Projects SBC front mounted Dist

I have been looking at new frames for my Model A,some of them are stretched 4" or so for added engine room I assume.Pro's and con's about this? My current frame needs boxing and by body has a recesses firewall but I still am shy about 1/2 to get the dist out.I have been looking at summer brothers timing cover to front mount the dist on the new engine,but I haven't had any luck get a hold of any body there to talk to about it.Words of wisdom anyone?

 

I have one of their older units and it is an excellent product. I needed one in order to run this Inglese set-up. You'll have to run a short pump with 2.5" spacers and a spacer on bottom pulley.

 

You could switch to a 350 ci Chevy LT1 from a mid 90's Camero, Corvette, Caprice and it has a front distributor.

 

MSD has a front mound belt drive set up. but you're going to need a open drive on cam, like a Jesel, Not a cheap fix.

 

If you need 2.5" spacers between the block and a short pump...do they actually save space or cost some space overall?
I'm assuming the OP has a small pump already and just needs an additional 1/2".
If OP has a long pump then a short pump is obviously the answer!

 

Post pics of your setup. There are tens of thousands of model A 's with small block Chevy's in them and stock frame length, mine included. A short water pump, early mechanical fan, and you should be good to go with a small recess for the distributor.

 

MSD makes a short distributor with crab style cap that should give you all the room you need. It requires a crank trigger kit. Your pockets must be real deep if you can afford the exotic front drive stuff over a well placed relief in the firewall.

 

I run a Summer Bros. front drive in my race car, there are some roller bearings caged in there that scare me silly. It'd be the last thing I'd want on a street motor. They may have changed the design, last fall I tried to get a new assembly and they didn't really know what I was talking about. Mine is an old piece and Summer Bros has new owner.

 

I got no words of wisdom, but I plan to drop engine/tranny down and angle if I every need to remove distributor or slide body backwards, that just sounds harder

 

Thanks everyone .No belt drive,timing cover with a mount for the Dist and a drive that bolts on to the front of the cam.Looks like the setup in paul55 pictures.I have a aluminium small block to go in.Prices in the $750. range

 

I ran one on the street for about 4 years...no problems.

Mike

 

How would you drive the oil pump?

 

That's one of my question if they ever return my calls.,I assume there is dummy drive that goes in the rear dist hole

 

This seems like a hefty chunk of change to avoid trimming the firewall, especially considering that it might cause the water pump to be where the radiator needs to be.

 

Last A we did, a '29, you could pull the cowl top off with a few bolts, then a small panel over the recess and pull the distributor easily. Cap could be pulled without doing anything. How often do you have to pull the distributor anyway?

 

You can make a drive from an old dist. or they offer a drive for oil pump.

 

I remember many years ago, when the emissions program first started here. A friend of mine had a seventies F100 shortbox with a 383 chevy in it, took it in for its emmission test. They had this computer screen that would pop up and show an underhood schematic for your vehicle.
So the guy is looking at his computer screen and looking at my buddies truck, back and forth, and has this confused look on his face. Finally, he asks him "why is your distributor at the back?" So my buddy says "oh, I moved it back there to get it out of the way." Guy shrugged, and says "oh, ok." He had a hard time getting out of there with a straight face...
Just so I am on-topic, Laughton used to make a front drive distributor set up for chevies as well.

 

I have got it! Avoid spending the $750 on the front drive. Sell the SBC, and get a SBF.

Then you have a Ford in your Ford. The distributor in the front comes free.

 

Wonder is he running a HEI distributor?

 

But then you would have to move the two rear cylinders to the front for spark plug access.

 

.........Or run no distributor at all:
http://electromotive.com/our-products/xdi-ignition/

Price is competitive with the Summers front drive unit.

 

LOL I have a rodeck aluminium small block chevy going together to put in this car,I am going to put a 4 barrell on it to break it in then the hilborn.

 

And then drive it on the street? Have you ever tried to tune one to go on the street?

I wish you better luck than I ever had.

 

You could just switch to a ford or amc and put the dist. up front. ha ha!

 

Did you ever build the 434 from a couple years ago? curious as to your hp, dyno?
I put a 427 Rodeck together for my roadster with single Holley.

 

People have been putting chevy motors in As since they were first invented, why reinvent the wheel here.

We managed to put a small block in this '27 t recessed the firewall an inch no stretch frame. Ts are shorter wheelbase than As. The distributer comes in an out just fine.

 

I have to drain the radiator and remove the hoses, then pull the motor mount bolts and tilt the engine down a couple inches to get the distributor out in my A. The cap comes off no problem, but the full distributor won't come out without dropping the engine a little. Not that big of a deal. Like someone else said, how often do you have to pull the distributor?

 

Then the oil pan is in the way of the axle.

 

Not if you use a 30 dollar junkyard truck pan.

I think that the gimp ( @gimpyshotrods ) know that there was a time that I built and raced fords. Not because I believed in putting a ford in a ford but because they were there and I had a wrench and wasn't afraid to use it.

I still have one build I want to actually complete that is a pipe dream of mine from way back. I want to stuff an FE in a first gen corvette, not because it is the best fit or the distributer is in the front but just because it is just wrong on so many levels.