Crab distro

[30-9]

Hi

What year did Ford switch from helmet to crab?

[Seth Swoboda]

I believe it was in 1941 that they started using the "crab type" of distributor.

[flatjack9]

1942 model year.

[30-9]

Thanks & 59 ab was 48? And crab still used?

[scooder]

The crab cap was 1942, after that including the 59A used a "rabbit ear" two piece cap. The ignition body is the same from 1942 and up. Just the cap/s and retaining clips changed. They came in iron or aluminium.
Martin.

[30-9]

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59 ab rabbit ears - meaning helmet?

When did ford start making the 59 ab?

[scooder]

No,
Helmet usually refers to a 1941 and earlier. The 59A is a two piece cap, an inner and an outer. With caps on and viewed from the front it has a kinda V shaped look.

The 59A started in 1945.

Martin.

[rotorwrench]

The helmet was done in 41. The post war (1945) 59 series engines just used a different cap as was previously stated. FoMoCo had weather leakage problems with the crab cap so they added a multi piece cap with boots for the high tension lead exits. That's where the rabbit ear moniker comes from. First digit in the "59" is for the last number of the design year and the second digit is the last number of the engine displacement 239. The "A" in 59A is just referring to passenger car useage as a base original usage. C would be commercial only and T would be truck only, etc. The B in 59AB was just for the cylinder heads. It designates the first design change after the original introduction of the part.

[30-9]

Excellent thanks very much!

[V8COOPMAN]

Here's a crummy pic of the "rabbit-ear" dizzy. DD

[Ian NZ]

The aluminium crab type housing is a different to the cast iron distributor housing I have found here in N.Z. The crab style cap wobbles and does not sit true when you sit it on top of the aluminium housing as crab style cap has no ledge for it to sit it up against like the cast iron housings. The correct cap for the aluminium housing is the two piece 'rabbit ears' type which has a different face to the crab type cap and sits up against the face of the aluminium housing, If the correct cap is not fitted to the aluminium housing you could have a moisture problem as the caps would have some movement and rotor spark gap would be different.

[russcc]

To add to that, I believe the crab cap used a gasket, which is often forgotten.

[oldford2]

Originally Posted by V8COOPMAN

Here's a crummy pic of the "rabbit-ear" dizzy. DD

That picture doesn't show the rubber boots that should be attached to the ears. If run like this it would be less weatherproof than the crab. JMO
John