Two-piece distributor cap

[Curti]

I purchased a two-piece distributor cap at Hershey thinking it is for a '31-33 Auburn. I  quickly found out it is not. Any ideas what the application is for the brown cap on the right? 

 

[edinmass]

If the seats for the spring clips that they sit on are a bit taller than the Auburn, it may be a one-year only Pierce cap. 1930 Pierce series C used a very similar cap to the Auburn, but they only fit the small Pierce, and with so few survivors, the model C cap has little value. I see them often at Hershey, mislabeled and sold to people who aren’t aware of the strange application.

[bivar]

i think the cap is Delco no. 1854390, 1854133, 1857894 or 1857892 and they will fit Packard 1935-37 and Studebaker 1934-40.

[bivar]

Sorry, I think my last post was wrong. Not the cap I was thinking about.

[Curti]

Here are a couple of other pics. They look alike and mount up on the Auburn distributor OK, but the firing order is different.

 

 

 

[Guest]

Sorry, I'm having a blond senior moment. What does the cap have to do with the firing order? The rotor goes round and round and points to each contact in turn. It is up to the wires to send the spark to the right cylinder, not the cap. Can you clarify for me please. 

 

Then this will be the new thing I have learned today. I have not missed learning something new every day for 27,508 days.

[gwells]

While you are technically correct, many distributor caps have numerals showing which post/wire is to be connected to which cylinder, thus showing the intended firing order.

[Curti]

I don't really care what numbers are embossed in the Bakelite. The cap on the RH side of the first post  routs some the plug wires to the wrong  end of the engine.  I could make it work, but it would look ridiculous.  

 

[Curti]

 

On 1/9/2018 at 1:34 PM, edinmass said:

If the seats for the spring clips that they sit on are a bit taller than the Auburn, it may be a one-year only Pierce cap. 1930 Pierce series C used a very similar cap to the Auburn, but they only fit the small Pierce, and with so few survivors, the model C cap has little value. I see them often at Hershey, mislabeled and sold to people who aren’t aware of the strange application.

 

Ed, I know the cap you speak of, I had one in my hand at Hershey and realized that that my spring clips were too short. Often the sellers don't know what they have. 

 

I want to recoup the money spent on this cap by selling it to the right guy.

 

[Guest]

gwells and Curti, thank you, I wondered about something like that.  Y

 

You guys made my day, now I can relax, I have learned something new, actually two things.

[Curti]

OK,  we know this cap is not :

 

1930 Pierce model C

1935-1937 Packard

1934-1940 Studebaker

1931-1933 Auburn

 

What is it ?

 

[Spinneyhill]

I wonder if that cap could be used on the same model distributor in different vehicles?

 

Chiltons shows the cap on the Auburn 8-98, 98A, 100, 100A, 101, 101A and 105 as being used on 15 vehicles. I also have a 1933 catalog and there are two manufacturer's part numbers shown against a cap that looks a bit like this - unfortunately no applications. They seem to be implying that one cap replaces both with appropriate fiddling with wire directions.

 

The other models are Pierce C-132 1931 (D-R 660P distributor?), '31 43, '32 54, '33 836

Stude 8-62 & 8-71 & 8-91 '32, '33 8-73, 8-82, 8-92

Olds L-32 of 1932.

 

The Auburn used a 660Z distributor according to the National Service Data. Maybe we could look at others using a variation of the 660 distributor, on the basis that one or some of them used that cap?

Buick 50 (660L), 660E on 60, 80, 90. 32-50 used the 660L.   same cap as Dodge DC and De Soto CF

Chrysler 660G CD, CDX; 660F & S on the CG; 660U on 31-32 *CD; same cap as Dodge and De Soto

De Soto CF, 660D; cap not used here

Dodge DC, 660B (mine is a 660D); 660G on '31 DG;  cap not used here

Graham '30 Std 8 (660C); '31 49 (660C); same cap as above?

Oakland '30  660A. cap only used on 3 models: 8-101 & 8-301 & Pontiac V8-302 1932.

Olds '32 L-32 660T; same cap as the Auburn

Pierce Arrow '31 43 660P; '32 54; '33 836 used a 662J. Bummer, this upsets the theory!  see above

Other P-As using the 662J were '34 836A, 840A, early '35 845, late '35 845, '36 1601, '37 1701 (data stops at '37). cap data stops at 1933.

Reo '31 30, 31, 35, '32 31, 35, 53, some '33-34 N-2 (660K), 660S on '31-32 8-21, 25.  all used the same cap but different to all those above.

Stude '32 62, 71. Variants of the 662 were used up to 1937.

Stutz '31-32 DV-32, '33-34 CD, DV-32 (660W); no data for cap.

 

So, what about firing order? I probably have some, but what is the firing order of the Auburn cap and of the rogue cap?

 

Your turn. I have wasted enough time on this!

 

P.S. the Pontiac V8 looks promising!

P.P.S. Pontiac firing order is 14527638.
 

 

 

 

Edited January 11, 2018 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[Curti]

Well thanks to this thread, a fellow poster sent me a PM and wants it for what I had in it.  What is more, I found the cap in eBay for that same price.  Life is Good !

 Spinnneyhill, thank you very much tor all the info. That is way above and beyond the call of duty !

Be of Good Cheer !

[edinmass]

Application please!

[Grimy]

Ed, it fits a 662-J distributor.  A very similar one with a different notch/tab arrangement, fits ONLY (so far as I can tell) those few 1937 Packard Super 8s with Delco equipment.

[Spinneyhill]

My listing finishes at 1937. Two Packards used D-R distributors, a 647-E (model 115-C, a 6) and a 663-L (the Super 8, model 1500, 1, 2) apparently. The cap listing doesn't go this late unfortunately.

 

The Hollander shows ONLY the 1937 Packard 1500, 1, 2 using the 663-L distributor. The alternative was an Autolite. The entry also says to see the 1937-38 Pierce 8-1701, 1801, which used a 663M. But the price list shows the cap as being different on these two distributors. The same cap (their number 107) used on the 663L was also used on the 662T (1936 Packard Std 8) and 662W (1935 Packard Std 8 1200-2 and Super 8 1203-5) distributors. It appears nowhere else between 1935 and 1951.

 

Interestingly, the Hollander does not list a 662-J distributor.

Edited January 13, 2018 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[edinmass]

The 37 & 38 Pierce 1701 & 1801 used a vacuum advance distributor, and they only built about 150 cars for both years. I have had used distributors for them over the years, but they never had a cap on them. 

[Grimy]

8 minutes ago, edinmass said:

The 37 & 38 Pierce 1701 & 1801 used a vacuum advance distributor, and they only built about 150 cars for both years. I have had used distributors for them over the years, but they never had a cap on them. 

Yes as to the vacuum advance on Pierce 8s -- and single point sets -- for 1937-38.  I've only seen conventional towered caps on 1937-38 Pierces, same as 1937-50 Cadillac caps which are nice and cheap,

[Spinneyhill]

The Hollander tells me the cap used on 37 Cadillacs was also used on '34-36 Cadillacs and nowhere else. The cap used on the 37-38 Pierce was not that common either: it was also used on Studebaker '34-'40 8s and nowhere else. The cap used on '38- Cadillacs was used on many distributors.

[Grimy]

All well and good, Spinneyhill, but I have personally installed a 1938-50 Cadillac cap on a 1937 distributor--and not that long ago.  Don't have time tonight, or the inclination for that matter, to dig out my 1945 AEA (Automotive Electric Assn--or close)  catalog with OEM part numbers.

[Spinneyhill]

Interesting. The price list only told me what was originally there. There is no interchange on caps, only the entire distributor. It is very good if a common cap fits the '37; I suppose that means it will also fit '34-36.

[mribbich@wi.rr.com]

Can you post a clearer picture of the top of the cap for the dist you can't ID. I think it fits Oakland 1930-31 and Pontiac 1932. Delco number 1836883 Thanks!!!

 

Marv.  

Edited January 13, 2018 by mribbich@wi.rr.com (see edit history)

[Curti]

14 hours ago, mribbich@wi.rr.com said:

Can you post a clearer picture of the top of the cap for the dist you can't ID. I think it fits Oakland 1930-31 and Pontiac 1932. Delco number 1836883 Thanks!!!

 

Marv.  

Sorry the cap is sold and gone.