I would have to say the 292 had the Tbird decals, after all the 292 - 312 were used in the Tbird till 58 then the engines were replaced by I want to say the fe series engine.

I have a pink book, reproduction, says All the facts about the 1956 Ford and it talks about the 272 but it also talks about the new Thunderbird 292 and Thunderbird 312.

Then theres this, this is whats on the fender.



I am not going to post the whole vin but the first three digits are as follows

M6D

M = 292 OHV Y8 202HP
6 = 1956
D = Dallas, Texas

I also know the emblem wasnt added on later on because when would it be added? Been sitting since 1985 and I dont recall any place selling reproduction emblems. Then theres the fact that I have people that remember seeing the engine years ago and verify it said Thunderbird on the valve covers. I mean its no big deal though I was just trying to figure out if different heads would have let ford put the Thunderbird Special decal on the smaller 292 engines.

On the carb, I dont know the miliage that she will get now, has a Motorcraft carb from 74. I wa thinking about just getting a 58 292 motorcraft carb or a 59 or so. Odds are it wouldnt have that transmission kickdown hookup on the carb like this one.

 

I appoligize I didnt read what you said right, I agree though I dont think the trucks said Thunderbird Y8 on the valve covers like the cars did since the cars got the Thunderbird Y8 emblem on the fenders. I might be wrong about that but I have more knowledge on the cars from my reseach on mine. Not so much on the trucks.

 

292 vs 312 is mainly a different crank, medium throw or long throw. the block number won't tell you. The 292 has cylindrical pistons. The 312 has cuts in the bottom of the pistons like a 302 to clear the crank. I've never seen a 312, but I have a bunch of round pistons 292's. The "D" of the carb says it was designed in 60's, "C" was 50's. 59 fords had a low profile carb that looks like the 2 bbl holley copied off of it, the 59 carb said "fomoco" on it and was made by GM rochester div. 56 carbs were a lot taller. If you're going to win concours contests, look for the original 56 carb and manifold, if you want to drive it a modern holley racing 2bbl will bolt right on your manifold and you can get jets to set it anyway you like. Even if you could find jets for a 74 carb, they will be stuck in. Modern RFGas is too thin, blackens plugs, I run holley 4bbls withthe smallest jets I can buy. Fordomatic 3 transmission (I had one I drove 300000+ till the rear case flange wore out) did not eat up the fluid unless the paper clutches went bad and burned it, I didn't change fluid in a fordomatic unless it went under water. Operating transmissions at stupid high temperatures and requiring fluid change was a later invention. Original fluid was type A suffix A, basically 5 w non-detergent motor oil, and a red dye. Closest thing they sell now is SUS34 hydraulic fluid, but no red color. Dexron II or later has way too much detergent now for these relics, use type F fluid if you have to buy at the auto supply. The cheapest type of tractor store hydraulic fluid is pretty close, the ones compatiblewith JD and other specs have more additives.

 

I made a follow up post in another thread, I found the orignal manifold and carb. But even if I kept the 2V carb on her now you couldnt tell cause the 1974 motorcraft carb and the 1956 holley carb has roughly the same heigth between the carb flange and the oil bath filter flange.

All my books I have came across says Type F replaced Type A. My 78 uses Type F cause its a FMX which the Ford-O-Matic is the father design.

But I made an error cause I was getting excited over the fact that the block code came back as 292 - 312 but I totally forgot that the vin tag indicates the engine is a 292.

As far as winning contests, I dont really plan to put her in shows. Every show I have been to ended up with having to be around people that talk bad about vehicles cause of their make or talk about how they wouldnt own such a ugly vehicle, even though the owner could be near by. Not only that but the car is bare bones, AM Radio, Fresh air heater, 292, back up lights and other than that nothing else. If I did take the car to a show there are closed hood shows where the hood remains closed and you dont see or judge based off that. My whole goal was put the car back to where it could have just rolled off the assembly line and drive the vehicle. Might end up going back to the 1960 manifold with the 74 motorcraft carb if I run into the holley 4000 most common problem of leaking.

 

C is 60's D is 70's Th autolite 2bbl is a holley ripoff not the other way around. Type A trany fluid is still available I belive either havoline or valveoline make it. I may be wrong but pronto also sells it. Jets are still available for any Holley carb as well as the autolites.
I may be wrong but the skirting on the 312 is no different to my recollection than a 292. Just main size, crank, and rods.
Indianajo?

 

the C code is on the manifold the D code is on the carb. That where information is getting mixed up. the intake manifold is a 1960 model (C code) the carb is a 1974 model (D4 code)

I havent looked up the Type A fluid though but I have seen that Type F replaced Type A and to use Type F in any transmission calling for Type A.

I found one site that said this.

"Type F is specifically designed for all pre-1977 Ford vehicles and some makes between 1977 and 1981. Effective March 1997, Ford discontinued administration of approvals for Type F fluids. However, there are still many vehicles on the road that use Type F. Type F and MERCON fluids are not interchangeable"

I think I will just run Type F since I already got a case of it for my 78. If I could find Type A I might consider running that if it woudnt hurt mixing Type A and Type F.

On the pistons my ford illustation catalog shows the same non cut skirt piston for the 292 and 312.

 

Go shop to shop and ask them to order type A. If they want your buisness they'll get it. Type F has more friction addtives then type A. Ford developed type F to assure a firmer shift then the current type (A) offered.

 

Question is though would it hurt to run Type F instead of Type A? I dont mind the firmer shifts I am used to it. Just have my preference in brands and dont think Castrol or Vavoline makes a Type A fluid unless I havent heard of it.

 

We had to order it for a 68 galaxie. It is the called fluid in the rag top on my friends convertable. I belive it was one of those two brands. I can call him tomorrow as I know he is sleeping by now and ask him who made it exactly.

Type F will work. It will just burn up clutches a bit quicker. I know of some guys who use type F in their turbo 350s to stop slipage at the end of the vehicles useful life. It works but shortens life spans. I may be wrong but the adative used to increase the friction coefficent is hydrated sillaca. Same stuff as in tarter control toothpaste. Just much much finer.

 

hi, type f trans fluid will stand more heat than type a, thats why ford used it. c-6's run hot especially if you tow a trailer. transmission shops use type A, dextron in everything. GM wants you to rebuild there trany's as often as there engines, Ha! Ha! i'm sorry but ford never used a rochester carb in 59. they did use ABF carters on lincoln and some merc.'s. the only thing that ford used a rochester carb on was a 70 cobrajet 429, it was a quadrajet with ford kickdown linkage. since GM own's rochester ford would never put fomoco on one of there carbs.

 

This is an aircooled Ford-O-Matic 3spd. Might be betterto use type F if is for more heat but then again the 56 has a dry weight of something like 3,200 lbs is what my figures are showing.

I dd a search on Castrol`s and Vavolines site, closest I could find was Type FA in a article saying the same as I posted above. Sadly their website dosnt offer anything that says Type FA, just Type F.

Too tired myself to really look into it but I will look into it more tomorrow.

 

Check out chrysanstore.com. They list ford spec Type A fluid in a 5 Gal pail.
Ill try to get you the manufacturer and PN of the stuff my buddy got. Type A is some pretty old stuff. You can try somthing else but I wouldent want to rebuild a 50 yearold automatic trany. Slushboxes aint cheep.

 

I can get a complete overhaul kit for a 56 3spd ford-o-matic. But the transmission was working when it was parked and it still has new looking transmission fluid in it. Just wouldnt want to mix the fluids.

I did go to some local places, Advance auto didnt have Type A they had Type F and Dex/Mer cron and some generic store brand that says its for all old ford and gm transmissions pre 1980.

I went to Napa and they told me to try a local place in Houston by the name of Jones Oil, that they might carry it or know where I could get it. I havent checked with them yet but going to very soon. The guy at Napa though he remembers Type A but he doesnt remember them carrying it in a long time. Napa how ever had a Type FA but on the back the suffixcode was still just plain F like the plain Type F so I dont know the difference between Type F and Type FA.

I went to Oreilly`s and they didnt have nothing just Type F and that Mercron.

I did how ever searched online last night some before going to bed and found out alot of people were looking for Type A cause their convertible top hydraulic system calls for Type A. So Type A has to still be made if thats the case.

But I will check out chrysanstore though, I dont mind buying it in 5 gallon pails, the car had regular transmission fluid changes and I plan to keep it up engine and transmission when she was parked was on 155,000 miles and never had a rebuild.



~Update~

That site has Ford Type A ATF for roughly $80 for 5 gallons.

I got Dextron ATF for my 63, 12 quarts or 3 gallons for $35 roughly. So I wouldnt mind spending $80 for 20 quarts of transmission fluid. that comes out to $4 a quart which isnt that bad. I paid $3 a quart for the Castrol Type F I use. Would spend $60 for 20 quarts of Type F but hey cant put a price on using the recomended fluids that the factory calls for.

 

The stuff is a ghost. I checked with the parts store where we had got it.
Havoline,-3 qts remain. They no longer manufacture it, So thats it...........

Good luck and long travels.

 

it won't hert to mix the fluids, so use what you've got and buy what you usually buy for everything. if you check, i believe dextron is type A. type F is better because it will stand more heat, whitch is what usually burns up a tranny. watch what additives you put in your trans, some additives for stoping leaks will soften the lip seals to much and your tranny will lock up.