Coil placement for 42-48 Flathead

[The Bedford Boys]

My Uncle's LP carrier has the coil mounted up in the air dam so it doesn't get too hot and create problems when trying to start the engine after it's been running.

[Stew Robertson]

Maybe I missed something but as far as I know all canadian carries had the coil mounted on the distributor with the diver helmet caps
Stew
PS I could be wrong Done that before

[Jordan Baker]

I found this picture of an engine being placed into or removed from the carrier and it has the crab distributor on it.

[chris vickery]

Just an FYI for those who are unaware,
the flathead motor came in 3 sequential versions;
1937-41, typical with the diver helmet distributor
1942-48, typical with the crab style distributor
1949-53, typical side block mounted distributor similar to modern style
I would think that very early carriers such as the MK1 might have the earliest block with the divers type. They were inherently known for electrical breakdown due to burning up coils due to the location deep down at the front of the motor and intense engine heat.
The 2nd version (crab) used the remotely mounted coil atop the engine to get away from this problem. You can adapt an early block to accept the 2nd model dizzy but it requires the timing cover plate from a 42-48 engine as the mounting is different.
Any flathead I have even done, I have made sure to go to the 2nd version.
Changing coils on a diver helmet type is a PITA.
Also the only way to properly time these distributors is to do them on an original timing fixture. I have had a couple arguements with guys who insist the reason their engine is running so poorly is because of this or that etc. Time and time again, it is the distributor.(bad coil)

[Perry Kitson]

I too, was under the impression that all Canadian carriers used the early Ford engine. It would make sense that all engines supplied to the army would have been kept to the early style(pre '42) to ease supply of spares. Even the parts manual only shows one style of distributor. When I was rebuilding my engine, the rebuilder suggested putting on the crab style distributor. At the time, my father mentioned that he thought that you could not swap out the front cover and fit the crab style distributor because the cam shaft was longer to drive the early style twin cap distributor. The front plate was changed, and sure enough, the crab style distributor would not sit back because of the cam shaft. Maybe someone with more flathead expertise could chime in. I would think that it is a good idea to keep the coil away from the heat. I have relocated my coil on the twin cap distributor to rad shroud to get it away from excess heat.

Perry

[Jordan Baker]

never thought of it mounting on rad shroud. That might just work for me and still keep the modern coil out of most sight lines.

[Lynn Eades]

Perry, I think the cam stays the same. It would be the dizzy mounting plate, that changed. you should be able to mount either dizzy on the same motor, with the appropriate plate (two bolt mount or 3 bolt mount)

Jordan, you can mount the coil anywhere you like.

We have had it pointed out previously on this forum, that even a NOS ford coil may be u/s. They were unreliable because of the insulation.
(search the many postings by Tony Smith (not the real one))