The Ford Barn

Ken/Alabama · 02-24-2016, 05:14 PM

Taking apart this old V12 distributor that has been converted for a V8. Noticed all the caked on red dirt. Makes me think it probably once ran the dirt round tracks of days gone by.

Vic Piano · 02-24-2016, 06:04 PM

Very cool.

Fordestes · 02-24-2016, 07:18 PM

Keep us posted on progress, Are you using a modified dist. rotor or a modified dist. cam ? I want to find someone to grind the dist. cams, I found one dist. with all the lobes still on the cam and the wire contact plates were soldered with strips, I am almost afraid I will mess up on the cams, the red dirt must be from an Okie car, nearly all our dirt is red. L.O.L
Fordestes

Walt Dupont--Me. · 02-24-2016, 07:32 PM

Back in 1955 a few of us boys had a 39 coupe we ran at Sanford drags. I remember getting one of the those V12 dist, I remember it had special rotor. I know we had a hard time getting the plug wires into the right cap holes. Arrrr the good old days. Walt

Ken/Alabama · 02-24-2016, 07:47 PM

There is a really good article printed in the 1955 Hot Rod Anual about converting the V12 distributor. It appears that the one I have has been done by those instructions. My plan is to rebuild it and I have a 99A Merc block and a L100 cam and put it in my 40 coupe.

BUBBAS IGNITION · 02-24-2016, 07:55 PM

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Fordestes

Keep us posted on progress, Are you using a modified dist. rotor or a modified dist. cam ? I want to find someone to grind the dist. cams, I found one dist. with all the lobes still on the cam and the wire contact plates were soldered with strips, I am almost afraid I will mess up on the cams, the red dirt must be from an Okie car, nearly all our dirt is red. L.O.L
Fordestes

I have the Hot Rod drawings for the conversions. Three seperate books , drawings are pretty good on the cam machining..

JWL · 02-25-2016, 06:31 AM

I used a V8 cam and simply removed every other lobe. I don't remember what was necessary to make it fit or work.

JWL

JM 35 Sedan · 02-25-2016, 07:36 AM

Question to JWL and Bubba.......
Could the 4 lobe camshaft from a Harmon - Collins dual point, dual coil, distributor (same aluminum housing body used by Ford for '42-'48 crab) be used as a "machining guide" for making a special four lobe camshaft from a stock '41 helmet distributor camshaft, that would fit and work in converting the Lincoln V12 distributor to a dual coil, dual point V-8 distributor?

BUBBAS IGNITION · 02-25-2016, 10:41 AM

Guys,

This is a good discussion regarding the V12 to Flathead conversion. I have the April, May and June Car Craft 1954 ( available on ebay) and there seems to be more to it than we have discussed...

Seems like a lot of work to me ...
Heres a couple scan for today. Maybe we could make this a complete post for all to see if theres interest....???

BUBBAS IGNITION · 02-25-2016, 10:55 AM

Looking at the plans :

1-cut slot for wires back of coil
2-opening for point plate for use of ford plate
3-lengthen the point plate boss on rear base housing
4-modify rotor mount
5-grind cam lobes
6-brass straps on side caps
7-remove 1/32 from rotor tips
8-modify point plate for bendix points9-modify timing tab
9-modify (wire) lincoln coil
10-sync and adjust on machine....

D. Jones · 02-25-2016, 01:37 PM

I was never in to racing or hot-rods so I've never heard of this conversion.What was the advantage over a stock Ford distributor? I assume it was something like better control of the timing curve, or possible longer dwell.

BUBBAS IGNITION · 02-25-2016, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D. Jones

I was never in to racing or hot-rods so I've never heard of this conversion.What was the advantage over a stock Ford distributor? I assume it was something like better control of the timing curve, or possible longer dwell.

Good question , ya got to take into account the timing ( no pun intended) of the project. Its 1953 and the flathead is still king , theres no chevy V8 and few olds V8s etc . So its really about the flathead. The factory ignitions were pretty limited in regards to rpm supplying proper spark.. Assuming you had a flathead that could run above 5000 rpm you had a issue.
The lincoln conversion provided the fix for the issue by using two coils firing 4 cylinders each. More time to build up on each cylinder allowed the unit to run a much higher rpm. I have ran the Lincoln conversion at 7000 rpm and above with no spark scatter what so ever.... A very good fix for the time period it was used .

Andy · 02-25-2016, 03:59 PM

How about this?

Kerk · 02-25-2016, 04:18 PM

How would that compare to a restored Harmon Collins if they can be rebuilt. Have a complete one as removed from my 32 that was supposedly run at Sanford, Me. It is presently a wall hanger ! Kerk

Bruce Lancaster · 02-25-2016, 04:24 PM

Bibliographic note...the Car Craft articles and the writeup in the '55 yearbook are the same. The Car Craft article is the desirable one, as the reduced the size of the drilling template in the Annual, rendering it pretty close to useless.

Ken/Alabama · 02-25-2016, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BUBBAS IGNITION

Looking at the plans :

1-cut slot for wires back of coil
2-opening for point plate for use of ford plate
3-lengthen the point plate boss on rear base housing
4-modify rotor mount
5-grind cam lobes
6-brass straps on side caps
7-remove 1/32 from rotor tips
8-modify point plate for bendix points9-modify timing tab
9-modify (wire) lincoln coil
10-sync and adjust on machine....

Hey Bubba, Are those Bendix points still available anywhere?

BUBBAS IGNITION · 02-25-2016, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy

How about this?

Thats a different way to get it done....

BUBBAS IGNITION · 02-25-2016, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken/Alabama

Hey Bubba, Are those Bendix points still available anywhere?

Yes, i have them they are $104 per pair...

BUBBAS IGNITION · 02-25-2016, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kerk

How would that compare to a restored Harmon Collins if they can be rebuilt. Have a complete one as removed from my 32 that was supposedly run at Sanford, Me. It is presently a wall hanger ! Kerk

Actually the comparison would be "visual" only the harmon collins is a good unit as well......twin coil ( two four cylinder set ups)....

Side note : Going after rpm in these is no problem , however going after high output from the coil dont work as it breaks down the insulation really easy !!!!

KiWinUS · 02-25-2016, 08:16 PM

This is all very interesting to me , I had a LZ dizzy that had been converted to a v8 but made the mistake of selling it some years ago . I now have a stock LZ & have been gathering info on converting it to a v8.
This is great !!!
Cheers
Tony

02-24-2016, 06:04 PM	#2
Vic Piano Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Odessa, FL Posts: 7,611	Re: Converted V12 Distributor Very cool. __________________ Imagination is more important than knowledge.

02-24-2016, 07:18 PM	#3
Fordestes Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 931	Re: Converted V12 Distributor Keep us posted on progress, Are you using a modified dist. rotor or a modified dist. cam ? I want to find someone to grind the dist. cams, I found one dist. with all the lobes still on the cam and the wire contact plates were soldered with strips, I am almost afraid I will mess up on the cams, the red dirt must be from an Okie car, nearly all our dirt is red. L.O.L Fordestes

02-24-2016, 07:32 PM	#4
Walt Dupont--Me. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gardiner Me. Posts: 4,200	Re: Converted V12 Distributor Back in 1955 a few of us boys had a 39 coupe we ran at Sanford drags. I remember getting one of the those V12 dist, I remember it had special rotor. I know we had a hard time getting the plug wires into the right cap holes. Arrrr the good old days. Walt

02-24-2016, 07:47 PM	#5
Ken/Alabama Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,395	Re: Converted V12 Distributor There is a really good article printed in the 1955 Hot Rod Anual about converting the V12 distributor. It appears that the one I have has been done by those instructions. My plan is to rebuild it and I have a 99A Merc block and a L100 cam and put it in my 40 coupe.

02-25-2016, 06:31 AM	#7
JWL Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Fitzgerald, Georgia Posts: 2,204	Re: Converted V12 Distributor I used a V8 cam and simply removed every other lobe. I don't remember what was necessary to make it fit or work. JWL

02-25-2016, 07:36 AM	#8
JM 35 Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Near Rising Sun, Maryland Posts: 10,876	Re: Converted V12 Distributor Question to JWL and Bubba....... Could the 4 lobe camshaft from a Harmon - Collins dual point, dual coil, distributor (same aluminum housing body used by Ford for '42-'48 crab) be used as a "machining guide" for making a special four lobe camshaft from a stock '41 helmet distributor camshaft, that would fit and work in converting the Lincoln V12 distributor to a dual coil, dual point V-8 distributor? __________________ *John* *"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts". Albert Einstein*

02-25-2016, 10:55 AM	#10
BUBBAS IGNITION Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: SPEEDWAY INDIANA Posts: 4,148	Re: Converted V12 Distributor Looking at the plans : 1-cut slot for wires back of coil 2-opening for point plate for use of ford plate 3-lengthen the point plate boss on rear base housing 4-modify rotor mount 5-grind cam lobes 6-brass straps on side caps 7-remove 1/32 from rotor tips 8-modify point plate for bendix points9-modify timing tab 9-modify (wire) lincoln coil 10-sync and adjust on machine.... __________________ If it Makes Spark, we do it !!!! www.bubbasignition.com [email protected]

02-25-2016, 01:37 PM	#11
D. Jones Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Bend, Oregon Posts: 519	Re: Converted V12 Distributor I was never in to racing or hot-rods so I've never heard of this conversion.What was the advantage over a stock Ford distributor? I assume it was something like better control of the timing curve, or possible longer dwell.

02-25-2016, 04:18 PM	#14
Kerk Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 642	Re: Converted V12 Distributor How would that compare to a restored Harmon Collins if they can be rebuilt. Have a complete one as removed from my 32 that was supposedly run at Sanford, Me. It is presently a wall hanger ! Kerk

02-25-2016, 04:24 PM	#15
Bruce Lancaster Member Emeritus Join Date: May 2010 Location: Madison, NJ Posts: 5,230	Re: Converted V12 Distributor Bibliographic note...the Car Craft articles and the writeup in the '55 yearbook are the same. The Car Craft article is the desirable one, as the reduced the size of the drilling template in the Annual, rendering it pretty close to useless.

02-25-2016, 08:16 PM	#20
KiWinUS Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Charlotte NC KiWi-L100 available here Posts: 3,264	Re: Converted V12 Distributor This is all very interesting to me , I had a LZ dizzy that had been converted to a v8 but made the mistake of selling it some years ago . I now have a stock LZ & have been gathering info on converting it to a v8. This is great !!! Cheers Tony