chevy dizzy for flatheads

[Gene1949]

I would encourage everyone who is running multiple carbs or 4 bbls to listen to these "grey hairs" and the R&D they did on advance curves. I guarantee you will not be sorry. They know what they are talking about.
Not so much for the "originalists" or people more interested in the "cool factor". Whole different can of worms that demands much shop time and down time futzing with unreliable aftermarket/secondary market supplied parts.

[Ol' Ron]

Richard found the Edelbrock 500 CFM carb to be the best all aroung carb for cruise econmy and power. However they are very rich out of the box. Now this wa all 10 years ago, so things might be different now.
Gramps

[big red 54]

Thanks for the info, I have contacted Charlie ny and we are ordering a dizzy for my build today. I am fairly new to flatheads ( father /son project) and while it was my fathers final say, i thought all along that the stock dizzy was our problem (he was adamant on manifold vacuum). It had a magneto but we had a slight backfire problem and we removed it. Well that wasnt the cause of the backfire, we lashed the valves better and it went away. but now it has load a matic problems. He has move on to another hopefully better world, so know it is mine. but now i have a magneto i dont know what to do with.......any suggestions out there?

[modela4shane]

Could a Pertronix igniter be used in one of Charlie NY converted Chevy distributers if it has been built with points & condenser? I have one from many years ago and was wondering if its just a simple process of installing a Pertronix igniter kit.

[tubman]

Originally Posted by modela4shane

Could a Pertronix igniter be used in one of Charlie NY converted Chevy distributers if it has been built with points & condenser? I have one from many years ago and was wondering if its just a simple process of installing a Pertronix igniter kit.

It has been done, but the 6 volt Pertronix units have proven to be problematic in the past, due to quality and "dirty power" problems. For the O/P at least, I believe it would be better not to complicate things at this point. With the quality of the product Charlie puts out and the way most of these cars are used, the distributor will prove to be reliable for many years.

[tubman]

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Originally Posted by big red 54

......... but now i have a magneto i dont know what to do with.......any suggestions out there?

Put it on eBay or the H.A.M.B classifieds. Exotic vintage speed equipment can draw some big money these days. I got $1200 for an old Cirello "Frankenstein" for an early hemi, and that was 10 years ago and it needed to be refurbished.

[solidaxle]

I have been running a Pertronix for over a year without problems. Using 6 volt positive ground in my Chevy Mallory four lope flat top distributor. You're not supposed to use solid ignition wires, so I had to drill out the cap to accept the larger suppression wires. Pertronix will custom build a unit to meet your needs as they had to do for me.


The one problem I had, I inadvertently(Stupidly) left the lights on and drained down the battery. I couldn't push start and pop the clutch to get it going. There wasn't enough voltage for the Pertronix to fire.

[69a]

I've modified 3 GM distributors. One early points one with the window in the cap to adjust the dwell. And 2 big dia. HEI's. If I was going to modify another one I would go to a GM style "Progression Ignition" they come in small and large dia. About $600.00, but fully programmable with an app on your phone. And has a port for vacuum line. My brother has one on his '76 Porsche.

[leebros60]

I have been looking for Charlie’s contact info and finally I found it. Thanks for posting it. And I just have one question which Chevy dist would be the one to look for or are they all the same and it doesn’t matter. Thank you

[tubman]

Originally Posted by leebros60

I have been looking for Charlie’s contact info and finally I found it. Thanks for posting it. And I just have one question which Chevy dist would be the one to look for or are they all the same and it doesn’t matter. Thank you

Now that you have Charlie's contact information, I think he would probably be the best one to answer this. He may also be able to supply the proper core.

[52flthed]

So why would someone use a Chevrolet distributor on a Flathead? Just because they’re easier to adjust? Is there a reason why they are used over a Ford stock distributor?

[cadillac512]

If you use a carburetor other than the stock unit, the vacuum source for the Ford distributor will not be correct and the timing curve will be wrong. Also, the Ford distributor used ONLY vacuum to control timing advance, where the Chev uses both centrifugal and added vac advance to provide a much more tunable setup for any engine not completely stock.

[69a]

Originally Posted by 52flthed

So why would someone use a Chevrolet distributor on a Flathead? Just because they’re easier to adjust? Is there a reason why they are used over a Ford stock distributor?

The SBC distributor runs clockwise. The SBF anticlockwise.

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by 52flthed

So why would someone use a Chevrolet distributor on a Flathead? Just because they’re easier to adjust? Is there a reason why they are used over a Ford stock distributor?

As the question is a bit open-ended, the answer needs to be a bit clearer.

1) 1932-1948 - Front Mounted: There is nothing wrong with the front-mounted flathead distributors (32 - 48) - as long as they are correctly setup, have quality parts in them, etc.. The biggest issue for many folks is they are not easy to work on (in the car) - and are a bit of a mystery to "modern" folks.

Their vacuum "load brake" system works fine with updated intake manifolds with multiple carbs. It is not a bad idea to update the internals (points cam and advance mechanism) to the later units (advance mechanism is key) - as the advance curve is better for a higher-performance flathead. Folks like Third-Gen can rebuild these early front-drive distributors.

A lot of guys will run a "Crab Style" version of the front-mount distributor - due to it being much easier to use more modern style spark-plug wires, is smaller, etc.. Many of the early "racing" ignitions were made from updated versions of the crab-style distributor. The most well-known and prevalent is the "Harmon-Collins Dual Coil" distributor.

2) 1949-1953 - Side Mounted: Ford changed the front of the flathead in 1949 to use a different set of water pumps, different timing cover, side-mounted distributor, etc.. The distributor is known as the "Load-o-Matic" - and its advance mechanism is vacuum driven off a port in the carburetor. There is no mechanical advance (like earlier models). This all works just fine in a stock engine, but the minute you start "upgrading" your engine with multiple carbs, different cam, etc. - then the load-o-matic can become the "Crap-o-Matic". The advance curve is nowhere near correct, and you can't "fix" it. It was designed for a stock vacuum signal coming from a single stock carb - when you changed all that out, it no longer has the correct vacuum signal and the whole advance curve is fubared.

Will your engine run with a stock Load-o-Matic in your modified big-inch, multi-carbed, cool-cammed, finned-headed 49-53 flathead? - "Yes".

But will it have a correct spark advance curve . . . nope. There is no easy "fix" for the stock distributor, so guys have been converting Chevy distributors, running aftermarket distributors (flat-top Mallory's and such) and magnetos for years.

Personally, I would never run a Load-o-Matic on a modified 49-53 engine.

There yah have it!
B&S

[jeepguy1948]

I am running one of Charlies dizzy right now and it’s great (with points). He backs off the advance to about 23 degrees total so you can tune at idle 0-3 degrees advance. Charlie will not do an electronic dist for 6 volts, he says they all fail. I would advise anybody wanting to do business with Charlie that Charlie does not like to use the phone, plan on using email (he’s very responsive using email). I have one of his distributors in a V8 and a Stromberg 48 he rebuilt on a Model A.

[Gene1949]

Crank degrees crank RPM
16* 1800
22* 2300
VAC Advance FROM MANIFOLD 14*@ 15”
Initial doesn't matter much, it's the 1800 and 2300 rpms totals that count. Seems 1800/16* maximizes torque on a stock flatty. One of the wiser grey hair here posted it and I had to try it. It works.
I have always used the "hot timing" method with a timing tape or adjustable timing light as long as you have an accurate TDC.
Manifold vacuum is a tremendous advantage with low end drivability and low speed (cruzing) cooling

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I have one of CharlieNY electronic Chevy distributors for sale with the long shaft so you can use the early belt setup and brand new never installed - PM me if interested

[Bored&Stroked]

Originally Posted by TomT/Williamsburg

I have one of CharlieNY electronic Chevy distributors for sale with the long shaft so you can use the early belt setup and brand new never installed - PM me if interested

Hey Tom - explain to folks what you mean with the "long shaft" comment - many will have no clue as to what you can do with this and the components it allows you to use.

[itslow]

Originally Posted by 52flthed

So why would someone use a Chevrolet distributor on a Flathead? Just because they’re easier to adjust? Is there a reason why they are used over a Ford stock distributor?

The shaft and housing length of a SBC/BBC distributor is an ideal diameter and length to allow for it to be easily reduced to fit the 8BA Flathead.