Hey guys, could anyone point me in the direction of a good thread for converting a chevy distributor over to ford flathead duty?? I'm specifically looking to convert an old mallory flat cap I have. I know you turn the body down to match the flathead but is the gear shaft size the same as stock flathead?? done some searching and haven't found anything with a step by step.
GMC Bubba does this conversion and might share the details Sent from my SM-G965U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
thanks, I saw a thread he posted when he first started doing them which was the closest I have found to a DIY. showed the diameters you need to turn the case down to. I need to get my hands on the old loadomatic and take the mallory apart and just figure it out myself.
Check over on the Ford Barn. There was recently a thread about Chevy Distributors for flatheads and Charlie NY offered to provide some details in the post. He converts distributors and rebuilds carbs as well. Can't vouch for his distributors (although many others have with rave reviews) but I can vouch for the carb he rebuilt for me, top notch.
CharlieNY does OUTSTANDNG work, he actuallu rebuids and installs on one of his personal vehicle to insure that it works before it will get his stamp of approval. Great guy and an excelent source for information.
If you get a hold of Tex Smiths book The complete ford flathead V8 engine manual by Ron Ceridono (1995) original article was written by Tony Karppinen it has a 3 page article with pictures and all the measurements on how to do this. But in answer to your question you not only turn the chevy housing down you also need to turn down the centre shaft so you can use the flathead gear drive. You will also need to re-curve the chev advance curve to flathead specs EDIT: There are 2 different 8BA timing covers one has an additional nub cast into it and acts as a bushing for the lower end of the distributor shaft. Probably best to get the right flathead distributor to match your timing cover as a first point. Then you know you are matching the chev distributor to match the timing cover you will be using
acme30, I'll have to see if I have the Tex Smith book. I've got a couple older ones. I am aware of the timing cover differences. I believe ford made aluminum and cast iron versions of both, and then they made them all with truck or car timing pointers which makes them 2 vs 4 degrees initial. gets really important to setup your motor on a stand and mark out tdc on your pulley when you are combining a flatmotor from a pile of parts!! I have the aluminum cover with the support on my roadster and this motor has the cast iron one without it. I'd much rather get another one with the support if i can find a deal on it. I just ran out to my garage this am and looked but didn't see a stocker in my pile of junk.... have to look a little harder when I get home. BTW if anyone has an old flat cap mallory distributor for a flathead that needs a rebuild and cap etc. shoot me a message. I'd much rather got that route and have the clamp and not have to spend the time machining this thing up!
All 8BA/8RT front covers have the timing pointer at 2 degrees BTDC. The larger diameter wide-belt sheet metal crank pulleys ('48-'53 truck/'49 Ford-Merc cars) use covers with the pointer positioned higher than the cast iron smaller diameter '50-'53 narrow-belt pulleys. Alloy covers A and B allow the pointer to be placed high or low. There are also two styles of late distributors; full-bodied cast iron (used with iron and alloy covers) and short-bodied alloy with the extended shaft, used only with the alloy front cover with the lower support.
[QUOTE="revkev6, post: 13016199, member: 15837].......BTW if anyone has an old flat cap mallory distributor for a flathead that needs a rebuild and cap etc. shoot me a message. I'd much rather got that route and have the clamp and not have to spend the time machining this thing up![/QUOTE] You can convert a SBC Mallory for use in a flathead as easily as a regular SBC (BBC is essentially the same). Their muuuch easier to find and usually quite a bit cheaper. I had "Charleyny" do one for me, and it worked fine and incorporates a plate screwed to the bottom of the case that utilizes the standard FH distributor hold down. It should be easy to make your own if you're capable of the rest of the task. Another advantage of using the SBC version is that some of them have vacuum advance in addition to the mechanical advance, while I've never seen a flathead version with vacuum. And listen to "V8 Bob" about the timing covers. He really knows his stuff. I learned that the hard way a couple of years ago. If you are interested in this approach, I believe I have a couple of SBC Mallory's back in Minnesota that I would be willing to part with. or you can keep watching eBay.
thanks for the offer tubman. I'm aware of the general cost of the flathead mallory units. i have a collection of YC parts and a couple NOS caps/rotors for them. I have a 283 in my 32 that will run a yc-310-hp. If someone had a core with just the body, shaft and advance plate for a flathead I would go that route if the money was right. advantage being the lock down plate is already on it and no machine work required. I will be running a blower on this motor so I am thinking about hiding a MSD box with the boost retard function in it. the points will just be a low amp trigger at that point.
NOT mine, there is one for sale on Buffalo Craigslist https://buffalo.craigslist.org/pts/d/north-tonawanda-mallory-distributor/6833188652.html There is a HC on Rochester Craigslist https://rochester.craigslist.org/pts/d/rochester-ford-flathead-harman-collins/6853174735.html
Kev, Let me look around when I get home, I may have a cuple laying around for you. I buy them anytime I see them , I sell them to CharlieNY.
think that is overpriced check his other listing https://buffalo.craigslist.org/pts/d/north-tonawanda-mallory-distributor/6831111654.html I guess if you really really needed one.
Old thread I know.... I have that book. pages 63-65 cover Chevy distributor conversion for the Ford flathead. Absolutely zero measurements or dimensions in that article. Typical of these types of books, just a few photos and captions about roughly what needs to be done.
Bubba no longer does the Chevrolet distributor conversion for the flatheads. He sold / transferred all of his parts, and work to Charley NY. Charley is a craftsman whether it is a distributor, flathead fuel pump, or 94 type carburetor. He is your best bet.
I've been running one of Charlie NY's SBC Flathead distributors for a while now and I'm very impressed with the fit and operation. Absolutely no problems. I'd highly recommend these distributors for a flathead Ford.
Sorry you are correct no actual measurements are quoted in the article - just a description of what to do and pictures. When we did mine I had the original flathead distributor and the chev replacement and we must have measured off the original flathead to get the exact dimensions. It was a while ago now and my memory is a little hazy
This sounds like the best way to do it to me. I would, however, pay attention to "V8 Bob" in post #8 about proper front covers.
I picked up a Mallory YL-520-CV right hand rotation Marine distributor last year in hope of Jim Linder doing some more as he had said somewhere that the Mallory marine Chevy V8 distributors had pretty close to the right advance curve that a flathead needs. I need to take it apart and do some serious spiffing on the outside of the housing before I take or send it to anyone to be reworked though. The housing has that aluminum that spent too much time on a boat look thing down pretty good right now.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160318123808/http://www.flatheadv8.org/hei.htm Is that what you are looking for? I went by this years back. That is a remnant of a great flathead V-8 site. A wealth of information there.
Thanks for that link. I actually had my Chevy distributor converted by Charlie NY awhile back. I just like to see what's published out there on this conversion..... it ain't much, although quite a few folks have them.
Wouldn't it be different for someone to takea crab cap flathead distributor and adapt it to a Hilborn or some such front cover on a small block, just to be different!
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