1930 Plymouth models

[hicarbs]

What is the difference in a 1930 Plymouth U and the 30U?  I have a 1930 Plymouth 4 door sedan that is restored and I also have a 1930 Plymouth parts car.  The restored one does not have a water pump and has rag discs for universal joints.  The parts car does have a water pump.  I am not sure what it had for u joints because the transmission and rear end are gone.   I believe one has the 629A distributor and the other has the 629E distributor.  Are they interchangeable?  My distributor in the restored car has a lot of play in the bushings and it is impossible to set the points accurately enough to run decent.  Who would sell this distributor?  Where can I get one?

Thanks for your time with these long winded questions.

Karl

[Guest newbymachineworks]

What about putting new bushings in?

[ply33]

Calendar year for production back then is not what the Plymouth Owners Club uses for nomenclature now. . . They consider the "U" to be a '29 with the "30-U" to be a 1930.

 

I'd have to look at the parts book to know for sure, but my recollection is that the changes between "U" and "30-U" included adding a water pump and switching from vacuum tank to mechanical fuel pump. Some place along there they also switched to all steel bodies but I am not sure if it was the very beginning of the 30-U production or not. Later 30-U sedans had an oval rear window like the '31 PA.

 

With respect to wobble in the distributor, I'd strongly consider newbymachineworks suggestion of putting in new bushings.

[hicarbs]

What about putting new bushings in?

I would love to put new bushings in but was told that is not an easy job even if I knew where to get the bushings.

[hicarbs]

Calendar year for production back then is not what the Plymouth Owners Club uses for nomenclature now. . . They consider the "U" to be a '29 with the "30-U" to be a 1930.

 

I'd have to look at the parts book to know for sure, but my recollection is that the changes between "U" and "30-U" included adding a water pump and switching from vacuum tank to mechanical fuel pump. Some place along there they also switched to all steel bodies but I am not sure if it was the very beginning of the 30-U production or not. Later 30-U sedans had an oval rear window like the '31 PA.

 

With respect to wobble in the distributor, I'd strongly consider newbymachineworks suggestion of putting in new bushings.

Our car does not have the fuel pump, somebody took out the vacuum pump and put in an electric fuel pump before I bought it.  I always believed it to be a '30 30-U but now I am not sure.  If I could find the bushings, I would try installing them.

[Guest newbymachineworks]

I can look tonight and see if I can come up with an actual part # for the bushings. The easiest way would be to get OD, ID and length of bushing and check with a local bearing supply house. I use Baum Hydraulics out of Omaha. McMaster Carr is also a good option for mail order.

[hicarbs]

I can look tonight and see if I can come up with an actual part # for the bushings. The easiest way would be to get OD, ID and length of bushing and check with a local bearing supply house. I use Baum Hydraulics out of Omaha. McMaster Carr is also a good option for mail order.

I found a gentleman here locally that restores old distributors but he charges $200 plus points, plugs, condenser, rotor, and cap.  But when you get it back, it looks new.  His turn around time is 6-8 weeks.

[racertb]

The restored one must be a very early '30 without the water pump and rag joints, which is like my '29. I have a spare '30 motor without the water pump.