Technical SBC Mallory dist. questions?

Gonna pick the collective brains of the HAMB on this one.

In the past couple months I've picked up a couple Mallory Double-Life distributors.

Other than the obvious, one having a mech tach drive, what can you guys tell me about these old clunkers? I don't believe either are really rare or sought after, but they are pretty cool and look a hell of a lot better than the average distributor (even better than my vette dual point).

 

The caps are worth something. Unless they've been opened up for 8mm plug wires, that is.

I put one on my new hot rod, it works fine so far. They're just the thing for a 60s build.

 

The blue wires are 7mm and the other one doesn't look like it's been mucked with. However, it's cap is cracked so I'll have to do some minor reconstructive surgery on it.

Is there a way to positively date them?

 

With the caps drawing stupid money, you can restore a faded dirty cap pretty easily. I glass bead mine inside and out. Once that is done you can "dust" on a thin layer of rattle can clear to restore the correct color. They are made of heavy duty material and clean up real well. I love mine and had them converted to Chrysler electronic ignition. They make a drop in Pertronix module to convert them to electronic ign. but I have no experience with them. The first one I did was for a flathead but my current FE ford is running a converted electronic ign. To me nothing says early 60s more than an old Mallory. The plug and play electronic dists. look fake to me. As far as dating is concerned they go WAY back.

 

Thanks Tommy. The one with the tach drive/blue wires is in pretty damn good shape. I'll probably take your advice with the other one and clean it up some.

How far back is WAY back? haha. I'm aiming at late 50's for my coupe and originally was going to run an early 60's vette dual points on my 265 but that plan is scrapped now that I have these sitting around. Love the look of the caps.

 

I have seen the trash can condensers go for stupid money as well.

 

Have no clue how old, but they are cool as Penguin poop .

 

probably from the 60s-70s, my guess is the one with the big tag is early-mid 60s, the one with the screw on tag is a bit newer. But that's just my guess. There is an expert here somewhere.

 

Stole this from Chip's ( @need louvers ? ) thread:

 

50s for sure but the tach drive one is probably for the 63 up Corvette when GM went. to the dist. tach drive. The earlier tach drives were off of the back of the generator. I'm no expert but they fit right into my (and your) time period. It all depends on your "line in the sand". I'm pretty anal about the right parts for my cars I have a soft spot in my heart for the old GM "window points" (very distinctive look) dists but the 2 piece Mallory cap is the best for me.

 

the part number for a Chevy distributor in 1958 was 310, the 465 number came along later...this is from the jc Whitney catalog.

 

Yup, if you start to really look at engine compartment shots in the late fifties magazines, that when you start to see these distributors. Mine has the Pertronix kit dropped in it and it works spantacularily! Love it and it looks the part more than just about anything short of a mag. 'Course, if one of those showed up at an affordable price I'd be on it in a minute! Something cool about being able to screw up the stereo in the car next to you at stoplights....

 

am I the only one who left the points in his dual point distributor?

 

Holy Crap! They cataloged them for Hudsons and Kaiser - Frazer... That's gotta be Holy Grail stuff if ya needed one!

 

Still have them in mine. Hell I like points

 

Squirrel, thanks brother! Like pages from the bible.

Looks like I know which one I'm running haha.

 

I run a Mallory YC-465 HP Double-Life distributor in my coupe. Still uses points, seems to run fine. View attachment 2652138
The Mallory parts numbers are:
Rotor - 4215C
Points: - 24875B
Condenser: - 25010 but can be replaced with a newer #400, just don't look as cool.
Cap: - 4001
I've found quite a bit of NOS parts on e-Bay.

 

I have nothing against points. I just liked the challenge of converting it. My buddy did the machine work and I did the rest. I just like doing it myself instead of buying everything. This was done 20 years ago.

 

Had mine going in my heap since '87. Only had to clean and adjust points once since then. Runs great and cranks instantly. Just wish that it was vacuum advance. Might let it run cooler stuck in traffic. Have one for my flathead, Desoto hemi and my A banger. Have a stash of spare NOS caps, points etc.

 

Got 'em both ways with and without. I keep the points for a spare and in case there is a nuclear war and they drop on of those air burst EMPs.

By the way I have a YC with the marine ( 2 piece) cap for my big olds motor under my desk. Very neat dizzys.

 

Jim, would it be possible to post this or pm it to me a bit bigger? I can't really read it clearly, even with my reading glasses.

 

No. hell I even run points triggering an MSD on "modern" builds. But most sheeple dont even realize you can do this.

 

here it is really big...

http://selectric.org/jcw1958/mallory.jpg

 

Thanks Jim, I can read that easily, much better for those on the dark side of 40.

 

Just noticed all the different suffixs for the Desoto hemis. Kinda wierd, wonder what all the individual differences are?

 

The suffix letters are related to the advance curve, as I understand it.

 

Funny, thats actually what I was guessing.

 

Ive got an old mallory dist. with a crab style cap . got the spout on the side to oil it . suppose it is worth anything. had it on my model a seem to work fine. Its for a chevy.

 

Chevy dist are the most desirable they can easily be turned down to fit 8BA flatheads.

 

I like the Mallory, also use points. (with a better condenser)