The Ford Barn

28 Special Coupe · 08-18-2011, 11:55 AM

I was working on my distributer a few days ago and I noticed that there was some electrical tape wrapped around the inside perimeter of the upper body where it mates with the base. I removed the tape and quickly found out why it was there. The upper body didn't fit snug on the base and I could actually move it around somewhat. Surely this is supposed to be a tight fit, right? Have any of you guys experienced this? Unfortunately I'm not sure if it's the base or the upper body that's out of tolerance. Would one of you mind measuring both halves of your distributer with a caliper to give me an idea of what the correct dimensions are? Thanks.

Wick · 08-18-2011, 12:45 PM

what you may have is a poor quality repop top from long ago (Ricks-JC Whitney)
Wick

BILL WILLIAMSON · 08-19-2011, 04:06 AM

I vaguely remember reading somewhere about some type of wire ring to install around inside the body to make upper plate fit properly.

Tom Wesenberg · 08-19-2011, 05:12 AM

I've purchased distributor bodies from Bert's, Bratton's, and Little Dearborn in Mpls. and they all had a nice snug fit to the distributor. I have seen some loose repro bodies though and I guess tape would be a good fix to keep them centered.

Marco Tahtaras · 08-19-2011, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

I've purchased distributor bodies from Bert's, Bratton's, and Little Dearborn in Mpls. and they all had a nice snug fit to the distributor. I have seen some loose repro bodies though and I guess tape would be a good fix to keep them centered.

A buddy bought two different types from Bratton's last year and they were both loose! I'm running only originals and of course they are snug.

1931 flamingo · 08-19-2011, 12:12 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Got mine from A&L last year, perfect fit.
Paul in CT

28 Special Coupe · 08-19-2011, 01:00 PM

Thanks for your replies, guys. I'm hoping it's just the body that's out of tolerance. Once I can verify that's the case then I'll probably replace it, assuming I can find one that's snug. The tape seems to be working for now, though.

Cape Codder · 08-19-2011, 01:37 PM

I just measured two disttributor bodys I have and each one measured .993-.994 above and below the grove. One of the ones I measured is in the car ( happened to me doing some maintenance).
Hope this helps. Oh, by the way the one in the car is snug>
Cape Codder

Bill Cilker · 08-19-2011, 03:06 PM

The original Ford distributor bodies have a machined area where it fits to the cast iron base and they fit nice and snug. The repros do not have the machined area and are often very loose. I run originals that fit tight.

CarlG · 08-19-2011, 03:19 PM

I got an original that had been rebuilt, but had to remove the paint and sand it down a bit to get it to fit into the head. It fits nice and tight now.

Tom Wesenberg · 08-20-2011, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarlG

I got an original that had been rebuilt, but had to remove the paint and sand it down a bit to get it to fit into the head. It fits nice and tight now.

This is where "DISTRIBUTOR BODIES" gets confusing. I also think of distributor bodies as the main cast part, and every thing about it as the cap, but Ford calls the main part above the cast distributor the BODY, and the small round part the CAP.

I also use an original body and it fits the distributor nice and snug.

As Carl mentioned, you want the paint and rust off the distributor so it gives a good ground when it's slipped into the hole in the head.

Someone is making a repro distributor body with only ONE alignment notch, as original. I haven't tried one yet to see how tight they fit the distributor.

28 Special Coupe · 08-21-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

I just measured two disttributor bodys I have and each one measured .993-.994 above and below the grove. One of the ones I measured is in the car ( happened to me doing some maintenance).
Hope this helps. Oh, by the way the one in the car is snug>
Cape Codder

Cape Codder, thanks for taking the time to measure your distributer bodies. However, I'm not sure what it is that you measured. My upper body has a machined area where it mates to the base. When I measure the inside diameter of the body in the machined area I get 2.89" or about 73mm. How does that compare with yours?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Someone is making a repro distributor body with only ONE alignment notch, as original. I haven't tried one yet to see how tight they fit the distributor.

Tom, if I'm understanding correctly what you mean by "alignment notches", mine appears to have two, so does that mean it's a repro?

Thanks for your help.

Tom Wesenberg · 08-22-2011, 07:35 AM

When the Model B was introduced they had the alinment notch 90* from the Model A, so to allow one cap to fit both distributors they came with two notches, so the fact that your cap has two notches doesn't mean it's a repro cap. I'm always looking at swap meets for good one notch caps, but they don't often show up.

I think it's Terry Burtz making the new one notch cap.

08-18-2011, 11:55 AM	#1
28 Special Coupe Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Posts: 63	Loose Distributer Body I was working on my distributer a few days ago and I noticed that there was some electrical tape wrapped around the inside perimeter of the upper body where it mates with the base. I removed the tape and quickly found out why it was there. The upper body didn't fit snug on the base and I could actually move it around somewhat. Surely this is supposed to be a tight fit, right? Have any of you guys experienced this? Unfortunately I'm not sure if it's the base or the upper body that's out of tolerance. Would one of you mind measuring both halves of your distributer with a caliper to give me an idea of what the correct dimensions are? Thanks.

08-18-2011, 12:45 PM	#2
Wick Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gwynn's Island Va Posts: 1,386	Re: Loose Distributer Body what you may have is a poor quality repop top from long ago (Ricks-JC Whitney) Wick

08-19-2011, 04:06 AM	#3
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Loose Distributer Body I vaguely remember reading somewhere about some type of wire ring to install around inside the body to make upper plate fit properly. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

08-19-2011, 05:12 AM	#4
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Loose Distributer Body I've purchased distributor bodies from Bert's, Bratton's, and Little Dearborn in Mpls. and they all had a nice snug fit to the distributor. I have seen some loose repro bodies though and I guess tape would be a good fix to keep them centered.

08-19-2011, 12:12 PM	#6
1931 flamingo Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: new britain,ct 06052 Posts: 9,389	Re: Loose Distributer Body Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Got mine from A&L last year, perfect fit. Paul in CT

08-19-2011, 01:00 PM	#7
28 Special Coupe Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Posts: 63	Re: Loose Distributer Body Thanks for your replies, guys. I'm hoping it's just the body that's out of tolerance. Once I can verify that's the case then I'll probably replace it, assuming I can find one that's snug. The tape seems to be working for now, though.

08-19-2011, 01:37 PM	#8
Cape Codder Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,261	Re: Loose Distributer Body I just measured two disttributor bodys I have and each one measured .993-.994 above and below the grove. One of the ones I measured is in the car ( happened to me doing some maintenance). Hope this helps. Oh, by the way the one in the car is snug> Cape Codder

08-19-2011, 03:06 PM	#9
Bill Cilker Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Milpitas, CA Posts: 398	Re: Loose Distributer Body The original Ford distributor bodies have a machined area where it fits to the cast iron base and they fit nice and snug. The repros do not have the machined area and are often very loose. I run originals that fit tight. __________________ Bill Cilker, Jr Unrestored 190A Victoria 45B, 160B & 189A Victoria Association President

08-19-2011, 03:19 PM	#10
CarlG Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 9,115	Re: Loose Distributer Body I got an original that had been rebuilt, but had to remove the paint and sand it down a bit to get it to fit into the head. It fits nice and tight now.

08-22-2011, 07:35 AM	#13
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Loose Distributer Body When the Model B was introduced they had the alinment notch 90* from the Model A, so to allow one cap to fit both distributors they came with two notches, so the fact that your cap has two notches doesn't mean it's a repro cap. I'm always looking at swap meets for good one notch caps, but they don't often show up. I think it's Terry Burtz making the new one notch cap.