Plug Wire Tubes

quote.
Mike I do not doubt you either, but all the NOS 21a tubes I have do not have a metal cross over (like the Lincoln’s had)


All of the photos so far, say '42-'44 Ford, to me .
Except of course the pic of the Lincoln motor.

Edit - My '38 thru '44 US parts book does not list a 21A 12110.
It does have 21A 12280 B & 21A 12281, it lists these as conduit & wiring-dist to spark plug, RH & LH.
 
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Lincoln V12 with cross-over tube missing>


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I think this thread has lost sight of Ken's original question. A Ford V8 flathead still needs provision for FOUR wires to feed each head, regardless of the extra hole on the back side. Ken's pictured tube is obviously for the driver side of the engine. There SHOULD be a plug wire hole for cylinders #5, #6 and #7. #8 wire exits the rear of the tube. I think the hole on the rear side of Ken's tube is for the GEN wiring to exit. The question remains....WHY is there no hole for #5 sparking plug wire? Ken's tube is also short, so likely for the 59A time frame. DD
 
My 42 original looms did not have a cross over tube, just braided tube cover. Oldford2 has my set and maybe if he is on line, he can take a pic.
 
35fordtn said:
I'm about to explain the reason why coopman as soon as I get to a NOS engine I have that I can shoot photos of .
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Is this place GREAT, or what? This must have been the first in the series of "One of Ford's better ideas". Thank you, Michael! Not only do you KNOW some stuff, you also HAVE some stuff!! DD
 
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The above engine is a NOS engine. The wire tubes have metal tags with the 21A part#. As you can see the front hole is missing as there is a corresponding hole on the inside of the opposite bank for them to crossover. Notice the plug wire ends still have cosmoline on them. NOTE: this is a military engine

Obviously these may or may not be correct 1942 althought they do have the correct 1942 part# on them, they do however answer the original posters questions I believe
 
Maybe these photos will better depict how these cross over. And the braided covering over them. I do still think there was a metal cover offered by ford on production cars possibly as there is a part # for a separate crossover conduit as mike Kubarth indicates. While one could assume this braided stuff is what the part # is for, I cannot imagine it possible to install this braided covering on a assembled plug wire with the end on it.


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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Well these tubes carry a -B suffix, which seems to me to mean there was either more than one supplier to Ford, or that there was a earlier design. It is quite possible the design Mike K. refers to could have been a super Early version..

Who knows... Interestingly engough the pair on this engine have ground straps made onto them that connect to a water pump bolt..
 
Just curious - What did Ford change that necessitated that two wires go to the opposite sides and why? Changed firing order? Cheaper manufacturing?
 
MGG said:
Just curious - What did Ford change that necessitated that two wires go to the opposite sides and why? Changed firing order? Cheaper manufacturing?
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The type of distributor used, went from a helmet style to crab style. That change the location of the wires on the distributor at the front of the engine in relationship to the location of the cylinders they mated up with.
 
Here's a photo of an original '44 truck with a 29A engine. Somewhat tough to see, but it has the braided/asphalt covering over the crossover spark plug wire.
 

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42merc said:
Every ORIGINAL '42 Ford or Merc that I have looked at look like the pics above.
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Which means only the '42s you've looked at look like the "pics above".
Here's a photo from a '42 that has won preservation awards.

Also, new old stock is wonderful stuff but just like the stuff listed in parts books, it's not necessarily what was installed on the assembly line.
 

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I can see how the cross-over tube would have been a real pain to service and why they would have been removed.
 
Kube quote.

Which means only the '42s you've looked at look like the "pics above".
Here's a photo from a '42 that has won preservation awards.

So you are saying if a '42 Ford or Merc doesn't have the the crossover tube, the plug wire conduits are not "authentic" ?
I suspect those conduits were discontinued about as quick as the Liquidmatic transmission in '42.
 
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42merc said:
Kube quote.

Which means only the '42s you've looked at look like the "pics above".
Here's a photo from a '42 that has won preservation awards.

So you are saying if a '42 Ford or Merc doesn't have the the crossover tube, the plug wire conduits are not "authentic" ?
I don't think so.
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Never said that and would never imply that.
I will say that I get tired of folks telling me (as a deputy judge) that they have only seen such and such or they've owned their car since such and such year and it was all original when they got it.
Neither proves anything and is a poor defense.
These cars, even the so called well preserved ones, were put through heck most of the time and went through years of nearly zero value. Being of little to nearly zero value, it's a wonder to me just how many survived at all.

My guess and only a guess, is this crossover tube was the first design (fashioned after the Lincoln) and replaced with a friendlier (read: cheaper to manufacture and install) woven wire cover.
 
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