Help with Ignition System

[Lynn Eades]

Alistair, Chillwell 63/63 (U.C book)shows the Lucas distributor with in line H.T. supressors about 2 inches from the cap.
BTW. The same book identifies different coloured leads;
Red 1+5
blue 2+7
green 3+8
yellow 4+6
The coil and filter box are together mounted on a bracket bolted to the front of the LH cylinder head.
Having read this far I now see that all the above, applies to British (Lucas) set up
The Divers helmet type is wire differently;
red 1+5
blue 2+6
green 3+7
yellow 4+8
These distributors also have the in line suppressors under the rubber boots.

These ht leads have a braided outer that is varnished.
At the time of printing (jan 43) the Crab dizzy hadn't made its way across the Atlantic and into print.

BTW. I am looking for rotors for the lucas dizzy.

[ajmac]

Lynn,
You can buy the coloured HT lead sets from the US, but I can't stretch to that so I am going down the all black braided route sourced in England. I have gone for right angle plug connectors with built in supressors it should look period if not correct in colour.

This is a wartime Loyd photo showing a Canadian spec ( I say that because I think I can make out a 'C' at the start of the part number on the head and it doesn't have a Ford USA carburetor) 24 stud with divers helmet distributor.


Thinking about it, Windsor Carriers were very late (1944) could someone look up the engine ignition section, perhaps that will cover a Carrier spec Flathead with Crab distributor? I have already been through the T16 manual and it only shows the original Ford 'Divers Helmet' version.

[Lynn Eades]

Alistair, I think a truck book will do it.
BTW, If your going by the head, it says USA under the centre head stud.
Thats a British Solex carb.
Here in NZ we can buy the normal plastic, copper cored wire with the variously coloured braid on it, but as you say, quite expensive.
I see the bracket for the filter is drilled to fit the 21 and 24 stud motors.
Thats a nice informative picture. on that note, how do you post such big pictures?

[ajmac]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

it says USA under the centre head stud

I have never got to the bottom of that....the heads on mine have a canadian part number cast into them AND 'Ford USA', as the Americans would say...go figure.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by ajmac

Thinking about it, Windsor Carriers were very late (1944) could someone look up the engine ignition section, perhaps that will cover a Carrier spec Flathead with Crab distributor? I have already been through the T16 manual and it only shows the original Ford 'Divers Helmet' version.

Hi Alastair,
The Windsor's dizzy is contained in a box and the HT leads are metal braided with no conduits used. So of no help to you.

regards, Richard

[ajmac]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Hi Alastair,
The Windsor's dizzy is contained in a box and the HT leads are metal braided with no conduits used. So of no help to you.

regards, Richard

well then.... Bugg*r....

[David Dunlop]

Hi Alastair.

Just a thought on Ford engine manufacturing. It might be a case that Ford's engine plant in Canada was maxed out. With all their commitments for CMP's, various AFV's, etc, they may have had to call in an engine plant from Ford's American operations to fabricate engine parts or entire assemblies. These parts would then likely bear the required Canadian part numbers, but would have had Made in USA markings as well. Their V8 was a very popular engine and I believe there was even a marine version of it commercially available prior to the war.

David

[Lynn Eades]

Alastair, Did i read in one of your posts tht military crab distributor bodies, were made of steel, and not aluminium?
Why the difference?

[ajmac]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

Crab distributor bodies, were made of steel, and not aluminium?
Why the difference?

I'm not 100% sure Lynn but I have always presumed that Aluminium was required for aircraft manufacture during wartime. The last Ford cars built before Ford terminated normal production to concentrate on 'war work' in 1942 I believe had Aluminium bodied Crab distributors, the 59A which was introduced as soon as the war was over switched back to Aluminium bodies.
Talking to the Flathead Hot Rod guys in the US they had never seen a cast iron Crab body; this fits in well as virtually all Flathead manufacture in wartime went overseas.

The other option of course.....Ford Canada tooled up for Cast Iron Crab bodies while Ford USA stayed with Aluminium.


Original Loyd Cast Iron Crab Distributor body.


Cast Iron Crab I found in the UK to rebuild.