Lincoln Zephyr distributor dual coil

Seth Swoboda · Jun 22, 2016

I got this Lincoln Zephyr distributor in a bunch of parts I recently purchased. The writing on the masking tape indicates Lincoln Zephyr V8 converted. Can anyone explain how this was done and why it would be of any advantage. Only thing I can foresee is a hotter spark with the dual coils.

Thanks guys,
Seth

SUHRsc · Jun 22, 2016

The use on a V8 allows it to work as though it is 2 seperate 4 cylinder ignitions. Each firing half of the cylinders. This in turn gives twice as much time for coil saturation. Which then means you can get more RPM's without loss of good spark.

If you want to part with it, I may be interested as I am trying to build one right now for my own car.

Zach

topfuel724 · Jun 22, 2016

Car Craft had a 3 part article in the April, May and June 1954 issues on how to convert the Lincoln V-12 distributor for use on the flathead V-8.

JWL · Jun 22, 2016

There is more than one way to make this work. I am familiar with changing the cam to 4 lobes, extending the reach of the cap terminals, changing the rotor and a few other things my 40 year old memory is not ready for. The advantage, as already mentioned, is increased spark coverage in the upper RPM range.

JM 35 Sedan · Jun 22, 2016

SUHRsc said:
The use on a V8 allows it to work as though it is 2 seperate 4 cylinder ignitions. Each firing half of the cylinders. This in turn gives twice as much time for coil saturation. Which then means you can get more RPM's without loss of good spark.

If you want to part with it, I may be interested as I am trying to build one right now for my own car.

Zach

Zach, I recently traded some parts + some cash to get one for the same thing.
A guy local to me has a complete Lincoln V12 distributor, already converted to the dual coil, dual point setup for the V8, that's for sale, but I'm thinking I would rather do my own for the learning experience.

Seth, you and your Dad are doing very good on buying cars and parts!! Glenn, Jeff and I should think about making a special trip to the St. Louis area just to get in on some of these great deals

Seth Swoboda · Jun 22, 2016

JM 35 Sedan said:
Zach, I recently traded some parts + some cash to get one for the same thing.
A guy local to me has a complete Lincoln V12 distributor, already converted to the dual coil, dual point setup for the V8, that's for sale, but I'm thinking I would rather do my own for the learning experience.

Seth, you and your Dad are doing very good on buying cars and parts!! Glenn, Jeff and I should think about making a special trip to the St. Louis area just to get in on some of these great deals

Hey, I also got a genuine Offenhauser dual carb intake, wide spacing. It's the real deal not the new reproductions. I'd say we are pretty fortunate to be able to have the flathead vehicles and parts that we do. No doubt all of us here are blessed. What I really enjoy is all the friendship and knowledge that everyone is willing to share.

JM, you should have stopped in on the way back from Tulsa, I could have used help moving these parts

. I know you were on a schedule. Perhaps another time. I'm located just off of interstate 64, 50 miles east of St. Louis.

Bruce Lancaster · Jun 22, 2016

There are several schools of thought on all the mods...they were done commercially (as kits or as complete) by at least 2 major suppliers, and many individuals did their own conversions.
On the cap/rotor phasing...some added long strips curved around the rotor to the cap contacts, some slit the rotor contacts and put in long curved blades to reach the relevant terminals that way. Either allows adding material to close down gaps, important because new caps and rotors almost do not exist.
Most used 78 point plates (stripped and redrilled) with lawnmower/small plane points that are now very expensive. I have one that kept the double LZ plate, I think an excellent idea allowing points to be phased and timed separately rather than being totally dependent on the precise drilling for their screws.
I would try to figure out a way to do this and I would sure adapt some reasonably available automotive points! Probably '50's Ford or Mopar due to compact size...

(another school of thought...there were some based entirely on the 78 distributor...I've never actually handled one of these, but assume they stuffed in the LZ rotor as part of the process. They used an adapter plate up top to attach the LZ coil unit.)

Bruce Lancaster · Jun 22, 2016

And for those who aren't entirely mad, there are dual coil conversions (again, commercial and homemade) of the 59A distributor, cap, and rotor. This is by far the simplest DC conversion I know of, without all the fiddly mods of the LZ or the crazy stack of aftermarket plastic of the Harmon Collins.

Jason in TX · Mar 24, 2017

Bruce Lancaster said:
(another school of thought...there were some based entirely on the 78 distributor...I've never actually handled one of these, but assume they stuffed in the LZ rotor as part of the process. They used an adapter plate up top to attach the LZ coil unit.)

Here are some pics of my 33-36 style distrib with Lincoln guts stuffed inside and an adapter on top for the dual LZ coil. I recently acquired a 33-36 V8 distributor that has the adapter and LZ coil.

bruce lee · Mar 24, 2017

Jim kurtan was the first guy to do a LZ conversion. He then taught the Spaulding brothers everything they knew about ignitions. Jim worked on aircraft engines in the war time and figured out that aircraft can reach very high rpm. So he took apart an old airplane magneto. He use scintilla Magneto points and made about 60 distributors. By then other guys started to copy them so he didn't make any more. I have an original jim kurtan that will go into my 32 roadster. If you find one at a swap meet and it has scintilla points you hit the jack pot.