The Ford Barn

BUBBAS IGNITION · 12-05-2012, 10:20 AM

Dont know what else to call this but it is interesting to see a modification done years ago that may or may not have actually worked. As we tear these helmet and crab distributors aprt and recieve tham by the hundred we see some pretty interesting stuff.
I keep this stuff and we ( at the shop) discuss the mod and try to place it in the year and era in which it was performed...........if nothing else they make us smile

For this one i will just make up a story ( could or could not be true):

Its summer of 1962 the gas station where i worked raced a old Ford coupe (1932) equipped with a flathead engine and manual transmission. Had a hook welded to the dash to hold the gear shift in second gear to prevent jumping out of gear. Track rules was no engines later than 1953 , which meant the flathead was the king. Electric fuel pump ( not allowed) was wrapped in a rag and stuffed into the frame rails so the noise wouldnt be noticed .
Distributor advance weights were pulled to full advance and distributor was brazed and locked into place. Looked kinda like this one i guess.....
Dont this stuff make you smile?????

s nichols · 12-05-2012, 11:16 AM

we did that on chevy HEI for dirt track racing

Bassman/NZ · 12-05-2012, 04:16 PM

We used to have a butchers hook on the dash for 2nd gear.... on our street cars. Funnily enough my 37 sedan dirt track car didn't need one!

Ol' Ron · 12-05-2012, 04:36 PM

Yes we modified out Dist to have ZERO adv. Had a notch on the pulley for 20 degs adv where we set the timing. To start the engine we'd spinn it with the starter then hit the ignition sw and she'd start right up. We moved the timing around abit but 17 degrees was the best for off the cornor acceloration. Course that was +/- acoupla degrees

Walt Dupont--Me. · 12-05-2012, 07:50 PM

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I have the crab in my 40, I welded the advance slot up so it will only advance 17* I've always had to mush compression and pinging problem. I have 160# cranking comp. It's a 276, an old set of Elelbrock heads that were milled to much. I had to have the heads domed to keep the pistons from hitting. Walt

12-05-2012, 11:16 AM	#2
s nichols Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Des Moines, IA Posts: 69	Re: Flathead "racer tech" we did that on chevy HEI for dirt track racing

12-05-2012, 04:16 PM	#3
Bassman/NZ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Napier, New Zealand Posts: 2,001	Re: Flathead "racer tech" We used to have a butchers hook on the dash for 2nd gear.... on our street cars. Funnily enough my 37 sedan dirt track car didn't need one!

12-05-2012, 04:36 PM	#4
Ol' Ron Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chester Vt Posts: 8,860	Re: Flathead "racer tech" Yes we modified out Dist to have ZERO adv. Had a notch on the pulley for 20 degs adv where we set the timing. To start the engine we'd spinn it with the starter then hit the ignition sw and she'd start right up. We moved the timing around abit but 17 degrees was the best for off the cornor acceloration. Course that was +/- acoupla degrees

12-05-2012, 07:50 PM	#5
Walt Dupont--Me. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gardiner Me. Posts: 4,200	Re: Flathead "racer tech" Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I have the crab in my 40, I welded the advance slot up so it will only advance 17* I've always had to mush compression and pinging problem. I have 160# cranking comp. It's a 276, an old set of Elelbrock heads that were milled to much. I had to have the heads domed to keep the pistons from hitting. Walt