Harmon Collins Rotors ?????

anonymous... said:
"Joe, I measured 3 different "original" caps, and the smallest diameter was 2.903", and the largest was 2.915". I would error on the small size, which is 1.451" RADIUS....so with clearance, your 1.44" radius should be good. I haven't checked in with any ignition suppliers yet."

OK then, appears we're good now. I'm off to finish the final stages and ship out to those who have placed orders and interst. I will confirm with everyone in a week or so thanks everyone for your patience and help. :)
 
OK then, appears we're good now. I'm off to finish the final stages and ship out to those who have placed orders and interst. I will confirm with everyone in a week or so thanks everyone for your patience and help. :)

I'm in for a pair also! Thanks Bill .
 
Ford Service Bulletin #12000, P4, 4-18-48. 21A-12200 rotor gap 0.0055 Max. 0.0035 Min.
Min. Center of Shaft to end of electrode (inches) 1.455 Mfg. 1.452 Wear Limit. I have sent you a scan of the document.
 
Bob Drake sent me an email he is looking for Harmon Collins rotor and spacer to do R&D work.Here is the wording from email
Bob wants to buy these in less than good condition to take apart for
R & D purposes and to prepare for manufacture. Non-working,
chipped or even broken in half.
What have you got?

 
Just got a mass email from Bob Drake wanting Harmon Collins parts
37.jpg



Harmon-and-Collins-parts.jpg



Bob wants to buy these in less than good condition to take apart for
R & D purposes and to prepare for manufacture. Non-working,
chipped or even broken in half.
What have you got?

Please send photos, description
& price to:
emailsales@bobdrake.com


Well, I'm scurrying about now trying to get them done by the end of this year. This week I have some more little 'mods' to do on the mold then I can start production. Sorry for keeping you Gentlemen waiting. :) Might throw up some pictures of the process, some of you might be curious as to how its done.
 
It's surprising to me that Bob Drake would be interested in tooling up these relatively low volume parts, especially if he realizes that DzusFast already has the jump on making and selling the rotor. Now the inner cap is a different story. Probably the next weak link in the H-C parts availability chain. But another thought might be...he already has an outer cap that works (even though some of the firing order numbers are located incorrectly for H-C), once he has the rotor and inner cap, there is not much more needed other than the four lobe shaft to make a kit that would convert a standard Ford crab distributor into a dual point, dual coil H-C type distributor....na...he probably wouldn't do that :D
 
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If the plastic is available the rest of a conversion kit would require little more than drilling some carefully indexed holes in the breaker plate and running an exchange service to mill off surplus cam lobes...
It would make sense to drill for some common small automotive points rather than the old magneto points. Someone with a little design genius and access to production facilities could even move the design up a little and make a 2-piece plate modeled on Lincoln Zephyr plate, allowing the points to be adjusted for dwell and timing fully independently to eliminate the unavoidable minor variations in assemblies bolted together.
Availability of cam and plate would also facilitate home conversion of the old 59A cap based dual point setups, too.
 
What is all the hupula, it's a distributor that doesnt work much better than a stock one. I see the only advantage would be at the hi RPM range of operation so unless you are going to run your engine 4G Rpm + you are making it a bragging rights item that the only gain is lightening your pocket book by spending additional money unnecessarily.
 
Well, by the late '50's Small block Chevy drag cars were getting up towards 7,000 RPM with points (often single points, not even the Corvette duals) and a single coil. Improvements in coil capacity had probably already made the dual coil setup obsolete while the HC was still in production, certainly for the flathead RPM range. It is still an interesting and cool approach to what was once a problem.
Ford adopted the expensive Mallory dual point design in '32, because 8 cylinders spinning past 4,000 was a problem for the coils of that day and the Mallory overlap system gave the needed extra range for that problem...again, circumstances that ceased to be a problem as coils improved.
Yes, there is no reason for this contraption when a good stock crab and a "modern" coil ("Modern" here meaning 50 year old tech rather than 70) can handle all needs and any desire for more flash can be handled better with 30 year old HEI with CD tech cheaper...
The HC remains COOL, as does a magneto, even though there isn't much reasonable excuse for their continued existence...
For more muddled thought, how come no interest in the old 59 based dual coils...a simpler and more elegant DC conversion in comparison with the tower of bad plastic riddled with cross fire points that is the HC...?
And whyinhell antique, scarce, and expensive mag points designed for Clinton lawnmowers long before I was born??
 
Dick, you underestimate the "that is so damn cool" factor.
And maybe (hopefully) these are going on engines that will regularly see upwards of 4000rpm.
I'd really like one, but the money they fetch is more than I could spend on an ignition, when I already have a Grant Spaulding flame thrower. Which I have buzzed the other side of 6500rpm fairly regularly.
Kudos to the man for making these parts available, damn good job!

Martin.
 
Another issue is the advance curve of the 11A. Although very good for the stock engine, it comes snort for the cruise toming with present day gas. This can be addresed by opening up the advance slots, but the stock springs pose a problem. As Bruce pointed out, it's more esthetic than necessary. Someone is making a distributor modification to the 11A for dual head spark plugs (16 wires)$$$$$$$
 
Just got a mass email from Bob Drake wanting Harmon Collins parts
37.jpg



Harmon-and-Collins-parts.jpg



Bob wants to buy these in less than good condition to take apart for
R & D purposes and to prepare for manufacture. Non-working,
chipped or even broken in half.
What have you got?

Please send photos, description
& price to: :confused:


Well, shucks!
HOPE HE focuses on what isn't available.... like the 'Center Contact plate'
pictured on the left of the rotor I've ALREADY done R&D on - and invested two years in making.
;)

P.S. For those of you that have been exceedingly helpful to Our cause, I am starting to ship out this next week! IF YOU are in this thread, you ARE on my list. Terry & Bruce...there on there way as with the rest of you as well that have PM'd me, thank you for your support!!!



........And whyinhell antique, scarce, and expensive mag points designed for Clinton lawnmowers long before I was born??

hahaha... I love it! :D
 
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Well given the efforts of Dzusfast - I hope Ford guys support him fully with buying rotors. And if the center plate is duplicated in tan by Dzusfast- I will support his efforts as well. This is what is so neat about the hobby - the great fellows that step up and help the future of the hobby!
 
Anyone know how to get in touch with DzusFast via email? Also, does anyone make the intermediate piece between the cam shaft and the rotor which has a set screw to attach it to the distributor cam shaft for the H/C? Email me at v8fordman@hotmail.com
 
Sorry for the short delay Gentlemen, Rotors are finished however, the carbon brush on the bottom side had to be custom made so I'm turning them out on the lathe these days.....teedious but necessary :)

If you're curious what the black material over the rivets is, it's a special dielectric insulation I've used for years...
 

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They are done, and shipping has begun!
PLEASE PM me your email address and / or phone#, and I'll reply with cost and instructions.

Bubba, You started the thread. Still need some rotors? or am I too late...
( I Will send you a production line rotor when i get the chance :D
 
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My money is on the way, would rather help a little guy that put a lot of effort in making these-thanks dzusfast
 
They are done, and shipping has begun! PM me your address and phone, and I'll reply.

Bubba, You started the thread. Still need some rotors? or am I too late...


:D


Actually i bought one of your first ones. Its going in a unit i have for sale here at the shop. In the future i will buy some more as they come in for service.....
 
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