The Ford Barn

Black46 · 08-10-2023, 10:42 AM

Hello, I have a 59AB engine with crab distributer. I was at a swap meet recently and a guy had an inexpensive new 1970's? old stock Crab Cap. It looked like what would replace the one on my car. Yesterday I pulled my old cap off and when I put on them on the bench to compare..the one I bought at swap is quite a bit deeper? Please see photos....I have not seen this deeper design...what is this for?? The shape and everything else looks the same..but I dont think the swap meet deep one will work with my rotor etc. So my question is what is this other style for or what is its application? Thank you in advance for your help. Learning every day!

Could this maybe be a Harman Collins duel point distributer cap? I saw a photo of one of those distributers online and it also looked like a deep design cap..

petehoovie · 08-10-2023, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black46

Hello, I have a 59AB engine with crab distributer. I was at a swap meet recently and a guy had an inexpensive new 1970's? old stock Crab Cap. It looked like what would replace the one on my car. Yesterday I pulled my old cap off and when I put on them on the bench to compare..the one I bought at swap is quite a bit deeper? Please see photos....I have not seen this deeper design...what is this for?? The shape and everything else looks the same..but I dont think the swap meet deep one will work with my rotor etc. So my question is what is this other style for or what is its application? Thank you in advance for your help. Learning every day!

Could this maybe be a Harman Collins duel point distributer cap? I saw a photo of one of those distributers online and it also looked like a deep design cap..

alchemy · 08-10-2023, 11:14 AM

Not the H-C conversion cap. They are the same as regular Ford except the area where the coil lead is sticks out on the outside rather than a lump on the inside.

No idear what your swap meet cap fits.

tubman · 08-10-2023, 11:51 AM

I have seen marine SBC distributors with crab caps. The were used because of clearance problems.

I've always thought one would be an interesting conversion for an 8BA.

blucar · 08-10-2023, 12:13 PM

The cap from your car is the '42 Ford/Merc style of cap which is the preferred style of cap by the guys that like to mess with their cars. The swap meet cap could be one of the Magneto variants that was very common in the good ole days. The swap meet cap is not a Harmon Collins which used the '42 style of cap.

Bob C · 08-10-2023, 12:15 PM

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Maybe this one. https://maxmarineoutlet.com/product/...butor-cap-new/Sierra 18-5391 Chris Craft Chrysler Crusader Prestolite V8 Distributor Cap

petehoovie · 08-10-2023, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob C

Maybe this one. https://maxmarineoutlet.com/product/...butor-cap-new/Sierra 18-5391 Chris Craft Chrysler Crusader Prestolite V8 Distributor Cap

Black46 · 08-10-2023, 12:30 PM

Pete! I think that is a winner you found. That looks like it...so carb for chrylser marine. Wow. Who would have thought. When I bought the cap at the vintage car swap meet it even had Ford and years listed on it! So I think they were wrong. And being new to the flathead ford crab distributers it looks like the one..and I did not know there was any other application for a crab design until now. Well I only paid $10.00 for the new cap at the swap meet...and it looks like the Marine Crabs are even harder to find..so I guess I'll just buy the correct crap cap at one of the good online sellers websites soon..and sell this marine cap to someone that needs to get their vintage boat on the water! Thanks for the help guys!

JM 35 Sedan · 08-10-2023, 12:37 PM

I believe the swap meet cap would be used on a top mount distributor, but I'm not sure which make (Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, etc. ?) distributor it would be used on.

Bob C · 08-10-2023, 12:56 PM

Read my post #6. Chrysler Crusader Prestolite V8 Distributor Cap

JM 35 Sedan · 08-10-2023, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob C

Read my post #6. Chrysler Crusader Prestolite V8 Distributor Cap

If you are address me....I did read your post #6, and I believe I said more than you posted.

Bob C · 08-10-2023, 02:22 PM

Didn't mean to offend, I was addressing this " but I'm not sure which make (Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, etc. ?) distributor it would be used on."

Black46 · 08-10-2023, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob C

Didn't mean to offend, I was addressing this " but I'm not sure which make (Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, etc. ?) distributor it would be used on."

Thanks Bob, yes I did see you identified it above and added a link to it on another site..great.

JM 35 Sedan · 08-10-2023, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob C

Didn't mean to offend, I was addressing this " but I'm not sure which make (Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, etc. ?) distributor it would be used on."

Bob, sorry, my bad. I misunderstood the intent of your post. In retrospect, I'd agree that you nailed it 100% with your identification.

Tim Ayers · 08-10-2023, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

I have seen marine SBC distributors with crab caps. The were used because of clearance problems.

I've always thought one would be an interesting conversion for an 8BA.

Tubman,

I picked up a Mallory crab capped dizzy at Hershey last year for cheap. People say that a flathead cap doesn't work on these, but I've tried a number of flathead crab caps and they all work fine.

I agree, they are interesting for sure.

mfirth · 08-11-2023, 07:38 AM

Yep, had a Grey Marine 188 with twin Carter side drafts and a dizzy that used that cap.
Lyman and others used them as tubman said in tight areas where top clearance issues arised. Also saw them on Ford [Interceptor Marine] big bloock engines.

GaryU. · 08-11-2023, 06:26 PM

Pulled out the box from the basement of my dumb purchase of 6 of these caps. That link shows they go for some bucks, maybe put them on eBay??

Graeme / New Zealand · 08-11-2023, 07:36 PM

I have seen a crab type cap used on a 429 BB Ford with a blower for clearance. Was a tan colour used in conjunction with an Accel dist.

GB

tubman · 08-11-2023, 07:51 PM

Accel is singularly responsible for my dislike of the color yellow.

Bored&Stroked · 08-13-2023, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubman

Accel is singularly responsible for my dislike of the color yellow.

Exactly! Though when I was about 16 years old, I thought those bright yellow wires were cool.

I also thought the damn red and blue anodizing on "aircraft fittings" was cool as well . . . now I hate all three of them on cars! And now we have bright purple from some of the fuel boys. Argggghhhh

Just give me black . . . everything . . . black . . . then I will be at peace with myself.

08-10-2023, 11:14 AM	#3
alchemy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: middle of Iowa Posts: 647	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap Not the H-C conversion cap. They are the same as regular Ford except the area where the coil lead is sticks out on the outside rather than a lump on the inside. No idear what your swap meet cap fits.

08-10-2023, 11:51 AM	#4
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,320	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap I have seen marine SBC distributors with crab caps. The were used because of clearance problems. I've always thought one would be an interesting conversion for an 8BA.

08-10-2023, 12:13 PM	#5
blucar Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 2,464	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap The cap from your car is the '42 Ford/Merc style of cap which is the preferred style of cap by the guys that like to mess with their cars. The swap meet cap could be one of the Magneto variants that was very common in the good ole days. The swap meet cap is not a Harmon Collins which used the '42 style of cap. __________________ Bill.... 36 5 win cpe

08-10-2023, 12:30 PM	#8
Black46 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2023 Posts: 7	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap Pete! I think that is a winner you found. That looks like it...so carb for chrylser marine. Wow. Who would have thought. When I bought the cap at the vintage car swap meet it even had Ford and years listed on it! So I think they were wrong. And being new to the flathead ford crab distributers it looks like the one..and I did not know there was any other application for a crab design until now. Well I only paid $10.00 for the new cap at the swap meet...and it looks like the Marine Crabs are even harder to find..so I guess I'll just buy the correct crap cap at one of the good online sellers websites soon..and sell this marine cap to someone that needs to get their vintage boat on the water! Thanks for the help guys!

08-10-2023, 12:37 PM	#9
JM 35 Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Near Rising Sun, Maryland Posts: 10,858	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap I believe the swap meet cap would be used on a top mount distributor, but I'm not sure which make (Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, etc. ?) distributor it would be used on. __________________ *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*

08-10-2023, 12:56 PM	#10
Bob C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Cal Posts: 8,755	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap Read my post #6. Chrysler Crusader Prestolite V8 Distributor Cap

08-10-2023, 02:22 PM	#12
Bob C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Cal Posts: 8,755	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap Didn't mean to offend, I was addressing this " but I'm not sure which make (Ford, Chevy, Chrysler, etc. ?) distributor it would be used on."

08-11-2023, 07:38 AM	#16
mfirth Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: ohio Posts: 986	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap Yep, had a Grey Marine 188 with twin Carter side drafts and a dizzy that used that cap. Lyman and others used them as tubman said in tight areas where top clearance issues arised. Also saw them on Ford [Interceptor Marine] big bloock engines.

08-11-2023, 06:26 PM	#17
GaryU. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Posts: 821	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap Pulled out the box from the basement of my dumb purchase of 6 of these caps. That link shows they go for some bucks, maybe put them on eBay??

08-11-2023, 07:36 PM	#18
Graeme / New Zealand Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lower Hutt , New Zealand Posts: 2,126	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap I have seen a crab type cap used on a 429 BB Ford with a blower for clearance. Was a tan colour used in conjunction with an Accel dist. GB __________________ "you can't make honey out of dog sh*t" "You're a long time looking at the lid"

08-11-2023, 07:51 PM	#19
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,320	Re: Identify wide Crab Dist. Cap Accel is singularly responsible for my dislike of the color yellow.