Distributor direction

jrvariel48

Well-known member
On my 1946, 59L motor, I needed to convert my timing cover to the 8BA style because of interference between the blower crank pulley and the crab distributor. From what I've read in Joe Abbin's book, an electronic distributor is the only way to go with a blower. I'm looking for some input.
Thank you,
Joe
 
I'm no expert but is the reason for electronic due to better management of the advance curve? Typically electronic will give the best performance but some like old school points. I was a fan of them until I could not get reliable condensers no matter how much I paid.
 
You can't believe everything you read -- as in many cases, there is quite a bit of personal bias in things like this. I've ran blower motors on everything from points ignitions, to dual points ignitions, to magnetos fired by points, to magnetos fired by crank triggers, to electronic ignitions . . . blah, blah, blah. You can run a blower motor on just about any good ignition that has the correct advance curve, good spark and total timing settings.

With all that said, if you're going to spend money and you're going to go electronic ignition, then the next thing I'd ponder is how much boost will you be running and do you want/need to have "boost retard" in the ignition system? (Where you reduce the timing - based on the boost hitting a certain level). The last thing you want is to detonate the motor . . . and running blown engines on the street can be challenging given the various boost/load conditions and quality of gas. (If you want peak performance).

It is my guess that you have no idea how much boost you'll be making - so it is kind of a tough question? If you want flexibility to "tune the timing", then you can run something like a MSD 6462 ignition box - where you can determine how much timing to take back out of it.

I don't like the "look" of MSD ignitions on early flathead motors, but they do perform well if setup correctly (proper ground, good primary wiring, correct voltage, etc). We use both a MSD ProMag as well as a MSD PowerGrid ignition on our FlatCad blown Cadillac flathead at Bonneville. I spend a lot of time on ignition systems! LOL
 
48,
I'm certainly no Joe Abbin far from it but I'll put my confidence in the
super reliable SBC/8 bba converted dist......with points. With HD NAPA points CS 786
6500 rpm is no problemo. Curve and limit can be dialed in without dist removal. JMHO.
Charlie ny
 
You can't believe everything you read -- as in many cases, there is quite a bit of personal bias in things like this. I've ran blower motors on everything from points ignitions, to dual points ignitions, to magnetos fired by points, to magnetos fired by crank triggers, to electronic ignitions . . . blah, blah, blah. You can run a blower motor on just about any good ignition that has the correct advance curve, good spark and total timing settings.

With all that said, if you're going to spend money and you're going to go electronic ignition, then the next thing I'd ponder is how much boost will you be running and do you want/need to have "boost retard" in the ignition system? (Where you reduce the timing - based on the boost hitting a certain level). The last thing you want is to detonate the motor . . . and running blown engines on the street can be challenging given the various boost/load conditions and quality of gas. (If you want peak performance).

It is my guess that you have no idea how much boost you'll be making - so it is kind of a tough question? If you want flexibility to "tune the timing", then you can run something like a MSD 6462 ignition box - where you can determine how much timing to take back out of it.

I don't like the "look" of MSD ignitions on early flathead motors, but they do perform well if setup correctly (proper ground, good primary wiring, correct voltage, etc). We use both a MSD ProMag as well as a MSD PowerGrid ignition on our FlatCad blown Cadillac flathead at Bonneville. I spend a lot of time on ignition systems! LOL

Thanks for all the great information! According to the calculation of my pulley sizes, I'm looking at 3-4 pounds if boost. I don't know how accurate that is though
 
I build quite a few blown flathead set ups. Based on the rpm range of the flathead points will work very well for your application....
 
Given your low boost and street application - you have many options. To me it would come down to how I want to motor to look and whether or not I want to run a points ignition or an electronic one. Obviously a points ignition is the least complex and there are quite a few options. I'd talk to Charlie or Bubba (both replied up above) - either one of them can build you a very nice converted points setup - with the correct curve and more than enough RPM potential for what you're doing. If you go electronic - then I'd probably go MSD and get a rev limiter at the very least.

Another thing to consider is what ELSE are you running on the car . . . and is ignition noise an issue? One of the ignitions that I love to run is a good ole' Vertex magneto - setup with a flathead advance curve and solid-core wires. They perform well, the advance curve can be tuned and they look the part - as they ran them all the way back in the 30's. (The wires are noisy, so you might have to run different ones than what I run).

Good luck!
B&S
 
And you will need to change crank/ cam gears and cam, or at least a cam adapter to run the later distributor.
 
So I'm adding the cam adapter that Speedway sells. I asked them if the stock timing gear bolts could be used and they said "yes"
There's a little less than an 1/8" of thread showing.
I don't think that's enough! The stock bolts have an un-threaded shoulder, then threads.
How important is it to have the shoulders?
Can I just install a longer bolt that is all thread?

Thank you,
Joe
 

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If you check the online bolt supplies I would think you could fine the bolt length you need with a correct shoulder. These type of bolts are just not easily found in a local hardware store. I order a lot of bolts.
 
If you check the online bolt supplies I would think you could fine the bolt length you need with a correct shoulder. These type of bolts are just not easily found in a local hardware store. I order a lot of bolts.

Do you have a contact? I've been looking online for hours & I can't find anything.
Thanks,
Joe
 
Ok, if I looked up the correct bolt in the Green Book it is 350400S (5/16-24 X 5/8). Is that the bolt you currently have?

I'm not finding anything! Might try Roy http://fordscript.com/
 
Last edited:
48,
I'm certainly no Joe Abbin far from it but I'll put my confidence in the
super reliable SBC/8 bba converted dist......with points. With HD NAPA points CS 786
6500 rpm is no problemo. Curve and limit can be dialed in without dist removal. JMHO.
Charlie

I totally agree with Chariie
 
Update. No luck with Roy. I took 1 1/4" long bolts that had a longer shoulder on them and threaded them down to the shoulder length I needed, then cut to bolt to length!
Done!
 
Next problem. I installed the timing cover and now the bolt on cam adapter gear is hitting the cover. I didn't use a gasket just silicon so I'm wondering if that might the problem. The adapter gear is seated as far as it can go into the timing gear.

Anyone??

Thanks,
Joe
 
Sorry spoke too soon. It was a boss where the distributor goes in that was rubbing on the timing gear. I hit it with the dremmel and all is good.
 

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