The Ford Barn

patrickt · 09-08-2019, 10:20 AM

Hello All !
Our A engine is about to be rebuilt, but for the longest time was running with an old "standard" distributor (NO Electrolock cable or threaded hole in distributor ). So we decided to get a reproduction distributor that includes the big threaded hole on the side for the Electrolock cable ( Which we may or may not put on the car, that's another story...)

Given our dash doesn't have an Electrolock ignition switch, can we wire up the distributor in the conventional manner ? To put it another way, will the distributor electrical work correctly WITHOUT the Electrolock cable screwed on the distributor? Thank You.
Patrick

Jim Brierley · 09-08-2019, 10:37 AM

Yes it will. The thread is a standard pipe thread, 3/8" if I remember right. So feed the wire directly into the hole, or put a short piece of pipe into it first.

rotorwrench · 09-08-2019, 10:41 AM

It depends on how the distributor is set up. If it is set up for an armored cable then you can use one with just the wire protruding from the end in the dash to connect to a standard switch. If the distributor is converted with a modern points & condenser plate in it. A plain wire can be used between the distributor and the dash. They make a switch that appears to be a pop out that can be used in lieu of the original Electrolock. Reproduction pop outs were available for a long time but they weren't as reliable as the original Electrolock units. Rebuilt originals are sometimes available on flea-pay but they will be expensive. I imagine everything is expensive in your location though.

Werner · 09-08-2019, 02:51 PM

Hallo, does anyone have a photo of how and where the Electrolock aluminum emblem was attached original on the armored cable?

I say thanks in advance!

Mike Peters · 09-08-2019, 08:50 PM

https://www.google.com/search?q=mode...X--pyeM:&vet=1

patrickt · 09-09-2019, 09:55 AM

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Thank you both for your replies !
I have only seen pics of the armored cable, and can't quite remember what the inside of the threaded hole (for the armored cable) on the side of the distributor looks like. Thus I'd like to ask for some clarification.

JIM BRIERLY - Does the threaded pipe/pipes serve only as a guide for the wire coming from a standard ignition switch ? And when you mention feeding the wire directly into the hole, is this a smaller hole within the threaded hole ? Do I then connect this same wire inside the distributor to the contact breaker points ?

ROTORWRENCH - It is a reproduction distributor for use with the armored cable for the Electrolock, except I don't plan on using an Electrolock, rather a standard ignition switch.

Bob C · 09-09-2019, 12:14 PM

It is a reproduction distributor for use with the armored cable for the Electrolock, except I don't plan on using an Electrolock, rather a standard ignition switch.

This is what you will need. https://www.brattons.com/shorter-arm...ion-cable.html

Bob

Werner · 09-09-2019, 04:05 PM

I meant the attached picture of the label. Where was that attached to the armored cable from the ignition?

F.M. · 09-09-2019, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Werner

I meant the attached picture of the label. Where was that attached to the armored cable from the ignition?

Right on the metal part that screws into the dist..

rotorwrench · 09-09-2019, 05:56 PM

The armored cable was designed to protect the wire against heat (cylinder head) and tampering (hot wire for theft). It has a spring loaded terminal that makes contact with the ignition breaker components inside the distributor. The breaker plate & condenser parts have to be like the original components for the spring loaded terminal to make good contact with the components in there. If it has a different points plate with modern type breaker points & condenser then a wire will have to be connected to them internally.

On the armored cable data plate, only a certain run of those ignition components had that feature. The time frame was some what short lived.

patrickt · 09-09-2019, 07:00 PM

BOB - Thanks for the link.

ROTORWRENCH - That pretty much answers my approach to connecting the switch to distributor wire, as well as knowing how the armored cable works. As far as I know, this repro distributor uses repro interior parts as well, so I might go for the cable that Bob mentioned. Lacking this cable, I will then try to connect the wire inside the distributor. Many thanks Rotorwrench !

F.M. · 09-09-2019, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

The armored cable was designed to protect the wire against heat (cylinder head) and tampering (hot wire for theft). It has a spring loaded terminal that makes contact with the ignition breaker components inside the distributor. The breaker plate & condenser parts have to be like the original components for the spring loaded terminal to make good contact with the components in there. If it has a different points plate with modern type breaker points & condenser then a wire will have to be connected to them internally.

On the armored cable data plate, only a certain run of those ignition components had that feature. The time frame was some what short lived.

The cable data plate was used from the beginning of production thru Sept.1930..

Jim Brierley · 09-10-2019, 11:26 AM

Yes, the pipe only acts as a guide. The wire would connect to the plate as the standard cable does, some modification will be needed at the wire end.

supergnat · 09-10-2019, 04:57 PM

https://www.brattons.com/dual-positi...yle-cable.html You can order this from Brattons and it will look like the pop-out and protect the wire to boot.

patrickt · 09-10-2019, 09:06 PM

JIM BRIERLY- Thanks again!

SUPERGNAT - Thanks for the link.

09-08-2019, 10:20 AM	#1
patrickt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 119	Electrolock question Hello All ! Our A engine is about to be rebuilt, but for the longest time was running with an old "standard" distributor (NO Electrolock cable or threaded hole in distributor ). So we decided to get a reproduction distributor that includes the big threaded hole on the side for the Electrolock cable ( Which we may or may not put on the car, that's another story...) Given our dash doesn't have an Electrolock ignition switch, can we wire up the distributor in the conventional manner ? To put it another way, will the distributor electrical work correctly WITHOUT the Electrolock cable screwed on the distributor? Thank You. Patrick

09-08-2019, 10:37 AM	#2
Jim Brierley Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 4,085	Re: Electrolock question Yes it will. The thread is a standard pipe thread, 3/8" if I remember right. So feed the wire directly into the hole, or put a short piece of pipe into it first.

09-08-2019, 10:41 AM	#3
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,422	Re: Electrolock question It depends on how the distributor is set up. If it is set up for an armored cable then you can use one with just the wire protruding from the end in the dash to connect to a standard switch. If the distributor is converted with a modern points & condenser plate in it. A plain wire can be used between the distributor and the dash. They make a switch that appears to be a pop out that can be used in lieu of the original Electrolock. Reproduction pop outs were available for a long time but they weren't as reliable as the original Electrolock units. Rebuilt originals are sometimes available on flea-pay but they will be expensive. I imagine everything is expensive in your location though.

09-08-2019, 02:51 PM	#4
Werner Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Germany, near Aachen Posts: 1,153	Re: Electrolock question Hallo, does anyone have a photo of how and where the Electrolock aluminum emblem was attached original on the armored cable? I say thanks in advance! __________________ Beste Gruesse aus Deutschland, Werner Ford Model A, Roadster, 1928 Citroen 11 CV, 1947 Hercules W 2000, 1976; (with NSU-Wankel Rotary Engine), Canadian version

09-08-2019, 08:50 PM	#5
Mike Peters Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: South East Wisconsin Posts: 1,279	Re: Electrolock question https://www.google.com/search?q=mode...X--pyeM:&vet=1

09-09-2019, 09:55 AM	#6
patrickt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 119	Re: Electrolock question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Thank you both for your replies ! I have only seen pics of the armored cable, and can't quite remember what the inside of the threaded hole (for the armored cable) on the side of the distributor looks like. Thus I'd like to ask for some clarification. JIM BRIERLY - Does the threaded pipe/pipes serve only as a guide for the wire coming from a standard ignition switch ? And when you mention feeding the wire directly into the hole, is this a smaller hole within the threaded hole ? Do I then connect this same wire inside the distributor to the contact breaker points ? ROTORWRENCH - It is a reproduction distributor for use with the armored cable for the Electrolock, except I don't plan on using an Electrolock, rather a standard ignition switch.

09-09-2019, 12:14 PM	#7
Bob C Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: So Cal Posts: 8,741	Re: Electrolock question It is a reproduction distributor for use with the armored cable for the Electrolock, except I don't plan on using an Electrolock, rather a standard ignition switch. This is what you will need. https://www.brattons.com/shorter-arm...ion-cable.html Bob

09-09-2019, 05:56 PM	#10
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,422	Re: Electrolock question The armored cable was designed to protect the wire against heat (cylinder head) and tampering (hot wire for theft). It has a spring loaded terminal that makes contact with the ignition breaker components inside the distributor. The breaker plate & condenser parts have to be like the original components for the spring loaded terminal to make good contact with the components in there. If it has a different points plate with modern type breaker points & condenser then a wire will have to be connected to them internally. On the armored cable data plate, only a certain run of those ignition components had that feature. The time frame was some what short lived.

09-09-2019, 07:00 PM	#11
patrickt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 119	Re: Electrolock question BOB - Thanks for the link. ROTORWRENCH - That pretty much answers my approach to connecting the switch to distributor wire, as well as knowing how the armored cable works. As far as I know, this repro distributor uses repro interior parts as well, so I might go for the cable that Bob mentioned. Lacking this cable, I will then try to connect the wire inside the distributor. Many thanks Rotorwrench !

09-10-2019, 11:26 AM	#13
Jim Brierley Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Temecula, CA Posts: 4,085	Re: Electrolock question Yes, the pipe only acts as a guide. The wire would connect to the plate as the standard cable does, some modification will be needed at the wire end.

09-10-2019, 04:57 PM	#14
supergnat Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Palmyra, NJ Posts: 475	Re: Electrolock question https://www.brattons.com/dual-positi...yle-cable.html You can order this from Brattons and it will look like the pop-out and protect the wire to boot.

09-10-2019, 09:06 PM	#15
patrickt Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Manila, Philippines Posts: 119	Re: Electrolock question JIM BRIERLY- Thanks again! SUPERGNAT - Thanks for the link.