb set at curb idle. Then you work on back from there.

The long link rod to the carb and the ball stud attachment for it came from Speedway. It takes a crazy dogleg to clear everything at full throttle. If you've got the original Ford part - it will show you the way to go with it. I tried to choose a carb lever hole that would make the arc of travel about the same as on the teapot. There is a spec in the Ford-o-Matic book for the accelerator pedal height required. The travel to the floor has to be enough to fully open the carb throttle - then continue on to move the linkage further in the kickdown slot. This travel allowance then allows the kickdown rod further downward movement beyond full throttle.

I finally had to put a positive stop down at the point shown in the diagram - on the back of the manifold  - to stop the thing from toggling over and locking into an "idle" position. This would happen when you deliberately side-slipped the pedal and let the springs throw everything rapidly back to neutral. The "stop" is a sized stack of washers under a longer bolt installed in the manifold bellcrank mounting. On mine, you set-up this stack of washers after you have established the right travel to the floor.

With your linkage locked as shown in the first photo - pull up the kickdown rod and adjust the half clevis to "just" fit on the outboard pin - then give it one turn of slack (rod moves downward). Its a start - may take more to get it to work right. The Fordo book actually recommends a  test port and pressure setting to get things just right. What I do know - you've got to allow enough travel of the pedal or proper kickdown rod adjustment will be tough to find.

Good Luck

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Holy Cow!!!! It doesn't get any better than photos and diagrams! Thanks a lot - I have an excellent starting point. I got my intake, spacer, and carb mounted together, and am now going through "mockup" with the bellcrank before I install on the engine. Obviously, I will have to make some adjustments when the firewall pivot is attached.

Dan

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Steve,

The photos really helped. I think I can use one of my original Fomoco carb linkage rods to go from the bellcrank to the Edelbrock. At first, I could not see how the bellcrank would travel, align, etc., but your photos showed me what to expect. Your bellcrank is exactlly the same as mine, but your setup looks to be on a Tbird - I guess passenger bellcranks work fine on Tbird setups?

About the positive stop...Is this similar to the Fordomatic 2 barrel dashpot that I currently now have? Do you think I will need one to with this Edelbrock? I got to thinking about that yesterday - what is to keep it from stalling out by coming back down too fast. Where exactly did you mount your positive stop again? That drawing you posted is great, is that CAD?

Brodie - thanks for the link - what manual is that out of?

Dan

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

I now have my linkage and carb and intake all "mocked up" as they say, but I guess I cannot do anything further until I actually mount the intake on the motor. Looking forward to better response, fuel economy, no slobbering holley, better distributor/carb compatability, etc. Any further tips y'all might have would be appreciated.

Dan

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Dan - the illustrations of the throttle linkage come out of the "1956-57 FORDOMATIC Shop Manual". The one I have is a reprint with a blue cover and it has the auto trans linkage information that is "missing" from the 1956 Ford Car Shop Manual. There are instructions in it about the use of a pressure gauge and 1/8 NPT test port to set-up the "kickdown" throttle control rod. I have good intentions about getting the necessary test set-up and using it some day ...... but so far I've just acted on the advice of others.

After pulling the blue book out and having a look - it appears to me that the passenger car has the same sort of "cross lever" that transfers the motion of the foot pedal across toward the center of the car - the difference being that this device is on the inside of the firewall on the car - and on the outside of the Thunderbird. Ford calls the connecton between this firewall mounted pivot and the manifold mounted assembly the "accelerator connecting link". On the Thunderbird this was a pair of opposed 90° ball socket links - with a 3/16 threaded rod between them and some tiny nuts to lock the adjustment(!). Mine was bent when I got it. 

Cleaning the engine bay of my "new" outfit caused this link to literally fall apart before my very eyes (upper socket fell apart) - still don't know how the car made it home on the first day. The bad part of this arrangement is that this skinny little (misaligned) link is compressed by operating the foot feed  - not a good strength match if you think about it. I got two new 90° socket links at Ace Hardware, a piece of matching 3/16 "all thread" - and a piece of solid unthreaded 3/16 stainless rod. Adjustment of this link sets the pedal height - after you have the carb at hot idle setting and the 1/4 pin (screwdriver) stuck in the manifold linkage assembly. When I got the pedal height right - I measured the assembly and threaded a "made for the purpose" rod to just fit - with a tiny bit of adjustment. At least the center of the link is now a solid section and not weakened by threading it. It needs a better part if you ask me - I just haven't figured one out yet. This is the next piece you will need when you install the four barrel manifold.

      

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Dan and Steve,

I tried like heck to figure out how keep all those swivel springs and joints, I think I counted 8 or 9 and you know how many adjustments!, when mocking up my AOD in the tbird-but had to forgo it all for a new Lokar throttle and kickdown cable. I know I am slightly off topic here, but I couldn't resist posting the pics. It really bugged me at first not having all the stock looking components-Until the first time I operated the silky smooth pedal. just wish I was done with the whole thing.

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