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.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

I had a 64 IHC truck that had an Autolite distributor.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

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.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

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.

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

Mike,

   I think Summit carries weight and spring kits for 57 up distributors as well as adjustable vacuum advance cans from Crane. 

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

Frank,

I cant find any weights listed at Summit or NAPA.

Mike

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.

Mike,

 I'll do a search, but Crane (yup, the camshaft people) used to make kits for them, including weights.

                                            Frank

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart) 

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

POP

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.

POP

Popbreed,

Thanks a lot for the info.  I appreciate it.

Mike

Mike, located in the Siskiyou mountains, Southern, OR 292 powered 1946 Ford 1/2 ton, '62 Mercury Meteor, '55 Country Squire (parting out), '64 Falcon, '54 Ford 600 tractor.