Early Mallory Distributors,can you buy parts?

[29restorod]

I am looking for a Mallory distributor for my A. I find a few of the old style,with the cap,that has the wires coming out,without boots. They look like a tuna can,and no towers. Is there anyone selling replacement caps,or are they orphens?

[Purdy Swoft]

I don't think that any new parts are being made for the old mallory distributors. I bought a new mallory dual point distributor from Berts back in the late ninties and the ONLY thing that I have had to do to it was replace the condenser a few times The Mallory dual point is pretty much bullet proof . Berts number is 800-321-1931. I'm pretty sure they still handle them.

[29restorod]

Yes I know new models are available. It just hurts to pay $300+ for a distributor that I bought years ago for $8. from JC Whitney. The modern Mallory Company has produced a lot of junk in the last 10 years,thats why I would rather buy an old one,if I could find new caps and rotors for it.

[Bruce Lancaster]

The old ones are very finely made pieces. 8 cylinder cap is fairly easy to find, and can be installed under your 4 cylinder outer cap to look right. That stuff probably does not really need replacing and can usually go right back to work after a good cleaning.
There are a LOT of different Mallory's for A-B use. The current Chinese crop...
Before them, the big two-piece cap one made in 1950's and '60's, and an earlier version of that made with cast iron body. There were at least two different point sets used in these. There was also at least one cheaper Mallory made about the same time, conventional cap, small, generic sort of distributor.
Earliest Mallory for Model A came out maybe 1929, had advance lever and centrifugal. Then there was at least one other model between that one and the iron one above...similar but slightly smaller, parts absolutely hopeless now.
If you have an old one...you'd be crazy to get the new one. I have never worked with a recent A-B Mallory, but have helped de-bug recent flathead and Chevrolet ones. They typically have VERY short points life, short-lived plastic, problems with assembly (like points shorted directly to case right out of the box), condenser problems, and entirely random advance characteristics. Other than that, they are great...

[Rowdy]

Watch e-bay for parts. Also a note Mallory changed part #'s several times and they are abit hard to flollow the changes. There was a good post on the HAMB several years back that explains it. If you find it be sure to read it several times to make sure you fully understand it or you will buy the wrong parts, been there and done that. After several purchases I finally have 3 fully functional YA-11A Mallorys and enough extra parts to last me about 10-15 years. Rod

[Uncle Bob]

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A quick question for you guys familiar with these. Here's a pic of the one I have, the tag reads YB at the top, 11X at the bottom. What are the years this was made and any other commentary? Thanks.

[Bruce Lancaster]

All I know is that one was available 1950's up as the deluxe Mallory (a small, generic VW like one was also offered) until I think early 1970's when Mallory became just a brand of a conglomeration.
I have a couple of those and a presumably earlier cast iron version using same cap and innards. Mallory's earlier than that iron version use entirely different parts...
the "11" was the PN designation for the A-B...all the Mallorys had a 2 digit code of some sort to designate the engine family. I believe the "X" designates the curve. The numbering system changed maybe late '60's into a long number, but those 2 digits survives 2 or three digits into the longer number. The longer number also incorporated new codes designating type of advance curve. One of the codes for the 2-digit period also designates whether or not there is a vacuum brake.

[DaveB]

A friend has one of the newer orange top style Mallory's and it cost him a lot of money. He had it on a Denver-Miller head and the the Mallory did not limit the advance and it would sometimes go way too advanced. I measured it later and it would occasionally jump up to over 40 deg. advance. He knew the car was not running properly and while trying to get it home with the Mallory not limiting the advance it created tremendous heat in the combustion chambers and cracked the head. The head was repaired and he put a mechanical advance limiter in the Mallory. I still don't have a lot of confidence in the Mallory that I have ..... so it is on the shelf and not in my car.

[Bruce Lancaster]

A recent Mallory, from my experiences with SBC ones in person and flathead V8 ones by correspondence, is at best a core. EVERYTHING about it needs to be carefully checked and problems corrected, ponts and condenser must be replaced with other brands (right now or a few hundred miles from now beside the road) and some people report problems with tracking and cracks in the plastic parts. The old 2-piece cap Mallorys are at the opposite extreme...very well made and very durable.

[John S]

Originally Posted by Bruce Lancaster

A recent Mallory, from my experiences with SBC ones in person and flathead V8 ones by correspondence, is at best a core. EVERYTHING about it needs to be carefully checked and problems corrected, ponts and condenser must be replaced with other brands (right now or a few hundred miles from now beside the road) and some people report problems with tracking and cracks in the plastic parts. The old 2-piece cap Mallorys are at the opposite extreme...very well made and very durable.

You can take the word "recent" back to the mid 80's at least. The Mallory stuff that I saw people try to run in Chevys and Fords on the street was garbage. The mags they sold for racing were a little better but the street stuff was junk IMHO.

[Randy in Illinois]

Uncle Bob, The one I have Looks like yours, The tag reads: model YA, type 11A, serial # 41EMX5. It was in my late '31 coupe when I bought it over 35 years ago. Don't know much about them, single point, centrifugal advance only, large condenser mounted on the outside, ran ok at the time, but I went back to original

[Rowdy]

Here is the link about the part # changes and interchange. Rod

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...ht=mallory+cap

[Randy in Illinois]

Thanks Rowdy, Interesting info in jalopyjournal link about mallorys.

[dustyp489]

I am Looking for the same info . I just got one off here on HAMB.

The Tag/Plate on the side reads Model : B Type: 11 Serial # 1069

It is a dual point , one is missing , the # on the points is 20030-6. The Rotor # 20009 and the Cap 20090
Found a # on the body 20104

Also it has the Spark adavance plate with arm like the Model A Dizzy has

Any help

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Guys we currently build a new Mallory distributor for the model A. I use a ford four cylinder industrial Mallory single point distributor ( new in the box) disassemble , remove drive gear ,machine to fit the model A and recurve the mechanical advance to 30 degrees at 2000-2500 rpm. They look very close to the old style mallorys ( and we can bead blast and acid dip if ya want the old look ) they run awesum and we sell for $ 150 with a new drive rod etc.....
I will get up a couple pics tomorrow......

I run one of these in both my Model Ts and they run great..........a little different machine work but the same distributor.....

[29restorod]

Hey Bubba glad to see you on this forum. I met you at your shop about 5 or 6 years ago,when I sold you some wheels and tires. Never thought about calling you,for info on the Mallory distributors. I ended up buying a used unit from someone on this forum. I will get in touch with you if I have problems. Wish I had known about your distributor.

[vonheine]

Do you still have a Mallory distributor on your shelf that fit s a Model A?

[vonheine]

Do you still have the Mallory distributor that fits a Model A Ford?

[fordcragar]

Originally Posted by vonheine

Do you still have the Mallory distributor that fits a Model A Ford?

In case Jim doesn't see this thread, contact him directly.

[john in illinois]

The last I heard he could not find a supply of new ones to adapt to Model A.


http://www.bubbasignition.com/4-bangers.html

John