Help with Ignition System

[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.