Autolite distributor conversion on Model T

O

oldmotorsguy

Senior Member
My 1925 Model T Roadster (with a 1926 engine) was converted from commutator and coils to a modern coil and distributor ignition system.

The distributor is an Autolite with 1AY-4401 on the side of the distributor. While I am fine with this conversion (I am not a fanatic about keeping a driver absolutely original, I go for reliability), I simply cannot find anybody who knows where to get tune up parts for this system.

Namely, a cap, rotor, points and condensor would be nice. The current stuff works fine, but it won't last forever, and I would like to have a spare kit on board when these parts eventually take a dump on me.

Anybody?
 
I think, and please do not hold me to this, that the 1AY-4401 distributors were used on mid or late 50's Jeeps. If I am remembering correctly, I think my 1956 CJ-5 used that distributor, but that was at least 45 years ago. You may want to pop over to a Jeep forum and poke around there.
 
Try NAPA - give the sales clk the dist # and he can reference that # in a book giving you the points, cond, cap and rotor for that dist.

Bill OH
 
BILL!

BINGO! You are correct, it is an I and not a 1. Collector's Auto Supply has the parts, I already ordered them. Thanks much, Bill.
 
Criswellnk:

Way to remember this stuff, guy! This Autolite distributor (IAY-4401) was indeed OEM to your 1956 Willys CJ-5, and I was able to track the tune up parts down (Collector's Auto Supply in BC Canada) down with the help of a few on this thread, and mostly Bill, above. Thank you guys a lot!!

Hopefully I don't owe you any money, my project is already WAY over budget. ;-)
 
It was one of those moments with a guy yelling at me over a parts counter that stuck with me all these years. He was telling me that I was asking for the wrong thing, "..I'm tellin' ya buddy, it's an AD not an AY". So I went home took the distributor out and took it back to show him that it was indeed an "AY" distributor. I never did go back to that parts store, they're long gone but I'm still here. You either remember "really good" service or "really bad" service, never just the O.K. service.
 
Another one i use almost daily is to put the distributor # in google.

Using the IAY-4401 autolite brings up many options here as well....:)
 
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