lincoln distributor

A

alan

Well-known member
helping to clean out an old auto shop and found a Lincoln distributor, converted to run on 8 cylinder engine, I think. I would like someone to enlighten me on its use. also found an engine adapter, not chevy but probably Olds(?)
 
The Lincoln dist allows the use of two coils and was rumored to be a superior ingn. for v8s.
 
"Big Daddy" Don Garlits, among other Flathead racers from back in the day, converted the V-12 distributors to use on V8's, I'm not sure what the advantage(s) was but I'm sure it had to do with the dual coil set up.
 
At the time this was one of the best available based on not much being available.
Allows two four cylinder ignition systems to run the V8. Was featured in hot rod magazines as a how to article....
I have rebuilt a few of these and they seem to run 5-6,000 rpm pretty steady...
 
Back in the 50's a bunch of us had a hot rod club, ran a 39 coupe with a 296 at Sanford drag strip in Me. Some how we got one of those Lincoln conversion kits, had instruction papers with it, there was tune up shop in town, we had it set up on dist machine, the main thing I can remember we had a time getting the plug wires right in the caps. Them were the good old days. Walt
 
alan, if you decide to part with the Lincoln(v8) distributor, I've been looking for one!
 
An adapter for an Olds to an early Ford is a flat plate, about 1/4" thick, while one for a Chevrolet V8 is an actual bell housing.
 
Lincoln coil was actually two coils in one. Change cam from 6 lobe to 4 lob and use the Ford end caps with 4 spark plug wires and you are in business.
 
the adapter I have is more like a bell housing but not like the chevy adapter I already have.
 
V12Bill said:
Lincoln coil was actually two coils in one. Change cam from 6 lobe to 4 lob and use the Ford end caps with 4 spark plug wires and you are in business.
Click to expand...

WHOA !!! That wont work as the Lincoln side caps are at least 1 inch larger in diameter than the Ford caps !!!!!
You have to modify the lincoln side caps with brass straps soldered in place..:eek:


The small Car Craft mags had three articles with all the directions on how to make this happen... April, May and June of 1954
 
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And don't forget that your points are among the things that are out of phase for a V8!
I have several of these conversions. There are common commercially done ones and also lots of home builds, some following the Moon how-to article, some done otherwise...
 
Bruce Lancaster said:
And don't forget that your points are among the things that are out of phase for a V8!
I have several of these conversions. There are common commercially done ones and also lots of home builds, some following the Moon how-to article, some done otherwise...
Click to expand...

Yes the Car Craft article comes with a template to center punch and mount the Bendix Harmon Collins points etc and the mods to the distributor shaft
re-phasing the rotor.
More to it than meets the eye....:eek:
 
If I ever attempt to do my own, I'd definitely use some easy to get automotive point sets, possibly the little Y block era Ford ones, and I would try hard to keep the Lincoln plate under the points...that would be perfection, being able to adjust point dwell and timing independently for each set!
 
This is a bit off topic, but I have an NOS what I believe to be a "K" series V-12 Lincoln Distributor, still attached to a plywood plate for packaging. It has a cap held on with 3 top screws, under which is a circle of 12 "pins" onto which the ignition wires would have been pressed. The cap and main body are brown bakelite. When the body, which is held to the metal base with 2 side clips, is removed, there is the familiar Ford 2-point setup. The distributor was clearly not meant to be direct bolted to the front (cam), as it has a short shaft extending from the base. Anyone have a "K" Lincoln needing an NOS distributor? Email me at flatheadquarters@rogers.com. I'm in Paris, ON.
Thanks, guys
Bill
 
The K was an entirely different car than the Zephyr, and VERY unFordlike.
That distributor, by the way, is covered in the Service bulletins...one of very few K car references in there.
The Zephyr and its descendants up through 1948 were H series.
 
You're right. The K engine was a 3-piece casting (2 cylinder blocks and crankcase), developed long before the monoblock Ford V8 and Zephyr V12. The only Ford-like feature of the distributor is the dual-point set-up. Looks very much like the Ford. This may have been a modification made after Fred Zoerlein designed the front -mount dis't. for the Flathead, thus making my dis't. a mid-thirties design. Thanx for info re service bulletins. I have them, and will check it out.
 
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