Drilling Distributors

[SuperStockAndy]

Anyone have any tips I should know before doing this? I want to individually drill each post out.

Thanks,

Andy

[Erik Smith]

I shave the kit molded "stubs" off then use a sharp pin to start a guide hole in the center of each plug location and go slow with a #80 or #79 drill bit. Get ready to have some frustration when your drill bit slides off the side or pops out the side of the distributor - but overall it's not all that hard, especially for young eyes. Keep the drill perpendicular to the surface and go slow. You can repair minor damage with super glue and accelerator and start over with drilling. If the damage is too bad (I've been there), raid another kit or use Alyn's tutorial HERE.

[Foxer]

I have to agree exactly as Eric says ... and slow is the operative word here. Some kit distributors have posts that are just too small even for a #80 bit so don't frustrate yourself too much . and wish you luck.

[SuperStockAndy]

Thanks guys! I might try my hand at drilling one today

[Kris Morgan]

Or, you could buy some that are predrilled and, wired. Each wire having its own hole as you are looking to do. www.madmodeling.com

[curt raitz]

I shave the kit molded "stubs" off then use a sharp pin to start a guide hole in the center of each plug location and go slow with a #80 or #79 drill bit. Get ready to have some frustration when your drill bit slides off the side or pops out the side of the distributor - but overall it's not all that hard, especially for young eyes. Keep the drill perpendicular to the surface and go slow. You can repair minor damage with super glue and accelerator and start over with drilling. If the damage is too bad (I've been there), raid another kit or use Alyn's tutorial HERE.

and have more than one drill bit on hand...cuz they break real easy!!!

[vintagestang]

and have more than one drill bit on hand...cuz they break real easy!!!

They won't break easy if you chuck them up till about half a centimeter is sticking out of the chuck.

[george 53]

MAD's Dizzy's are THE way to go. VERY well done and you COULDN'T make them as nice for TWICE the price. No foolin, they're THAT nice!!!

[SuperStockAndy]

Thanks everyone

Even though the MAD distributors are VERY nice, I just can't spend money on them. I AM NOT saying they're overpriced or anything (I think they're actually priced pretty good).

[sak]

What I do is grind the top of those distributors almost flat . Those nipples are tapered and grinding them down gives you a lil more surface area to work with. And the spark plug wire boots slide over those nipples on a real car so you dont want them there. But if you do this you should make some new boots from phone wire. Now what I do is make those little holes just big enough for the wire that I am using for spark plug wire and glue them in the holes. Make the holes deep. I drill the holes until it comes out the bottom. After all 8 holes has wires in them, I cut small pieces of phone wire and slide them down the wires almost to the distributor. Then a small dab of superglue and quickly slide the phone wire the rest of the way to form a boot.

[scalenut]

I don't see how you guys are drilling those small holes ,,, I have tried and it ends up looking like a decayed wisdom tooth by the time I finish.

[Foxer]

I don't see how you guys are drilling those small holes ,,, I have tried and it ends up looking like a decayed wisdom tooth by the time I finish.

It is tough to keep the drill straight. The better you center the pilot hole, ie. a pin pushed in to start, the better chance you will stay inside the tube when you drill. But, getting the pilot hole centered is also tough. Just make an initial small mark and eyeball it for centering. It's pretty easy to see when your off on something this small. This is kind of a pilot for the pilot but it is difficult to see if the pin (or drill) is centered on such a small diameter because the pin hides half the tube.

[crazyjim]

Quit drilling and use telephone wire insulation glued to rod styrene - the Fatkidd method. I have the OK from Fatkidd and will be posting a photo tutorial in the near future.

[Danger]

What I do is paint the distributor black first. Then i sand/grind down the boot nipples almost all off.

This method leaves a nice circle of bare plastic which contrasts with the black paint.

Use a sharp pointed object to create a starter hole in the middle of each circle. Then switch to the proper drill bit. Drill slowly and keep the drill bit straight.

Danger