Further adventures with a Ford flat head engine

[Mike K]

I just read your article again and it is a little confusing:

Anyway we do not have any two bolt fixing distributors though we have plenty of Diver’s Helmet and Crab Top ones they are all three bolt fixing.

I thought the crab dissy is a two bolt fixing, not three.

If you do use the crab type, this may help you.

https://myflatheadford.com/wp-conten...tributor-1.pdf

[Colin Alford]

Alastair,

I haven’t read through all of your info to know exactly what parts you are dealing with, but the following info might help you enable the distributor to engage with the camshaft.

Here is the text:

[Colin Alford]

Here are the illustrations:

[Mike K]

That is useful information.

[Alastair Thomas]

I got there by a roundabout route.
Firstly, I took a mould of the "gap" between the distributor drive and the camshaft by shoving a bit of toilet roll tube through the hole in the three bolt fixing timing cover and filling it with two part silicon rubber. I then bolted the distributor on and let the rubber set over night. I was then able to section of the result to get the required measurements in order to make an adaptor.
I was explaining all this to a neighbour who is into Allards (they use the same engine) and he said, "You want one of these", and handed me the adaptor as per the above drawing. Apparently, he had just fitted and electronic ignition set up and it came with the adaptor should he need it.
In order to put to bed the two bolt/ three bolt issue with crab top distributors, mine is three bolt and off the Allard. It is quite possible that it is a Lucas version made for the UK market. It does not appear on the presentation from Bubbas Hot Rod Shop. Neither does the Diver's Helmet distributor, currently fitted to the truck, which I know to be a Lucas product.
I have since bought the two bolt fixing crab top distributor off ebay but, though it was not incorrectly described, I have decided to go with the three bolt one plus the spacer.
Thanks everyone again for your help.
Alastair

[Alastair Thomas]

Happy New Year everyone and thanks for your help in 2023.

I have finished the rebuild of the replacement engine for our F60S LAAT and it has been shipped up to my brother's place awaiting swapping with the 21 stud engine.
The completion of the rebuild was not entirely straight forward (for me) so for completeness I have written it up and attached it below.

Kind regards,
Alastair
F60S LAAT
Ford Lynx I MkIII*