Ronning 8BA style distributor on 59A

[Mart]

Ok, here's another idea, or a question, if you like.

If you made up a thin spacer from a piece of plate, no more than .080", something like that, and spaced out the right hand waterpump, would that increase the clearance to the dist. shaft? Maybe .0625", 1/16" plare or 16 gauge, something easy to get. That, and two gaskets would help clearance, and maybe mean a slightly thinner spacer could be used on the generator.

Just mulling some ideas around in my head.

Mart.

Just saw John R mentioned spacing water pumps in the thread above while I was typing! Doh!

[Andrew_B]

Hi,

Not wanting to hijack this thread but can anyone give me any info on running a front mount 59A style distributor on an 8BA?

Thanks,

Andrew

[36tbird]

Andrew, you can add a dizzy gear drive on a 59A cam for a conversion to the later distributor. But, to go the other way, you would need to replace the cam to remove the drive gear and get the slot for driving the earlier distributor. And, of course, after you swap out the cam, you would use the early timing gear cover.

You're not going to next ask about putting a flathead into a '67 Chevy II, are you?

[Andrew_B]

Ha! No 36tbird, I'm building a 50's style speedway car and will have little room under the cowl for the an 8BA style distributor.

Andrew

[Junknshit]

Good belts can be aquired from industrial supply houses. These belts run in extreme conditions many times. High heat, extreme cold, twisted 90 degrees (horizontal motor to vertical drive), idlers on back side, etc. They are also available in many combinations of width, depth, and side angles. Open or covered sides. And if you need matched belts you can buy a real matched length set, 2-3-4, however many you want . Much closer in length than buying two or three belts of the same number, that are supposed to be the same length. also, by working with a couple of my sons on SBCs for some of their projects, I have seen them hold up under higher RPMs than MOST people on this forum are ever going to see their flatheads turn.

[36tbird]

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So, Junkn, you don't think my fire breathing flathead cruising at 2600 rpm is gonna tax the industrial supply belts?! Sincerely, thanks, that is a great tip.

Andrew, if you need a 59A timing cover, I'm sure I got one laying around here that I can donate to the cause. I won't even require you to put my name on the car as a sponsor.

[Junknshit]

36tbird, I think as long as you get U.S.A. made belts, and not some made by CH Ina and company, you'll be fairly safe at that RPM. Shouldn't tax them too bad. Forgot to say above, they also are run in all weather conditions.

[Andrew_B]

Thanks 36tbird, but I have a pile of them laying around. I was actually looking at one of Norman Frick's Aluminum timing gear covers.

[bloodyjack]

So I have a 8BA engine I would like to install in a 31 coupe without modifying the firewall.

Do the 37-48 (8RT) pumps bolt right on to the 8BA?

I figure the list of parts I need is this

1. 39 truck generator pulley
2. generator mounted fan
3. 37-48 water pumps (8rt)
4. single wide bottom pulley (don't know what year anybody?)

Ron I think your spacer is not needed on an 8BA you can just drill a new hole in the generator for the little mounting lug to move the generator forward ( 8ba generator is held on with a strap around it)

I already have the generator built I made it from 3 different years
8BA 6 volt generator case and armature
field windings from a 60's Falcon to make it 12 volts
and the rare 39 truck pulley for the fan mount

Originally Posted by Ol' Ron

Over the past few years, many guys would like to run 8BA engines in their early cars but the late water pumps prevent many clearance problems. Using the early pumps interfere with the distributor. I've described this method of solving the problem, but now a few pictures are worth a thousand words. The space is 1/8" thick. This conversion was done on Ken Schmits engine albost 20 years ago. For those using an *bA engine you'll have to plug a few holes and use either Skips or a pump with sealed bearings. Enjoy

[Lawrie]

We run an early distributor on our 8ba ,machined the front of the cam off ,then made a little disc to fit in under the cam gear bolts with the dist drive slot machined in,fitted the earlier gears ,also fitted a late model merc cam into my 33 eng the same way.
Lawrie

[Ol' Ron]

Yes the 37 style water pump will fit the 8BA, however you have to plug the heater bypass hole and use a modern pump with internal seals. The 37-49 pump won't last long with out lube oil, which id furnished by the large timing gear in the early blocks.
This thread was meant to make it easy, I do things like this because i'm basicly lazy. I can't believe anyone would want to space out the pump. But that would work too.

[Ralph Moore]

I finally got some pics of my setup, I plan on adding a 46 fan with oiled hub. Crank pulley is going to be a double "wide belt" 8BA type. After I added the generator it looks like it may work? Belt may just clear Bubba's Chebbie conversion distributor.

[Ol' Ron]

These are the late water pumps???

[Ralph Moore]

I have the late pumps on there now(8BA block/early heads), But I will switch to early ones if I can't get the belt clearances I need. But I think with the early pumps, I will definitely have to go with the drivers side Gen mount.

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

After watching this thread and a few phone calls we made up two new distributor that is one inch taller in height. Hopefully this will fix a customers problem (he already had bought pumps and assembled the engine).
Any one else have this problem ?????????
Will let you all know if this fixes the issue.......??????????