The Ford Barn

55blacktie · 03-18-2022, 07:22 PM

My 1957 Tbird tach-drive distributor has the following underneath FEJ-12127-A2: H 721. Is H 721 the date code? If so, does that translate to Month (August), Year (57), and Day (21st)?

dmsfrr · 03-18-2022, 08:43 PM

Yes as far as I know it's the date code.
The date you mentioned would be my first guess, esp if it's the original distributor and just before the build date of the car, but I have no documents that confirm how to read the 50's date codes.

The year/month/day format & the use of letters or numbers in the various date codes on different parts may to be subject to unknown circumstances.

I've seen some strange combinations.

https://www.fordification.com/tech/datecodes.htm

.

55blacktie · 03-18-2022, 09:03 PM

Thanks, dmsfrr. However, there is an FEJ-12127-A2 distributor on ebay that also has H 721. Unless many of those distributors were made on the same day, it seems highly unlikely that they would share the same date code. Stranger things have been known to happen.

dmsfrr · 03-18-2022, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 55blacktie

... Unless many of those distributors were made on the same day, it seems highly unlikely that they would share the same date code. Stranger things have been known to happen.

Due to the different setup, casting and machining processes for tach drive distributors they may have been built in batches, a bunch of them at once, to simplify the turn-around time in creating distributors for the Y-block V8 57's.

Just because I have the photos, here are a few examples of other '57 tach drive distributors with different date codes...
Something I just noticed as I posted these... They all have a letter "H" as the prefix, so that wouldn't be the month but something else. The date code may just be the three digits: year, month & day.

55blacktie · 03-18-2022, 10:51 PM

Great photos, but the first and last don't fit the month, year, day pattern. There can't be "61" or "53" days in a month. I'm stumped.

It's only important to me because I will probably sell mine. It's in excellent bolt-in condition, having seen little use in the last 50 years. It came out of my dad's 55 Tbird, which I inherited. I didn't realize it was not a 55 distributor, until I attempted to install a new, 55 distributor cap, which was too small. The original 55 Teapot carburetor had not been modified to work with the later 57 distributor. My dad probably had no idea, being more concerned with the cars appearance.

I know the 57 distributor, having both vacuum and centrifugal advance is superior to the earlier Loadomatic vacuum-advance-only distributors, but a 57 owner, who needs an OEM 57 distributor, will find it desirable. I'm going electronic and hope the sale of the FEJ will fund the purchase of Harland Sharp 1.6 roller rockers.

dmsfrr · 03-18-2022, 11:11 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 55blacktie

Great photos, but the first and last don't fit the month, year, day pattern. There can't be "61" or "53" days in a month. I'm stumped. ... a 57 owner, who needs an OEM 57 distributor, will find it desirable. ...

IF, you were to use just the last digit as the 'day' then it could(?) work, but what about more than 10 months in the year needing another digit?
Like I said earlier I'm just guessing and don't really know date codes as well as I like to.

The OEM used '57 T-Bird distributors I've seen for sale recently on ebay are going for around $700. There are others listed for more but I suspect they'll be there for a while.

The semi-recent introduction of the less expensive reproduction tach drive distributors might have affected the selling prices???
.

55blacktie · 03-18-2022, 11:29 PM

For someone who isn't concerned about originality, the aftermarket distributors are an option, even if they're Made in China. Being that my block is from a 56, I'm past 100% original, but I will hold onto all of my original 55 parts, even if I don't use them. Sometimes you can "go back."

$700, unless Ted Eaton has recently increased the cost of the HS rocker arms, is just about what they will cost. Maybe it will turn out to be a win-win situation.

scicala · 03-19-2022, 10:49 AM

The date code is the 1st week of February, 1957.

55blacktie · 03-19-2022, 01:05 PM

Sal, will you enlighten me and dmsfrr and explain how you came to that conclusion? Thanks.

55blacktie · 03-19-2022, 01:10 PM

Year (7), Month (2), Week (1)? What is the significance of the H?

55blacktie · 03-19-2022, 01:13 PM

Year, Month, and Week can't be right, because two of the distributors in dmsfrr's photos have 0 for month.

dmsfrr · 03-19-2022, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 55blacktie

Year, Month, and Week can't be right, because two of the distributors in dmsfrr's photos have 0 for month.

That 'could' be for the tenth month, but then you've got Nov. and Dec.

55blacktie · 03-19-2022, 01:27 PM

Although I'm not into concours judging, I would think deciphering the date code (if that's what it is), could be an issue.

55blacktie · 03-19-2022, 03:08 PM

dmsfrr, I think you're right about "H" not being part of the date code.

paul2748 · 03-19-2022, 07:28 PM

On TBird concours judging, they don't go into date codes on distributors, at least not on CTCI judging..

The FEJ - A2 is the correct distributor for a 1957 C or D Bird per Gil Baungartner and Ford literature

paul2748 · 03-19-2022, 07:32 PM

Double post

55blacktie · 03-20-2022, 11:20 AM

Paul, you are correct, regarding H 721 numbers for judging. Gil Baumgartner confirmed it.

Thank you.

03-18-2022, 07:22 PM	#1
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor My 1957 Tbird tach-drive distributor has the following underneath FEJ-12127-A2: H 721. Is H 721 the date code? If so, does that translate to Month (August), Year (57), and Day (21st)?

03-18-2022, 08:43 PM	#2
dmsfrr Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Abq, NM Posts: 3,607	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Yes as far as I know it's the date code. The date you mentioned would be my first guess, esp if it's the original distributor and just before the build date of the car, but I have no documents that confirm how to read the 50's date codes. The year/month/day format & the use of letters or numbers in the various date codes on different parts may to be subject to unknown circumstances. I've seen some strange combinations. https://www.fordification.com/tech/datecodes.htm . Last edited by dmsfrr; 03-18-2022 at 08:55 PM.

03-18-2022, 09:03 PM	#3
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Thanks, dmsfrr. However, there is an FEJ-12127-A2 distributor on ebay that also has H 721. Unless many of those distributors were made on the same day, it seems highly unlikely that they would share the same date code. Stranger things have been known to happen.

03-18-2022, 10:51 PM	#5
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Great photos, but the first and last don't fit the month, year, day pattern. There can't be "61" or "53" days in a month. I'm stumped. It's only important to me because I will probably sell mine. It's in excellent bolt-in condition, having seen little use in the last 50 years. It came out of my dad's 55 Tbird, which I inherited. I didn't realize it was not a 55 distributor, until I attempted to install a new, 55 distributor cap, which was too small. The original 55 Teapot carburetor had not been modified to work with the later 57 distributor. My dad probably had no idea, being more concerned with the cars appearance. I know the 57 distributor, having both vacuum and centrifugal advance is superior to the earlier Loadomatic vacuum-advance-only distributors, but a 57 owner, who needs an OEM 57 distributor, will find it desirable. I'm going electronic and hope the sale of the FEJ will fund the purchase of Harland Sharp 1.6 roller rockers.

03-18-2022, 11:29 PM	#7
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor For someone who isn't concerned about originality, the aftermarket distributors are an option, even if they're Made in China. Being that my block is from a 56, I'm past 100% original, but I will hold onto all of my original 55 parts, even if I don't use them. Sometimes you can "go back." $700, unless Ted Eaton has recently increased the cost of the HS rocker arms, is just about what they will cost. Maybe it will turn out to be a win-win situation.

03-19-2022, 10:49 AM	#8
scicala Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Detroit suburb, MI Posts: 3,698	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor The date code is the 1st week of February, 1957.

03-19-2022, 01:05 PM	#9
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Sal, will you enlighten me and dmsfrr and explain how you came to that conclusion? Thanks.

03-19-2022, 01:10 PM	#10
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Year (7), Month (2), Week (1)? What is the significance of the H?

03-19-2022, 01:13 PM	#11
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Year, Month, and Week can't be right, because two of the distributors in dmsfrr's photos have 0 for month.

03-19-2022, 01:27 PM	#13
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Although I'm not into concours judging, I would think deciphering the date code (if that's what it is), could be an issue.

03-19-2022, 03:08 PM	#14
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor dmsfrr, I think you're right about "H" not being part of the date code.

03-19-2022, 07:28 PM	#15
paul2748 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midland Park, NJ Posts: 3,979	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor On TBird concours judging, they don't go into date codes on distributors, at least not on CTCI judging.. The FEJ - A2 is the correct distributor for a 1957 C or D Bird per Gil Baungartner and Ford literature __________________ 48 Ford Conv 56 Tbird 54 Ford Victoria Last edited by paul2748; 03-19-2022 at 07:35 PM.

03-19-2022, 07:32 PM	#16
paul2748 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midland Park, NJ Posts: 3,979	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Double post __________________ 48 Ford Conv 56 Tbird 54 Ford Victoria

03-20-2022, 11:20 AM	#17
55blacktie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2020 Posts: 441	Re: FEJ-12127-A2 Distributor Paul, you are correct, regarding H 721 numbers for judging. Gil Baumgartner confirmed it. Thank you.