Odd distributor

[v8fordman]

I pulled out some distributors today looking for one that would be correct for my A400. In the group was this oddball one. I thought it was something that someone had fabricated. Upon close inspection, it is cast in one piece. Notice the thru hole going from the underside to a space between the two bushings. Everything is common Model A except the housing. Just wondering if any of you had ever seen one like it?

 

[Bob-A]

I'd say an aftermarket one from back in the day. Maybe a "Simmons" one?


Bob-A

 

[mass A man]

I'm not familiar with the Simmons Company, but would they have made a cylinder head for the odd mounting shaft on the dist.?

 

[Fullraceflathead]

Simmons made cylinder heads and carburetors and probably other accessories so maybe it does fit the Simmons head.

 

[Bob-A]

I dug out my 1933 Simmons catalog and unfortunately they do not show a picture of their replacement distributor. It did show the price for one: .60 cents.


Bob-A

 

[rotorwrench]

I can't tell for sure by photograph but it appears that the stub that fits into the head may be a smaller diameter that the one with the standard groove for the lock bolt. If it's the same diameter then it obviously has no groove. Ford made lots of changes in parts in the first year of the model A production but I don't know about the distributor body. I can't see the fixing pin in any of the photos. That's the short pin which fits the little head bore that keeps it from rotating in the head. Early ones had a solid drive shaft but a lot of those were replaced with the two piece shaft after a time. I'm not familiar with the Simmons parts so I can't say about those.

 

[1930artdeco]

Is it possible that it made it out of the factory before being finish machined?

 

[Bob C]

Is it possible that it made it out of the factory before being finish machined?

I don't think so because as rotorwrench says the part that goes in the head looks smaller than stock.