distributor conversion

[mainline331]

Does anyone have any ideas for adapting a later centrifugal advance distributor to a 226 ? I am interested, and was wondering if I would be better off trying to use a 240/330 style or 200 style, and would like to use the duraspark trigger as well...

 

[flatford6]

Easiest distributor to modify for the 226/254 is the flathead 6 Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge with centrifugal and vacuum advance. It fits into the block hole with no machining. The stock Ford clamp will work. All that neeeds to be done is to weld the splined Ford drive onto the the end of the Mopar distributor at the correct length. It already has a good flathead advance curve. Pertronix makes an electronic conversion for it. Millions were made from the 1930s to the middle 1960s. The 200 Ford distributor is the next best bet. The part of the housing that goes into the block needs to be turned down and so does the drive gear. The drive spline from the flathead distributor must be welded on at the proper length. The centrifugal advance curve is too long and must be redone which means partially dismanteling the distributor and shortening the advance notch on the shaft. Some are stamped 10 degrees and could be used as is with 6 to 8 degrees static. Installed, it looks real stock and con use the original distributor cap. Also possible are c***y 194/230/250/292 six cylinder distributors. They fit into the block but not all the way without shortening the distributor drive gear and would need the Ford spline welded on and the advance curve shortened. The 200 Ford and c***y six distributors both come in electronic ignition versions, points, and pertronix is available. To use the vacuum advance for better part throttle economy would be a cut and try type project. My opinion, is that anything with a proper centrifugal advance curve is better than the stock all vacuum advance distributor.

 

[JimKoz]

If a Chrysler flathead distributor will work, then perhaps a Chrysler slant-six distributor would work as well.

I just finished putting the shaft and advance mechanism from a Chrysler flathead distributor into an electronic Chrysler slant-six distributor body.

I had the diameter of the distributor body turned down just a tiny bit so that it would fit into the flathead's block.

I went to all this trouble because I couldn't find a Pertronix conversion for the Chrysler/DeSoto flathead distributor.

 

[flatford6]

I'm really suprised that you couldn't find a Pertronix conversion for the flathead Chrysler distributor. Pertronix used to make conversions for all kinds of engines including industrial, tractor, auto, and truck. Did you contact them directly? If you had to turn the body down to fit in the slant six, it would have to be turned down the same amount to fit in the Ford flathead six. Its five minute job for a machinist with a lathe.

 

[JimKoz]

A Pertronix ignition conversion, #1561, is available for many ag and industrial applications that used the Chrysler flathead, but the distributor used in those applications isn't the same as the one in auto & truck applications. The ag/industrial distributors could very well be centrifugal advance only.

 

[flatford6]

The Pertronix catalog also lists a 1562 for these engines but it is also in the industrial section. There were evidently 2 different brands of distributors used. Many of the earlier engines used centrifugal only distributors. They look kind of the same, though, except for lack of the vacuum advance disphram. Perhaps Pertronix has a tech person who would know about this. The catalog lists many exotic and rare applications such as Ferrari. Wonder how many of those they have sold.

 

[flatford6]

This is being posted to see if a new post will bring it back to the top of posts where there is another post on the same topic.