austinsailor

I'm thinking of buying a Sun distributor machine, one of the ones they used to use to set up distributors back when our cars were new. What brought this to a head is problems with my Desoto Airflow. Advance seems messed up, and even if I mess with it, I'm not sure how to easily tell if it's correct. With half a dozen old points type vehicles it seems like a good thing to have around. Anyone have any thoughts on them? Something better to look for or to avoid? Anyone know where one is for sale at a reasonable price?

Current formula does not, it's far less than it used to be. EPA stuff. You can get the old formula, as I mentioned in another post, but most distributors don't know, and I'm not sure you can get it in less than a drum. I think the last with full zddp was H. Last time I checked J was the current version which has far less zddp. I'll let others argue about whether you need it, but if you think you do, do some research before buying, things are changing all the time.

I just buy the old formula Rotella. They still make it for the old 2 cycle Detroit diesels which require it. By the drum, plenty of zddp whether you need it or not, top grade oil, cheaper than Wallyworld. Can't compete with $1 quart, though. Only downside is some people seems to think they can just crank out a few quarts. I have plenty, right?

Scares hell out of me just to watch it!

You should see voltage on both sides if the points are open. If you still see it on both sides when (you think) they are closed, the points are not making connection. If you take a screwdriver and just short them together you should see spark on the coil wire. take it out of the distributor cap and place it near ground. Most likely your points need cleaning (file or sandpaper) or replacing.

A local collector has a '46 about like this. It's not quite as nice, close, but not quite. Of course, it is original, never restored. I'll have to get a picture next time I see it. They borrowed my brake adjusting tools to put new brakes on it recently.

I have a 49 Chrysler sitting here, i haven't checked, but i think it's most likely 3.90 or so, but it's complete and could be a driver with little work, so I'm not ready to part it out. I also have an NOS 3.54 ring and pinion gear set on the shelf but I understand I need a later pumpkin than the'42. But, my feeling is with overdrive that may be a bit tall for gearing. But I'm no expert, so I'm interested in any feedback. Gene

251 bored .060 over. I expect to use high octane, maybe just run av gas. Edgerton ground me a cam that is pretty aggressive, I have the specs somewhere. Block is ported. Intended to be a better than stock motor that sounds awesome. Not for long trips, just local playing around.. It's going into a 42 Plymouth with 3 speed with overdrive. I have everything to finish it - except time, it seems.

Is there a list somewhere that would give some ideas of what carbs to use? And when you say bigger off a truck, I assume you're sticking with 23" and 25" stuff. When I sent my carb off a 331 big truck 30" motor to George a few years back for rebuilding he commented he'd never seen a Ball and Ball that big. I have a few intakes and this discussion has me fired up to get them on something. I have an Edmonds 2 2bbl for the 25" and a pair of weber progressive 2 bbl carbs to go on them, and a 25" Edmunds dual single bbl with no carbs yet. I have to wonder which would be the best choice? I am planning to use the dual 2 bbl Webers. Cam was reground pretty agressive. Head was shaved .100". I'll use a set of tube headers Langdon made up. I need to get this one together and in the car. Also 2 23", one an Offenhsuser dual with adapters to 2 2bbl carter webers, and an Edmunds dual single bbl with 2 ball and balls. The dual webers look pretty good, but it sounds like if I want some performance, I should stick with the Edmunds. Would I be helping or hurting to put the 2 bbl Webers on Edmonds. Both manifolds were made for singles. I have a set of Fenton cast exhaust headers to use with them.

I have several of them, if you don't get some measurements soon, I get out there and take some. By rocker cover edge to rocker cover edge, I assume you mean the farthest out from one sode to the other, like how wide the hood would have to be to clear the motor? Gene

If you're talking about me, he'd probably say about the same as my wife - "Are you ever going to do anything with all that junk"!I've been to a couple places Jay has visited. They are impressive. Mine is not.

Looked in my Hollanders tonight. They don't cross internal parts, but they show no listings for the box. I have had a part welded up and remachined before. Didn't last long, so I'm a bit leary of that method. It's drivable as it is, just too loose for my taste, and isn't what it should and can be, so I'll keep looking. If anyone notices a Mopar of the 30's or 40's with the sector shaft sticking out horizontally, please let me know what it is. I'll try to figure out if I can use it.

I pulled my 40 Dodge box by just jacking the front up a little. Shouldn't be too difficult. It'll come out the bottom by just jacking it up maybe a foot.

They have the floorboard parts I need for my 53 Belvedere. If they are any good, this is a great deal to me. Has anyone used them? Any feedback? gENE

I had looked at their site. I just sent them an enquiry, maybe we can identify one they have with no number.

I do have a part number, 658612. I have searched extensively with nothing showing up, available or not. I did plan to use the old one, it didn't look bad except hwsybup atvthe top end, but with everything clean and adjusted correctly I can feel the gears as I turn it. I really hesitate to put the new sector against the old worm. The sector is a 2 year only part and I hate to damage it. It is possibly the last NOS one around.

I have a Hollanders, I'll check it when I get home tonight. Been gone 2 weeks. But, since I'm looking for something to modify I doubt it's going to do any good. But it's a good thought.

I'll have to admit I did not know you could buy one tool to align any clutch. I've seen old pilot shafts used and saw the plastic one size ones. Looking on EBay I see many. Bet I own one if these soon! I guess we should get back to the Powerflite issue. Gene

I put a clutch in Dad's model A a few weeks ago. I've never used an alignment tool, just eyeballed it. It works, except this time I couldn't move the transmission back far enough to see it. A friend told me he'd loan me his alignment tool. Did you know they make this nifty thing with changeable ends to fit any pilot bearing, then a wedge shaped sliding part that centers any size disk?! One size fits all. What a cool idea. Tool is probably 50 years old, I never knew they made such a thing

This is probably a long shot, but I'm trying to put new parts in the steering box of my S2 1936 Desoto Airflow. I have a new sector but a new worm/shaft seems to not exist. A little info so you'll know where I'm at. From everything I know, there were 4 basic choices in the worm/sector choices. One worm was either 2 1/4" long (I'm going from memory, might be slightly different) the other is 2 3/4" long. Then there was either right hand or left hand thread. I have a new sector, so I'm not worried about that. The worm/shaft varied in length and maybe how the threaded end was made, but it's the other end, the worm I'm worried about. The smaller ones were used in normal dodge/plymouth/Chrysler setups, the larger in 7 passenger and who knows what? Airflows, for one. Most were right hand thread, of course, the Airflow is left hand. If I can locate a larger size left hand one I can either press it off the shaft, or graft my shaft into the new one. My problem is I have no idea what used the larger worm with a left hand screw. Most of the boxes have a vertical sector shaft, going down with the pitman arm pointing to the rear. The Airflow has the shaft going out horizonatally, then the pitman arm points down. I'm guessing, and it's only a guess, that I need to start by figuring out if there is another application where the sector shaft is horizontal. Then find out if any are the bigger worm arrangement. Anyone know of such an animal?

I took mine out of my 55 Plymouth and put it back on a gravel drive with no transmission jack, just dragging it onto my stomach and wrestling it around. Course, I was 17 at the time and had no money.

And I bought one recently for $250! Didn't know what a deal I got! Gene

Langdon made me a set of long block headers for about $300, pretty nice work. He was going to make so many and quit, I think when he ran out of flanges. You might give him a call. I'm tempted to get another set.

The last time I had a torqueflite rebuilt, 12 years ago or so, it cost $400, drive in, drive out. I think that was dirt cheap, but $2500 is an absolute ripoff. If you get it done call around. My gut feel is that is double - or more - of what it should cost. I doubt it needs a rebuild, not if it works fine otherwise. Sounds like a dirty valve body.

I've talked to him about trading a dodge diesel pickup I have for it. He's interested, but I think I've hit a limit on projects I'll never get to.