Need a little help with identifying this distributor

[runmikeyrun]

Here’s some info I found in a 1960 ford truck service manual. This is what my 12102 distributor housing looks like. The specifications are of note as well, and while mine is a 12102-D and the specs are for E-F they should be similar enough. However, this distributor is for a 302 and 332 cu. in. motor, so I’m thinking I’ll go with timing specs for my block, which is a 55-57 272. Since I’m literally putting around town at no faster than 35-40 I think we can quote Clark Griswold here from Christmas Vacation... “Do you really think it matters,
Eddie?”

[KULTULZ]

...hmmpf...

GOOD FIND! ...

Where did you come across the manual?

Was there any reference to the governor? Curious...

[runmikeyrun]

I found it at www.oldcarmanualproject.com they have a lot of service manuals but also brochures and owners manuals. Pretty cool resource. It did talk about the governor.

[runmikeyrun]

New
I thought I would post some follow up. For the record, it runs great!
I re-wired the entire truck and did a lot of upgrades. The important items that we discussed first:

1. The distributor. I plugged the two vacuum lines coming off of it. Capped the ports on the carb. Re-timed the engine and it ran much better. Then I removed the points and installed a Pertronix Ignitor. That made a difference! Much smoother idle, starts easier, and runs great while driving. For what it's worth, turning the distributor CCW, which the 1960 manual states advances the timing, actually retards it. In the picture above the little dot and two lines are the timing marks on the pulley. Turning it CCW moved the pointer towards the dot and away from the two lines (retarding). I turned the distributor CW and moved the pointer past the two lines, about the same amount that the dots and lines are from each other (advancing). That also made a large difference in how the truck ran. So I feel like it's advanced and in the right spot- no backfires, knocking etc. Seems backwards from the literature, but the closer I got to the dot the worse it ran. I should add that when revving the engine the pointer moved away from the dot and towards the two marks, so I knew that direction was advancing the timing.

2. The alternator. I ended up running the wire from terminal #1 to an idiot light on the dash. I ran #2 to the junction block. I checked the battery at idle and got 12.4v, so it wasn't charging. The idiot light got dimmer once I started the truck, but not out. I've read that the alternator needs to spin up to start charging, I didn't notice if the light went completely out after I started driving it or not, and I did not re-check the voltage. I am going to add a ground strap from the alternator to the frame tomorrow, and also from the engine to the firewall and engine to the frame. The battery is behind the cab, so I think the alternator isn't getting a good enough ground to charge. I also think grounds are why the gauge panel sort-of works. Seems to work ok when I just turn the ignition on, but not once the truck is running. FYI, I used a dash cluster regulator to send 6v to the gauge cluster and then wired the original gauges back up. I haven't installed a sending unit yet for the oil pressure, and the temp sensor might be off. I need to get the body grounded to the frame better first, that may fix my problem.

3. The other stuff. I had to keep the 6v battery to power the siren and the Mars light on top. Just no way to run those off of 12v without large resistor networks since they draw a lot of current.

4. I powered the fuel pump, horn, and siren off of relays, the latter relay trips a solenoid which is wired to 6v. Everything is fused properly now and much safer and reliable.

5. Adjusting the idle screws on the Holley helped throttle response too. I'm about 1 1/4 turns out, which is slightly leaner than the factory starting point. I think its a little too much carb for the motor in it's present state because it fires up and immediately the choke needs turned off, but with the screws adjusted it made a difference in the throttle response off idle (along with the timing).

6. I ditched the oil bath filter in favor of a paper element, but I didn't ditch the housing since it's the original 1941 housing and I wanted to keep the stock look. I cut out the internal filter media and and installed a 9" paper edelbrock element off the shelf. I cut down the tall center stack slightly and seated the element on it's pan and then onto the center tunnel. I wanted to keep the tunnel long to help smooth the air flow on it's way to the carb. Then I mounted the edebrock chrome lid and placed the part of the center stack I cut off on top. I had to trim that part so the lid sat at the same height. Then, I cut down the lid's flange that recesses into the lower filter housing. I cut enough off that it didn't block flow to the filter element, but kept it low enough so you can't see the paper element. It took a lot of thinking to figure that one out! I will post some pics because it will be easier to visualize.

All in all, the truck is running much, much better and is reliable in many ways which was my main goal. I couldn't have sorted out the distributor, timing and alternator without your help, so thank you!

[runmikeyrun]

Ok, the air cleaner... I wanted to retain the stock look. Stripped and painted with VHT high heat black and clear, then hand polished. I ordered the correct sticker for the outside on ebay ($10).

Inside, I cut out the baffle originally attached to the lid and cut the skirt short so that when the air cleaner is assembled you can't tell it's been modified. However, the skirt is cut off just under the lip where the bottom piece is, allowing unhampered air flow to the paper element. I used a run of the mill Edelbrock air cleaner assembly from O'reilly auto, which was $20 or $30.
I found a site online with a formula to calculate what size air cleaner is appropriate for your motor based on displacement, peak HP rpm, and another variable I forget. It gives you the diameter and filter height dimensions and this one is the exact size it should be.

Under the Edelbrock element I left part of the center air tunnel. Some pics I've seen online people cut the center part off completely, leaving the new filter element right on the carb. From my adventures in the motorcycle world its best to smooth and stabilize air flow as it enters the carb, so since the air flow was relatively unstable having just entered the element, I figured the extra few inches for the air to flow smoothly wouldn't hurt.

I didn't notice any difference in performance... I wasn't concerned with an increase in horsepower, I WAS concerned about lean conditions which aren't an issue. Probably because I did the math to calculate the correct filter surface area, or maybe I just got lucky? lol.