Good News about the Chev dist in an 8BA

[Newc]

Bubba's/now Charlies's Chev dist curred a sick 8ba with a Holley 4 barrel. Runs great now in a Canadian '52 Mercury M47 Pickup. Built by the President of RG #9 Salem, OR. So contact 'Charlie' if you want one. Newc

[flatjack9]

One of the best things you can do for all around driveability.

[cadillac512]

Originally Posted by flatjack9

One of the best things you can do for all around driveability.

Yes it is.



Terry

[tubman]

He converted a SBC Mallory "flattop" for me. It's centrifugal only, but it runs great and has "the look" I want.

[51504bat]

I've got a Buba mechanical advance only Chevy conversion and the 8ba in my '39 p/u runs fine. I'm not thrilled with the window cap and the Pertronix non window cap is pretty pricey and it's still looks like a Chevy cap, just no window.. I found a Mallory dual point for a reasonable price that I'm thinking about sending to Charlie. But I'm not sure about availability of caps, rotors, points, and condensers. Probably not worth it just for looks. I may just have to live with the window cap.

[tubman]

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I've been buying Mallory stuff of of eBay for the 10 or 15 years. There's a lot of stuff that's not very popular and can be had pretty cheap. Obviously, most people are unaware that Mallory used the same parts over most of their line. I have found that Big Block Mopar and Pontiac stuff is particularly unloved. Also, Mallory didn't use their own proprietary points but used points from commonly available stocks. I have compiled a cross-reference of readily available point sets that Mallory used; it's on the H.A.M.B. somewhere. Also, you guys know where to get the "trash can" condensers .

I have found complete SBC Mallory flattops for SBC's at a fraction of the price of an 8BA unit. The Mallory stuff is getting scarcer and more expensive lately, though.

[19Fordy]

Originally Posted by Newc

Bubba's/now Charlies's Chev dist curred a sick 8ba with a Holley 4 barrel. Runs great now in a Canadian '52 Mercury M47 Pickup. Built by the President of RG #9 Salem, OR. So contact 'Charlie' if you want one. Newc

NewC: Thanks for posting. I have an 8BA with a Holley 390. I am running wide belts and a Mallory distributor with mechanical advance. I am wondering if the Chevy distributor you are using will fit my engine without rubbing against my long fan belt.

Please let me know if the Chevy distributor you are using "clears" the fan belts. I am using 8RT water pumps with two separate fan belts. One belt runs between the fan pulley and the crank pulley. The other (long) belt runs between the water pumps, alternator and crank pulley.

The OD of my Mallory distributor cap is 3 5/8 in. I think that is smaller than the original Load-A-Matic distributor. The OD of my Mallory distributor body is 3 in. The present distance between my longer fan belt and distributor cap is 3/8 in. Do you think your distributor will "clear" my belt? Thank you.
Here's what it looks like.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Here's what it looks like.

[19Fordy]

Thanks Pete for the enlarging of my pix.

[jimTN]

Question for the Holly setup. What side is the throttle on and if left side, how did do you work that out. Which model of the holly is the 389cfm and has anyone tried the knock offs that are on epay.

[TomT/Williamsburg]

I have a Charlie NY Chevy distributor for a 8BA with Pertronix - send me message if interested. I will be at Fall Carlisle and Hershey

[tubman]

I had 390 Holley on an Offenhauser manifold on a '50 Merc in my '36 3-window about 25 years ago. When mounted conventionally, the throttle was on the wrong side. Being a "1-800-hot-rodder" back in those days, I solved the problem with a fancy Lokar throttle cable that made a 180 degree furn around the carb (it also pulled the wrong way). About 10 years ago, when I started to fool around with Rochester 2G's on Merc manifolds, I had a little more imagination and thought about mounting the carb backwards. For some reason, I had it in my head the the carb would malfunction if mounted unconventionally. I spent some time on these forums, and ran across a few instances of guys running carbs mounted backwards with no complaints. I tried it, and the carb couldn't tell the difference and ran fine. Plus, everything almost fell into place, except the choke.

I don't have any experience running a Holley backwards, but from my experience with Rochesters and my recollection of those long ago days, I'll bet it would work just fine. I have also been curious about the "knock-off" 390's and have been thinking about trying one. However, for the last 7 years I have been collecting and rebuilding "small-base" 4 BBLs (WCFB's and 4G's) , so I don't need another carb. It would be interesting though; some folks have had good luck with the "knock-offs".

[flatford8]

I have a 4BBL intake I want to use on a future build. I have two early Rochester carbs that I think are a set from a dual quad set-up. One has the choke and one has no choke holes at all. I would like a small base 390 if anybody needs a set.....Mark

[cadillac512]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

NewC: Thanks for posting. I have an 8BA with a Holley 390. I am running wide belts and a Mallory distributor with mechanical advance. I am wondering if the Chevy distributor you are using will fit my engine without rubbing against my long fan belt.

Please let me know if the Chevy distributor you are using "clears" the fan belts. I am using 8RT water pumps with two separate fan belts. One belt runs between the fan pulley and the crank pulley. The other (long) belt runs between the water pumps, alternator and crank pulley.

The OD of my Mallory distributor cap is 3 5/8 in. I think that is smaller than the original Load-A-Matic distributor. The OD of my Mallory distributor body is 3 in. The present distance between my longer fan belt and distributor cap is 3/8 in. Do you think your distributor will "clear" my belt? Thank you.
Here's what it looks like.

I have a converted Chevy distributor on the 8BA style engine in my '41 Merc. If you run the truck style wide belt pumps the back of the pulley is 2 3/4" from the mounting surface of the pump. The 5/8" belt will clear the edge of the Chevy dist cap by 1/8" if the dist is clocked with the "window" facing the thermostat housing. The vac advance is at the top and angles to the rear.



Terry

[1948F-1Pickup]

This is what it looks like. GM distributor and an 8BA. Maybe 3/8” between the edge of the belt and the housing of the distributor. The 1/8” dimension would be slightly above the belt…. to the distributor cap. Not really a valid measurement because the belt’s operating plane isn’t right next to the distributor cap.

[40cpe]

I have an 8BA with Charlie's distributor and wide belt. My setup and results are like Cadillac512's description

[Ol' Ron]

Back in the early 60's I was at a car show and there was a fellow there that had a Chevy distributor in it. This was somewhere in Con or ass . I asked the guy where he got it and he said he made it, a friend of his showed him how. Just machine the body to look like the Flathead one. So I went home and looked at one. A few hours later I had one. I made a few foe My friends, but hat was all. Later in the 80's when I started building engines a made a lot of them because it was allot cheaper than a Mallory . I built a 296 for a fellow and installed one on his emgine and he sent it yp Texas where a guy converted it to electronic. Then in the early 2000's I built one for a fellow in fla and he converted it tot an adjustable machinal advance, and went on to get 22 MPG with an L-100 cam in a 276 ci engine.. his is kind of a history of the Chey distributor over the past 40 years, everybody put something in it, typical of what Hot rodding is all about. I'm glad I could be a small part of it.
Gramps

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by 1948F-1Pickup

This is what it looks like. GM distributor and an 8BA. Maybe 3/8” between the edge of the belt and the housing of the distributor. The 1/8” dimension would be slightly above the belt…. to the distributor cap. Not really a valid measurement because the belt’s operating plane isn’t right next to the distributor cap.

[19Fordy]

FIRST: Thank you for posting photos (and enlarging them) of the Chevy distributor set up.

Originally Posted by jimTN

Question for the Holly setup. What side is the throttle on and if left side, how did do you work that out. Which model of the holly is the 389cfm and has anyone tried the knock offs that are on epay.

On a 1940 Ford you just bolt the Holley 390 on backwards so that the throttle linkage is on the pass. side. I handmade a little aluminum adapter to attach the Holley carb linkage to the stock 40 linkage ball. Also, made a little turnbuckle for adjusting the length of the the linkage arm. On the turn buckle both ends are right hand threads. No need for a left hand thread. Also, no return spring needed. Living in south FL, I don't need a choke so it's not hooked up.

Second, third, fourth and last photo show little 3/8 in. thick aluminum adapter made to fit carb. linkage ball. It's held in place on the 390 by little screws. In the 5th photo you can see the small aluminum turnbuckle below the blue fuel fitting. 1 inch thick carb spacer used so linkage would clear radiator hose. Last photo shows where ball connector is attached.

[oldfordman33]

I took a different approach to the linkage on the left (driver) side of the engine. I welded a piece to the acelerator linkage on the firewall. A little finageling to get the geometry right and it worked for years. Oldfordman33