RickRacer

Minn64gal, I called Napa but they couldn't find an adjustable vacuum advance unit......do you happen to have a part number for the one your telling me about?

Minn64Gal

Have you ever tried Napa's online catalog feature? Very simple to use, just plug in your car's year, make and model at the top of the front page, and then you can filter for whatever you're looking for.

In your car's case I plugged in 1966 289 and got about 3 hits for vac advances. This is their 'entry level' priced one, around $22:

NAPA AUTO PARTS

If you plug in your zip code where it tells you to, it will spit out local inventory. This way, no need to make wasted trips, you merely add it to your 'cart', hold it online and the store will hold it for you there -up to a couple days. And yes, these are adjustable, but likely, most of the counter guys simply don't know this, considering the bulk of their parts look-ups are on much newer vehicles, lol.

Once you check out all their vac advances for your make/model online, see if they stock them, that way you can do a visual right there to decide which one is gonna work for you.

To verify it's an adjustable type, simply peer into the vacuum port and look for a hex head screw in there ... If I remember right it's 3/32". If you don't have any hex 'keys', pick up a cheap ring of them right there at Napa. They are verry inexpensive. (in fact you can ask to borrow one there to verify the wrench size). The advance will come with a sheet containing a multitude of Ford dizzy numbers, and the adjustment plus other pertinent data for each app.

Anyways, go check out my link, putz around with it, then, go from there with Napa. They will locate stock, or order in parts for you, just ask.

Hope I covered it for ya. Norm

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Norm
1964 Gal 500 2dr sportsroof, 390, 4spd

Mroldfart2U

When I plugged the known info into the NAPA search box with my zip it has 5 different 'cans' aval. the one that has been posted is one of them. It looks to be the 'in house' brand, they have 4 different echlin branded ones.
pt#'s are as follows:
ECH-VC945
ECH-VC970
ECH-VC975
ECH-VC915

Those are priced from 28 - 35 bux. the 'house' brand is 20 bux.....


HTH



MRO.....

ps.none have a description/specs listed.

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Cheap, Fast, Reliable... Pick 2...
'70 Mach1 351C 4v 4sp 4:56's Been abused sense '79, needing tlc
'61 Fairlane 500 292 2v Cruise-o-Matic also needing tlc

PSIG

Right. So others know - the difference between the various part numbers is the specs. They each have different amounts of total advance and when and how fast the advance happens as vacuum is greater. It's been a while since I last asked, but the counter guys at NAPA should have those specs in a counter reference.

David

A partial listing of various units used in Fords. This list does not include the Echlin/NAPA numbers

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-=≡ If it was easy everyone would do it ≡=-

RickRacer

Guys,

I checked out the Napa site and will call them to find out if they do have the specs for the units listed.

So far this is the break down:

Pertronix module in stock distributor: $64
Spare Pertronix module: $81
Mr. Gasket advance springs: $4.25
Napa vacuum advance unit: $32 (higher price unit if needed)
Recurve distributor cost: $90
Polish distributor: $25

Total cost: $296.25

Is it worth it....?

Minn64Gal

You're likely to get a pretty diverse set of opinions here .....

First off though:

You could always just buy a NAPA rebuilt distributor, swap everything over that is an upgrade (your Petronix et al) and it will then come with a new vac advance on it. I did not check prices on NAPA's site, but I bet it's verry reasonable.

In my opinion, right out of the box, a rebuilt dizzy will offer you a good baseline from which you can tweak and improve as you teach yourself some recurving techniques.

Further:

I like points, thus I could shave all that Petronix money off. (I'm sure Petronix is a verry nice upgrade mind you and still may do mine later)

I'd do my own 'driveway recurve', but that's me. shave off $90 more

I would leave the dist body alone other than cleaning it, or, if I had to, find a good raw aluminum color type paint bomb from Eastwood or similar, and make it look stock. "Polishing" it on a wire wheel looks too um, odd to me, lol.

The advance value is subjective, I bought the $22 one for my Gal and it works perfectly, adjusted up very nice, etc.

Now .... if you're minding your dollars here, make sure your cam lobes are in good shape, check that breaker plate I mentioned earlier, and also, while at it, check the lower end for excessive play where the dizzy shaft goes up into the dist housing, plus ....check your cam drive gear. All-in-all, you wanna make sure the shaft isn't bent/warped, the gear isn't worn and that it is a good candidate for all this additional money you want to spend on it.

If you don't wanna do all of the above, the rebuilt dizzy is likely your best bet. ....my 2¢ on it.

Have fun with it, either way Norm

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Norm
1964 Gal 500 2dr sportsroof, 390, 4spd

RickRacer

I like the idea of doing the recurve myself and buying a new stock distributor from Napa might be the way to go. To recurve the unit all I'd be doing is replacing the springs and put the pertronix unit in it. Then drive it and see how she does right? Then I could keep bumping up the initial timing a few degrees and test it again?

PSIG

I wouldn't get a spare PerTronix. If installed correctly, they are very reliable, but if you're paranoid (that's OK) then just throw the new points from teh reman distributor in your glove box for backup. Free and new, and replaceable on the roadside. You should already have a wrench, screwdriver and test light in your trunk kit to install and time it.

Also note the reman distributor may have an original-style vac canister, which is adjusted with shims rather than a hex wrench. You'll either need a set of shims to tune, or swap it for an adjustable version.

How you set your curve depends on what your goal is. Are you restoring to stock spec's - looking for driveability - mileage - power - combination?

David

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-=≡ If it was easy everyone would do it ≡=-

Minn64Gal

I suggest, if you decide to go with the rebuilt dizzy; Run it stock out of the box (sure, add your petronix to it), then you have a starting point.

Once you get your 3.50 gears and complete any other mods to the engine, drivetrain, etc, you have planned ....then... go after all the fine tuning of the dizzy's curve and so forth.

Avoid the temptation of wanting to do everything all at once, read on:

The key to making changes is to always have a baseline you can refer to. If you go about changing too many things all at once, you run the risk of going in the wrong direction. This is a practice that I emphasize strongly ...for any mods, on a car, or for that matter, any piece of equipment, electronics, etc.

I'm sure you've heard and read the stories about someone throwing a ton of new "go" parts at a car, only to wind up with less than desired results.

Read any good articles on engine/ignition mods you can, study them, and get a notebook so you can write down things as you go. Not only is it smart to, you'll also be tracking the changes you make, so you can actually see what's happening.

If you're not thaat into all this tracking and note taking stuff and just wanna "plug-n-play", then yep, send your dizzy out.

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Norm
1964 Gal 500 2dr sportsroof, 390, 4spd

RickRacer

I'll try and resist the temptation of throwing a bunch of parts on at once....it's not easy! I need to think about the distributor project and just which way I want to go with it. I'll concentrate on the 3rd member rebuild right now and get it ready to install, then do the C4 mods and then finally the distributor. Just those changes should wake up the 66 to where I might be happy with the performance for awhile....

BTW Norm....you happen to be driving one of my favorite Fords of all time! If I would have found a 64 Gal then I would have been driving it, my 66 is another favorite. Makes a guy wish he had enough garage space and cash to buy more.

PSIG....I already have a spare pertronix unit in the truck and have had one in the distributor for over 5 years now. Seems to be working fine in my case.


Here's my 66

Minn64Gal

Your Fairlane is a beaut! Ironically, some decades ago I was verry into 66-67 Fairlanes, and my yard, 2 garages and even inside my house, looked it too, lol. Then when I decided to move here I needed surgical removal from those cars and parts, haha. Now just a couple yrs ago I decided I wanted to get back into owning an old Ford again, and yep, I looked at Fairlanes plus other models, before landing on this Gal. Funny how that goes, yes?

I think when you're done with the gear change alone, you will be very pleasantly surprised by it. 289's are such great revvers, and in a Fairlane, that's a nice all-around platform, not too heavy (compared to a Gal), and will still hook up well, yet squeal them on command (yea, I was young once too, teehee).

Hope to hear more about yours as you progress with it. Norm

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Norm
1964 Gal 500 2dr sportsroof, 390, 4spd

puttster

Great link to O'reilly $4 recurve kit!

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Putts drives a 1965 four door Galaxie. Rebuilt 390. 4100 on a Performer, AC, PS, PB w scarebird front discs, COM MX transm w/3.0 R.E. The seats, dash and hood are customized.

RickRacer

OK guys, Finally got the rebuilt dizzy from Napa and took the points and stuff out and added new cotter pins to hold the clamps on and for fun I cleaned up all the housing and polished it. I also noticed when I looked thru the plate and saw it has the 13L-18L cam arms on it. I thought it would of had the 10L-15L arms so I'm guessing I got the better deal?
Anyway I'll add the pertronic to it and even keep the stock springs in her so I know it's working right before I do a recurving attemp.

One thing I did notice right away was that there is no wick in the top of the shaft but there is a lot of grease in it......is this OK?

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