Early 8 cylinder Delco distributor

[mechanician]

Last patent date is 1915.  Can this help anyone get or keep a car on the road?

 

Unfortunately I don't know the application or the value (but I will assume the latter to be minimal...)

[nickelroadster]

Post a part number.

Edited July 11, 2021 by nickelroadster (see edit history)

[mechanician]

Where would I find it?  All I see is the brass tag as pictured.

[nickelroadster]

I was looking on the tag but it is not clear.  It looks  somewhat similar to one from a 1916 Olds v8 but is much longer.  Are you sure it is a v8 distributor?  Do you have the cap?

[roysboystoys]

Maybe this helps

[mechanician]

The cam has 8 sides, I suppose that could be changed.  I only have what is pictured.  Hopefully there is someone who can use it as parts/spares.  I don't think I'll ever have a need for it...

[1912Staver]

Unfortunately that is just the patent tag. Sometimes there is a 3 or 4 digit I.D. number stamped on the main body on these early units.

[Peter R.]

Early Delco steel cup distributors are usually not stamped with 4 digit unit ID numbers (later cast cups mostly are).

As far as I can tell the distributor came off one of the following vehicles:

 

1915-19 Cole

1918-19 Cunningham

1916-19 Oldsmobile

1916-17 Oakland

 

My guess would be 1916-17 Olds. Early Olds "long-shaft" distributors are usually bracket mounted on the generator.

If you provide me with a closer picture of the drive gear I can narrow search down and look up the distributor in the catalog (also measure the OD of the gear and provide the number of teeth). 

  

Edited July 11, 2021 by Peter R. (see edit history)

[mechanician]

Peter,

 

Thank you. The diameter is 11/16" and there are 13 teeth (yes, that's not a miscount...).  About 0.200" thick.

[Peter R.]

Okay I see, so it's not a real drive gear, it's a toothed coupling.

I'll do some research and get back to you tomorrow (it's half past midnight here). 

  

[Peter R.]

By the way, the rotor is Wagner (Studebaker), not Delco.

[mechanician]

Thanks.  Most appreciated. No great hurry, its just sitting on a self here...as it has for years.

[nickelroadster]

As I said before, it looks a lot like my 1916 Olds but it has a short shaft.  I have never heard of a long shaft for a 16.  The owners manual does not show it either (doesn't mean that there couldn't be one).

[Peter R.]

nickelroadster - I guess you're right, the distributor in question is not Olds.

 

mechanician - There are two early 8 cyl. Delco twist'n'lock type caps that will work on your distributor - Delco P/N's 12568 and 13854.

 

The cars that used these two caps are the following::

1915, 1917-19 Cadillac (12568)

1915 Cole (12568)

1916-19 Cole (13854)

1918-19 Cunningham (13854)

1916-19 Olds (13854)

1916-17 Oakland 50 (13854)

 

From the above the following cars used pressed metal type distributor cups:

1916-17 Cole

1916-17 Oakland 50

1916-17 Olds 44 ('16) and 45 ('17)

 

The pressed metal type cup is Delco P/N 12976. It was also used on a number of 6 cyl. cars.

 

Is the drive shaft of your distributor movable or removable? 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Peter R. (see edit history)

[Peter R.]

Here are some pictures of a NOS Delco P/N 12976 pressed metal type distributor cup.

The cup shaft that carries the brass bushings measures 7/8" (OD).

 

 

[Peter R.]

A selection of pressed metal type distributor cups:

 

 

[Peter R.]

Some drive gears and couplings.

Note P/N's 28587 and 29411 - these are the female couplings to your distributor drive end.

The couplings are usually mounted on the distributor shaft end.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Peter R. (see edit history)

[Peter R.]

Guess this is a 1917 Olds distributor (unit # 5158)

 

 

[Peter R.]

1920-23 Cole (unit # 5194)

 

 

[Peter R.]

1920-23 Olds (unit # 5210)

 

[mechanician]

The depth of knowledge on this forum never ceases to amaze... Quite the collection of distributors as well.

 

I have not attempted to remove the shaft.  It does look quite similar to the 12976. Thank you for the assistance.  Having been on the other end of a search for obscure parts it would be nice to find a home for it with an automobile that can use it.