Wiring an early flathead distributor, revell 37 pick up kit

[stevez]

Never worked with 1 of these before, any tips? any after market items available?

[NOBLNG]

Here’s a couple pics of the AMT ‘36 Ford Coupe I did. Sorry about the crappy pics.?

And a pic of the real thing and a schematic.

Edited October 15, 2023 by NOBLNG

[stevez]

2 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Here’s a couple pics of the AMT ‘36 Ford Coupe I did. Sorry about the crappy pics.?

And a pic of the real thing and a schematic.

Thanks, my kit doesn't include the side pipes housing the 4 wires, i will have to fabricate.

[NOBLNG]

4 minutes ago, stevez said:

Thanks, my kit doesn't include the side pipes housing the 4 wires, i will have to fabricate.

This one didn’t either. I just used some evergreen rod bent to fit and drilled holes at an angle to stub the plug wires into.

[bobss396]

Norm Veber makes a nice crab-style distributor that wires up nicely. I have one done up ( in a '48 Ford build I have going, IIRC), I have to dig it out.

[customline]

On 10/15/2023 at 9:39 AM, NOBLNG said:

This one didn’t either. I just used some evergreen rod bent to fit and drilled holes at an angle to stub the plug wires into.

G E N I U S !   The wires we are able to use ( .020 ish ) are too large for any tube that would look "correct" so Greg has the solution. Greg, I will try this when it comes around. Excellent idea!

[bill-e-boy]

When I did one a while back I jammed four short wires from each side of the distributor into the front end of the tube and ran short lengths from the tube to the spark plug - I hope this makes sense.

The 38 PU has the early dome type distributor where the crab style distributor is used on later models up to 1948. Back in the day as the spark leads were not as good as they are today a lot of early V8 owners got rid of the tube because of shorting of the spark wires to the tube.

[Richard Bartrop]

http://www.vanpeltsales.com/FH_web/flathead_drawings_electrical.htm

 

It looks like the crab style distributor was only used for '42

Edited October 20, 2023 by Richard Bartrop

[stevez]

I decided to go with the traditional distributor,  a replicas and miniatures of MD.   

[Ace-Garageguy]

59 minutes ago, stevez said:

I decided to go with the traditional distributor,  a replicas and miniatures of MD.   

Which is only correct for a '49 and later engine...though the late style can be swapped on to an earlier engine by changing the cam and front cover, or with commercially available adaptors.

Not that anybody really cares...  

Edited November 12, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[stevez]

Exactly and I did the firing order  for 49-53 flathead. 

[stevez]

This might work for v12 flathead Lincoln, I notched some evergreen styrene rod and glued some wires. 

 

Edited January 17, 2024 by stevez

[stevez]

https://images.app.goo.gl/yqM8KsticLpxMk2g7

 

V12s all have a distinctive loop.

Edited January 17, 2024 by stevez

[Farmboy]

I wanted to try something different than a plain Jane distributor, didn't want a magneto either.  I've seen this referred to as an e-fire, or crab type.  Looked like a candidate for a simplified version.  Using brass tube I cut lengths to approximate shape -- better too long than short.  I lined them up, applied some thin ca, and filed each one to length, adding the coil tube 90 degrees to the rest.  On the shots I've seen on the real deal, the coil connect was parallel with the rest but as I said, I was out of room.  The real ones also had a shallow dome center to them but I kind of like the tuck 'n roll look.

It was attached to the kit distributor after filing down the distributor posts, then sprayed red.

A short shaft will be attached to the bottom of the assembly and mounted in to a hole I'll drill in to the side of the engine cover.  You can see how it fits neatly in the space available, not interfering with the air intakes and cooling hoses.

I had originally painted the plug boots red but thought it looked too much like a Fisher price toy lol.  Out came the black.

and it all tucks nicely behind the belts.  This is a mockup of hose connections to make sure everything fit.

just another option.

Edited January 19, 2024 by Farmboy

[espo]

Wild looking Flat Head. 

[Farmboy]

it's the potvin direct drive blower assembly from the Mooneyes kit modified to fit a flathead engine assembled from the partsbox.  Worked out ok.

[bill-e-boy]

A couple of pix of flathead porn showing plug wiring

First up FH from Revell 32 Sedan in a Revell 29 A Roadster = AV8. I have used brass tube for the spark lead support

 

Next is FH from Revell 40 Coupe with scratch built pancake distributor