Distributor from a 1956 yblock i.d.?

[WALFORD'S 56]

Hi Guys....I have a dizzy from a 56 f100 that is a FEK 12131-B and I cannot decipher what pertronix kit to install,and either can pertronix!! The thing was considered stock,till time to install the kit,and it is totally different. I was told it was from a 1960s 289......from auto zone. HOW CAN THAT BE? It was running and ran good till points burnt. ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE HECK THIS IS FROM?

[46yblock]

It definitely isnt from a 289 if the dist. was installed and running. So either you have a loadomatic type which would have been orig. to the '56, or it has been changed to the '57 and later dist., which sounds like the situation. The Pertronix kit number 1281 is used in the later models. I think the number 1282 kit is for loadomatic. So depending upon the Pertronix number, if it doesnt fit you have the other variety of dist.

The later distributors had different styles of plate assemblies, one type '57 to '59, and the other after '59. However I believe each uses the same contact points, and therefore the same Pertronix.

Some of the ebay sellers of Pertronix kits dont understand Y-block application. I bought a 1281 a couple weeks ago and had to talk the seller into shipping it, because he said it wouldnt work. I told him it would, and of course installation was fine. He has a 1281 listing now, and in the description in large red letters "Will not work on Y-Block".

[charliemccraney]

It could be that it is a remanufactured unit and the body was originally used for a 289 application. The bodies are dimensionally the same so as long as everything else is Y block, it will fit. If it was a 289 body originally, then it is not a load-o-matic and the pertronix 1281 will work.

One way I know of to differentiate the two distributors is to look at the points. The '57 and up Y distributors use the same points as a small block.

This is a set of 57 and up points:



If yours look like that, it's '57 and up. If they don't, it's not '57 and up.

Is your '56 6 or 12v?

[WALFORD'S 56]

You guys know your yblocks!!! YES....Pertronix acts like I have some kind of menagerie and I am not able to explain the distributor properly.
My points look like the ones above.
1281 will work then?
I missed 2 car cruises for this? I installed new points and it runs ok.....but wanted to update to electronic......thanks you guys!!!!Bill

[46yblock]

Walford, if your points look like Charlie's pic, then a 1281 will fit even if a rebuilder put the dist. together with an SBF dist. body. The 1281 fits all 1957 to 1974 Ford dist. That includes Ys, mustangs, and 390 engines.

[charliemccraney]

This still may bring up n issue with vehicle voltage. Is your '56 6 or 12v? The Pertronix for '57 - '74 is 12v.

Also, if you still have the '56 carb, you will not be getting the most out of your newer distributor. But it should work fine if the vacuum advance is disconnected and the ports are capped. This may be the area with which Pertronix was having a problem - the incorrect distributor for the model year.

[WALFORD'S 56]

I will wait for my new 1281 to come and try it out...and it better work awesome......the points are good for now,but I hate messing with a rear mounted dizzy......Bill and thanks

[46yblock]

Good point on the voltage, 6 vs 12. One small drawback to the Pertronix can come up if a battery has been drained to the point the starter wont operate properly. If not completely dead the car or truck can often be push started and points will fire enough spark to get the vehicle underway. That wont work well if at all with a Pertronix.

[WALFORD'S 56]

1956 was 1st yr for 12 volt.....but I don't like idea about the low voltage.....points seem better all the time...LOL