Stock 8ba distributor?
 

Already the days are getting shorter and my latest project is nearly complete, so I look towards my 'winter project' for the coming year. I plan to build a 255 cu in 8ba for my truck based woodie wagon. The 221 I overhauled has no real problems, it's just we want to take some trips in it away from home and I want it to be easier to troubleshoot on the road and who doesn't like that nice torque with a 4" crank in a heavy car (truck)? I have been playing distributor roulette with the woodie and I really hate R and R that distributor in a fat fendered truck. Specially one on high suspension and 34" tires. Half of the job is done from underneath. That's a big part of going 8ba for me.. I have several good blocks of each type. My question is "what's wrong with the 'crap o matic' that nobody seems to like? I had one in my 2 ton in my avatar and it started very well and ran smooth always. Is the detriment only when one is hopping up the engine with dual carbs, aftermarket cam and heads, or is the popular chev conversion done for reliability. I'm all for reliability. I have probably 5 original distributors here, but should I be looking at the chev conversion from Charley? I appreciate your opinions. I have learned a tremendous amount from you guys. Thanks, GB

Re: Stock 8ba distributor?
 

i think the only gripe is they need to be used with the correct carb and manifold. not an expert, but if ford let them out the door, they must work!

Re: Stock 8ba distributor?
 

Like you, I had the load o matic distributors on all my flatheads back in the '60s. They had the 94 carbs, too, and the engines ran great. As long as the engine achieves its potential, why change?

Re: Stock 8ba distributor?
 

Just to clarify, the 94 is the correct one for the 8ba with the vacuum port on the carb? That's what I would intend to use. I have a couple in a box, but don't want to go down to the shop and look. It's late. zzzzz.

Re: Stock 8ba distributor?
 

My 8BA with the stock distributor runs great. I’ve owned the car about ten years and changed the points and condenser once. I just registered it and was checking the mileage and I put 4K miles in a year. This is a stock set up (dist. manifold and carb). It gets about 16-17 mpg. doing the running around I do. My point here is, it’s dependable when in a stock setup. The Loadamatic has issues when the manifold and carb are changed to something other than the stock setup. How’s things going way over there?.......take care Gary.....Mark

Re: Stock 8ba distributor?
 

The Load a matic is fine for a stock 8ba, the vac cans are still available but are generic.
Charlie ny

Re: Stock 8ba distributor?
 

The biggest problem with the loadamatic is they do not adapt well to multiple carbs. You need ported vacuum and there's the problem. That is why centrifugal or the chevy conversion is desirable.

Re: Stock 8ba distributor?
 

I’ve got a “59” style engine with an 8BA timing cover and distributor. It has a Sharp dual carb intake with a Stromberg on the front and a Ford 94 on the back with a hard vacuum line. No idea how it ran or if it did. It was taken apart when I got it.......Mark

Re: Stock 8ba distributor?
 

Back in its day I ran dual 94's on my l951 and it ran very well for 50 -60,000 miles. I know I reduced the jets down 2 sizes, but I do not remember what the extra carb had for power valve. This engine had heads, cam, dual carbs and dual point dist with Mallory coil. It would stay with a 1955 with the 272 engine....No one I ever knew at the time used any thing off a Cheve..