1924-26 6 cyl Potmetal Distributor

[56Roadmaster]

Morning! Came across this really nice distributor on ebay at a reasonable price. I have already converted to a cast iron body, but I know folks are always looking for these, so thought I would share link. This looks fantastic metal wise. Hopefully just what someone was waiting for. Cheers!

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/275217830474?hash=item401442d24a:g:F0QAAOSwYpBiM8ax

[Hubert_25-25]

This is still pot metal.  I have a similar "looking one" that looks great, but it is actually slightly egg shaped.  The cap still fits, but because of the deformation, the metal plate below the breaker plate touches the centrifugal advance so this does not work properly and will long term cause issues elsewhere in the drive mechanism as there is drag in the system.  Perhaps a good temporary fix for someone who has a worse one, but it is best to keep an eye out for the earlier steel distributor housings.  If you ever see a steel distributor (1922-1924 4 cylinder or 1923 -1924 6 cylinder), even if the distributor has been outside for decades, the housings can be cleaned up and the internals of the potmetal distributor installed in them.       Hugh   

[Old26Buick]

I had a 26 Buick and now a 27 Buick. I use a 28 or later Buick distributer. Fits right in and can get cap, rotor, cond. and points for around $50 at any auto parts store. They used the same parts into the 50-'s in Chv. 6 Cyl.

Edited April 7, 2022 by Old26Buick (see edit history)

[Peter R.]

On 4/3/2022 at 9:25 PM, Hubert_25-25 said:

This is still pot metal.

These are aluminum housings, not pot metal....🙂🙃🙂

[Hubert_25-25]

My photo collection of failed pot metal distributor housings and the efforts people have to go thru to remove them when they swell in size and no longer rotate for mechanical advance of the distributor.  It's pot metal in my book if the aluminum grade is so low that the part expands in size and fails over time from merely being exposed to the atmosphere.     Hugh

     

[dibarlaw]

Yes Hugh. I have performed those same operations several times. I was able to salvage some of the bearings to be reused though. This hole drilling to relieve pressure is also used on the removal of ignition and light switches on the Delco Combination switch units.

 Amazing the difference in consistency in the metal composition. When drilling, some holes were soft as butter others hard as glass.

 

[Peter R.]

23 hours ago, Hubert_25-25 said:

My photo collection of failed pot metal distributor housings

Hugh - interesting, I never came across a pot metal housing. The ones I have seen are fully aluminum and so was the one on eBay. Here‘s a housing that I have:

 

[Brian_Heil]

I have a cast iron distributor off of a 1923 six cylinder.  The internals are a rusted mess from sitting outside for years with no cap but the housing looks sound. 

[Hubert_25-25]

Peter, 

    I always wonder why some distributors are better than others.  The bore for the distributor base is 1.471.  As you can see, this distributor base has grown .030.  What is the OD on yours?  Depending on the mix of the alloy it would seem that some of these could be more stable than others.      Hugh    

 

[dibarlaw]

One of my distributers had grown enough to crack the cast iron distributer to starter/generator case.

The unit on the right is what was in my car when I bought it. Replaced cast iron unit on the right.

 

This is how a former owner kept the unit together. A turned piece of steel without holes for grease to get to the bearings. 1/4-20 screws and square nuts to hold the cup to the advance plate. 4 copper crush washers as spacers.

 

[Peter R.]

6 hours ago, Hubert_25-25 said:

What is the OD on yours?

Hugh,

Besides the aluminum housing I found a distributor with cast iron housing. The aluminum housing is NOS and measures OD 1.4701“. On the used cast iron housing the OD is 1.4689“.

 

[Peter R.]

4 hours ago, dibarlaw said:

The unit on the right is what was in my car when I bought it.

Yop, definitely modified and not Buick. Nash and others used those cast iron cup distributors. Here‘s a Nash distributor:

 

[Peter R.]

Sometimes the unit ID number is stamped to the cast iron cup housing. If you find a number I could tell you what the distributor came off.

 

 

[Peter R.]

On 4/6/2022 at 2:52 PM, Hubert_25-25 said:

My photo collection of failed pot metal distributor housings

....and here‘s my favorite addition to the collection:

 

NOS Wagner K-42 distributor intended to be used on a 1920 Nash 6

 

[Peter R.]

I call it NORS - New Old Rotten Stock

 

[M1842]

Wow!

[dibarlaw]

Peter wins! For the most degraded distributer.