1954 Ford Mercury

G

gtickleqld

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Where can i purchase spark plug leads from distributor to spark plug. Will they just go through valley (under manifold) Qld Australia
 
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Welcome to Ford Barn with your 1954 Mercury Monterey Special Custom 4-door Sedan
 
Is the engine an EBY 256 Y-block? Are there original sparkplug wire looms on the engine already?
I'd think nearly any '54 to '62/'64, Y-block 239 to 312 spark plug wire set will fit.
The original plug wire setup ran around the rear and lower sides of the engine. (1st image)

Is there a club near you with other classic US car owners who already know the best / least expensive way to have parts shipped in?
 

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Is the Merc a flathead or an overhead ? Most non-USA 54 Ford/Merc's were flatheads, the same as Canadian cars.
 
If it has a Y-block engine, the last place I would run the cables would be between bottom of intake manifold and valley pan.
These engines all have a series of rubber grommets and brackets that hold the cable sets to the engine block and away from major heat sources.
When a Y-block engine is in the car, it is not a simple job to replace spark plug cables.
A couple moths ago, I put new cables in mine. I bought a duplicate of original set from Ecklers. They had the spark plug numbers embossed in black on a white piece of plastic near the spark plug boot.
Plug all your cables in at the spark plugs and run the cable sets under the exhaust manifolds. Test fit both your rear side brackets first and mark the plug wires with a piece of chalk at the edge of the bracket. Then take the cables back out and install your side grommets and brackets on both sets and re-install them. Now do same thing with the two rear brackets and grommets. Once the brackets are bolted down, you can now plug the cables into the distributor. It took me a couple nights to do the complete swap, so probably 8 or 10 hours, but I'm kindof a perfectionist and wanted to get the cables just right so there was not to much slack on the sides, but there was still plenty of length to plug in the spark plug boots.
 
Thanks for your trouble. My 1954 Merc. is a yblock & the distributor is sadly at the back of the engine. All plug wires come to the front(near fan) & go in the valley the centre of motor under manifold to the back of motor to distributor. It all looks very complicated to me.
 
gtickleqld said:
My 1954 Merc. is a yblock & the distributor is sadly at the back of the engine. All plug wires come to the front(near fan) & go in the valley the centre of motor under manifold to the back of motor to distributor. It all looks very complicated to me.
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I've got to see this. Any chance of a photo(s)?
 
Here is the stock routing. The wire holders are available most any place that sells 54-64 ford parts. Wire kits are also available. I know your in Australia
 

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5851a said:
... did Ford ever change the routing as the went up into the 60"s?
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No, the design remained the same as the up-swept exhaust manifolds would not allow a flyover.

CHEBBY did the same thing in the eighties (TPI). Made for a nice hidden look (yes, I have sinned) ....
 
My Dad had a 64 flareside, just never paid any attention to the under hood. I have sinned over the years myself driving a few sacrificial GM's in the salty winters.
 
5851a said:
My Dad had a 64 flareside, just never paid any attention to the under hood.

I have sinned over the years myself driving a few sacrificial GM's in the salty winters.
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I have simply sinned (never owned one). I worked on them.

You Sir, have mortally sinned ...

:D ...rattle ... rattle ... :D​
 
As long as I'm going to hell I'll spill the beans, a 64 Lemans buckets and console had a Ford 3 speed though, a 68 Impala, A 71 Impala, please forgive me a 74 Vega and a 75 Astre. All were owned less than a year and sacrificed to the salt gods for the winter season. I have never gone to the dark side though [foreign].
 
I have never gone to the dark side though [foreign].
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!!! :eek: !!!​

Well, as long as we are in the confessional, I had two NISSAN's and two CHRYSLER products.

But I said three HAIL MARY'S, faced St.Louis and consumed a case of BIG B to atone my sins ... :o ... sob ...
 
5851a said:
please forgive me a 74 Vega. I have never gone to the dark side though [foreign].
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Worst car ever made! I think I would be to embarrassed to confess it if I had owned one.
As far as Y-block spark plug cable routing....I would never attempt to run cables between bottom of intake and top of valley pan. You have the heat-riser passage running thru the middle of the intake that gets to be several hundred degrees.
The duplicate of original cable sets from Mac's have pieces of rubber hose over the cables passing under the exhaust manifolds to reduce the heat the cables are exposed to.
 
I've had two chebies. The first was dumped on me when I sold a ford. The guy couldn't drive both away and instead of coming back to pick it up, mailed me the title. I sold it twice for a total of $65, in 1968. The second I bought to help out a friend and drove it directly to a car lot and traded in on a ford.
 
If you do no want to go through the trouble of routing and fitting the plug wires, Casco Auto in Ohio (A Thunderbird parts supplier) will make you a set that you just bolt on You pay them a small fee to assemble the parts and it is just a matter of fastening the assembly to the engine. Get the 1955 Thunderbird set up and it will work fine on your 1954 Mercury.
 
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