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By 46yblock - 17 Years Ago
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Is a Ford dist. 57-74 considered to be an Autolite or Prestolite? If so what other car makers may have used them? I'm interested in the potential for parts interchange.
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By PWH42 - 17 Years Ago
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I had a 64 IHC truck that had an Autolite distributor.
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By 46yblock - 17 Years Ago
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I ordered some centrifugal weights for a 62-64 Studebaker. The picture looked like the ones on the Y dizzy. Saw another listing for a rebuild kit for Autolite or Prestolite, but no mention of Ford.
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By 46yblock - 17 Years Ago
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The studebaker dist. weights finally came in today. They are for a 1951-54 Champion. Very similar to a Y but with differences. Steel instead of lead, 17 gms heavier, longer from the spring anchor forward, and the bore that fits the weight to the shaft is unbushed and larger diam. Playing around I melted the lead away from the bushing of a used Y weight. Then slotted it and pressed the bushing into the studebaker unit. Then drilled its bore to 1/4 inch, and it fits well. So over the winter maybe I'll get a distributor together and see what the sun machine shows.
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Mike, I think Summit carries weight and spring kits for 57 up distributors as well as adjustable vacuum advance cans from Crane.
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By 46yblock - 17 Years Ago
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Frank, I cant find any weights listed at Summit or NAPA. Mike
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Mike, I'll do a search, but Crane (yup, the camshaft people) used to make kits for them, including weights. Frank
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By popbreed - 17 Years Ago
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Autolite and Prestolite are the same company. They sold the name Autolite to Ford in the mid 60's and took the name Prestolite (a company they bought in the 20s) for their electrical products including the distributors. I retired in Jan 06 after 40 years with them. POP
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By popbreed - 17 Years Ago
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I didn't answer the question regarding who else used the Autolite/Prestolite distributors. I did not work in that particular division as I spent my career in DC electric motors (windshiled wiper, hydraulic pump motors, HVAC blower motors, headlight actautor motors, fork lift truck motors, etc.). But I do know some of the dist customers were the same as motor division customers. Chrysler, Ford, IH, Studebaker, AMC come to mind in the 50s thru 80s. The original company was Electric Autolite Co and goes back to the 20s. More recently they have been making marine dist. for GM, Ford and Chrysler marine motors. I believe that busness was shut down or sold in the last 2 or 3 years. That prodcut line is head quartered in Troy, Ohio including their service parts business. The company is now called Ametek Prestolite. The only phone number I have is for the controller and that is 937 440-0802. She can direct you to service sales people.
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By 46yblock - 17 Years Ago
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Popbreed, Thanks a lot for the info. I appreciate it. Mike
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Mike, I couldn't find anything on the weights either. Summit nor Crane does not list them. Have you tried Mummmert? Autozone doea a rebuilt Distributor for 57 bucks. Moz said his worked real well, good dwell readings etc. Maybe they carry parts.
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By 46yblock - 17 Years Ago
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Frank, I will try Autozone. Can you imagine going in there and asking if they carry distributor centrifugal weights for a '64 Ford 292? But will try anyway. No havent checked with John either. Like another past poster suggested earlier, it would be nice if someone with a rebuilt unit from Napa or Autozone would break it down and take a close look, and also have it put on a Sun. My belief is they arent as represented. It is no good that for lack of some basic tuneup parts, either a Duraspark conversion is needed or worse, a new $300 plus aftermarket dist. Mike
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Mike, I'd just order the whole distributor, and yank the points out. Replace it with a duraspark, using the correct rotor and cap, and get the Crane springs and adjustable vacuum can. Should be less than $100 for the whole shooting match. They'll give you a twenty for you old distributor so the actual cost of the rebuilt is like 38 bucks. And yeah I can imagine that, only bring lunch. They'll have to call both managers and the corporate office, could take a while.
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