Ignition: Delco window distributor into C/K?

[Hippie]

I have my Delco window distributor all cleaned up and ready to drop in but in reading the Lark service manual on installation it says to install without the rotor as it will not clear the firewall with it on. What kind of clearance will I have on a '55 C-body? I'm doing a trans overhaul and new clutch soon, would that be a good time to do the swap? I can raise or lower the rear of the engine as needed.

[Alan]

It should fit. I had one in my 53K for 30 or more years with no problems putting it in or out.

[DEEPNHOCK]

All they are saying is that the flat round disc of a rotor will hit the firewall when you slide in the distributor.
Take the rotor off, slip in the distributor, and put the rotor right back on.
Should only slow you down by about one minute.
HTIH
Jeff

[Hippie]

All they are saying is that the flat round disc of a rotor will hit the firewall when you slide in the distributor.
Take the rotor off, slip in the distributor, and put the rotor right back on.
Should only slow you down by about one minute.
HTIH
Jeff

Thanks, I didn't know how much difference there was between the Lark firewall and my C/K, the Lark went to the shredder 3 years ago........... They didn't get much, it fell apart loading it back on the trailer.

[Dwain G.]

In a C or K body the window distributor will be slightly closer to the firewall. With old soft motor mounts the distributor can hit the firewall under acceleration and break the cap and rotor. But then I've done that once or twice in Studes that did not have the window distributor.
Probably the biggest reason the Hawks didn't use the window distributor at the time the Larks did is because the Hawks had a tachometer sending unit under their distributor cap and there wasn't a sender to fit the window distributor.

[Hippie]

In a C or K body the window distributor will be slightly closer to the firewall. With old soft motor mounts the distributor can hit the firewall under acceleration and break the cap and rotor. But then I've done that once or twice in Studes that did not have the window distributor.

I had in mind that new mounts might be a good idea while I'm at it.

Probably the biggest reason the Hawks didn't use the window distributor at the time the Larks did is because the Hawks had a tachometer sending unit under their distributor cap and there wasn't a sender to fit the window distributor.

Just think how cool ( and expensive ) it would have been if they had adopted the mechanical tach drive used on the Vette distributors.

[skyway]

"With old soft motor mounts the distributor can hit the firewall under acceleration and break the cap and rotor. But then I've done that once or twice in Studes that did not have the window distributor."

Yup! Be it weak motor mounts or a rear ender, we should all carry a spare rotor.