Replacing Teapot carb on 1956 T-bird

[zuburg]

I thought I read on a forum that distributors from later Fords would work on a 1956 Y-block. I thought I even read one from a 1965 289 Mustang would work. Do you know if that is true? Might be a cheaper way to get a distributor to go with the Edelbrock.

Also, how hard was it to set up the linkage on the Edelbrock?

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by zuburg

I thought I read on a forum that distributors from later Fords would work on a 1956 Y-block. I thought I even read one from a 1965 289 Mustang would work. Do you know if that is true? Might be a cheaper way to get a distributor to go with the Edelbrock.

Also, how hard was it to set up the linkage on the Edelbrock?

Changed your mind again ...

No, you need to find a dedicated Y-BLOCK DIST.

The linkage setup (carb to bell-crank) will be very important if your car is a F/M of the period.

[dmsfrr]

Originally Posted by zuburg

I thought I read on a forum that distributors from later Fords would work on a 1956 Y-block. I thought I even read one from a 1965 289 Mustang would work. Do you know if that is true? Might be a cheaper way to get a distributor to go with the Edelbrock. ...

Originally Posted by KULTULZ

...
No, you need to find a dedicated Y-BLOCK DIST.
...

This was discussed in a few other threads here when some chain auto parts store exchange/rebuilt distributor suppliers used 60's sbf distributor cores as a substitute for y-block distributors, causing problems.

The overall length of the main shaft on those newer distributors is slightly shorter, just enough to not fully engage the drive shaft for the oil pump.
If the length of the distributor shaft down to the driven gear is also slightly too short it won't correctly mesh with the drive gear on the cam.
The bottom surface of the driven gear on the distributor shaft must reach its machined ledge inside the block (photo 3) or the pitch and rotation of the drive gear on the camshaft will force it down, trying to make it fit. This can result in serious damage to the vertical thrust surfaces / bushings in the distributor.

[Dobie Gillis]

A SBF distributor could be used but one would need to duplicate the shaft length of a y-block distributor to make it work. The simplest way would be to graft the y-block shaft onto the SBF dizzy. A good machinist could do it.