I'm trying to get my stock '55 Olds 324 set up with an Edelbrock 496 4x2 setup in time for Roundup. This is my first multi-carb setup. I currently have a stock distributor with a broken vacuum advance. I think I have two options for setting advance. 1. Buy a new vacuum advance for the stock dizzy and drill/tap the manifold to run vacuum advance (will this provide enough vacuum? anyone done this setup?) OR 2. Replace dizzy with fully centrifugal Joe Hunt unit from Speedway (http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/5383,,_Joe-Hunt-Look-Distributors.html?itemNo=91015282) - this thing is $600!!! and I have my su****ions about a unit that is supposed to slide in to all Olds engines from 49-64 (!!??) I've been looking forever for a '56 Olds dizzy that will let me add a easy to find adjustable advance but I can't find one so that's not really an option for me. Another thing I'm not looking forward to is setting up the TV linkage to the stock hydro. I would LOVE to see pics of someone's linkage (that sounds wrong!). Anyway, I really appreciate any advice from the ROCKETEER GURUS as always. Noah
Does the Olds distrbutor rotate the same as a SBC? If so, graft the top of a Chevy to the Olds shaft/housing.
you can widen your search a little by including distributors through 1964. the later ones will require you swapping your '55 drive gear to the later dist shaft to the fit your oil pump drive. I believe the guts on the later ones (up to '64) are the same as the similar year Chevy, so you should be able to put a Vette dual point plate and advance in it too
As soon as you stop calling it a ****in DIZZY it will cooperate..... Just like a Piston is not a PISSY.....,It gets insulted.....hA!OLDS motors have feelings too..... Oh BTW your car looks real good.... I would say you will need to put a new vacuum advance on the one you have......Mine also was stuck inside the distributor,.and required that I free it up so the action would actuall move when the actuator was connected to it...I just WD-40 sprayed it till it loosened up and kept moving it manually till it was working well -that was a huge difference- I ran like total **** without it.....
Hi,There I build a MSD conversion for olds. Please look at my pics in the for sale listing. These are custom built for each customers need. Thanks,Tony Ross Racing Engines 330-544-4466
Umm you still have not got that thing runnin? Go down to Kragen, get you a Mopar 383, avoid the base police and drop in instead of that rocket motor! Hiya Noah! Ted
Thanks for the replies (HEY TED!), My new question is - is there really an advantage to changing to the post '55 distributor? My su****ion is that the 4x2 setup is going to benefit from the versatility of the later distributor...has anyone used a pre-56 distributor with a 4x2 with good results? Is the vacuum sufficient? THANKS!
Hey Brother! you know they still make real magnetos at joe hunt www.huntmagnetos.com if you wanna go the real magneto way order from them directly i got one old joe hunt magneto i will run on my 303/324 with the same intake u have cheers bro
Noah... keep an eye out for a full cent. W&H DuCoil or Mallory on ebay. A lot cheaper than the Mag look-a-like.
Ahhh - I'm uncovering more ebay gems....(item #280087478674) So - is Centrifugal Advance the way to go with multi-carb setups?
OK - the gods of EBAY have been smiling on me. I've got a new vacuum advance for my '55 and a pretty clean '56 distributor on the way. Also found a '56-'64 Mallory that i'll probably pick up too. So - are any rocketeers actually driving a multi-carb olds? What is your setup? Got PICS??!! Thanks!!
I was just reading C9s info on ported vs manifold vacuum: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132984&showall=1 He makes a strong case for manifold vac - but he's talking about a big block with 4bbl.... Hmmmmmm........ My stroms are 48's with no vacuum allowances. Check out this pic: http://i17.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/8f/77/519e_12.JPG It's from an ebay auction for an OL496 with 97's - check out the hole - I'll bet that's for vacuum advance...hmmmmmm.....or maybe it's an inlet for crankcase ventilation from a dump-tube to PCV conversion... I'm really trying to avoid a spending valuable pre-roundup time (!) swapping distributors, drilling holes in my intake or carbs, changing springs & weights etc... Does anyone have a proven setup for rockets?? Anyone?? Bueller??? HELP!
The original GM vacuum advance used manifold vacuum. My 1960 Motors Manual says to disconnect and plug the vacuum line when setting the timing. Most GM mechanics kept a golf Tee in the junk drawer of their tool box to plug the vacuum hose when setting the timing. You can test the vacuum advance by simply hooking the vacuum hose back up with the timing light still connected. If the mark jumps off the scale, then you know the advance is working. If it stays on the timing mark where you set it, then your advance is not working correctly. I've never done it on an Olds but I ran 4 2s on a Chevy for a short time and just used the factory ignition settings for street use. I highly recommend this carb syncronizer to get them balanced. My personal preference. I had no luck with a Unisyn.
Oops - i just ordered a Unisyn!! I like the golf tee tip too! Here's a pic of my stock 55 manifold and Rochester 2bbl. Do I have my terms wrong? "The original GM vacuum advance used manifold vacuum." I ***umed the vacuum coming from the carb was 'ported' or 'venturi' vac*** vs 'manifold' vacuum which I ***umed came directly from a hole in the intake manifold. Am I nucking futs?!!
OK - I got off my lazy ***, cracked open the shop manual and clarified my own question. Looks like if the vacuum connection is connected to the lower part of a carb, it can be 'manifold' vacuum. So can I achieve the same vacuum by tapping into the intake manifold anywhere and avoid drilling a hole into one of my strombergs?
Check the carb to see where that port goes. If it comes out below the ****erflys then it is getting manifold vacuum and there will be a vacuum at idle. The GM distributors from that era that I have played with all had vacuum to the advance at idle making it necessary to disconnect the vacuum to set the initial timing. If I understand the terms...venturi vacuum will not have a vacuum signal at an idle. Not enough air flow to create a vacuum.
That's how I have this Delco dist. connected on mine. Not an Olds. but same style dist. It's hard to see here but there is a factory made spacer underneath the Y adapter with a port for a vacuum connection. I don't know who made them or what they were made for but it will supply the needed vacuum without drilling the intake. I plan to use this period piece (without the blades) to get manifold vacuum without drilling the manifold. This one has the vacuum tap. It would be very easy to make.
THANKS FOR THE PICS TOMMY!! I like the copper in the top pic - is the vacuum line going directly into the intake in that pic? I'm thinking spacers might be the answer - maybe I should pick up 4 of these and drill a vacuum line into one...
I guess im the only one to touch on the linkage, i just went through the same thing on my '55 so i think i have some tips. Your going to want to set the TV rod up so that you can adjust it easily for the first couple weeks, i spent the better part of two months adjusting mine until i got a good balance of hard shifts for acceleration and decent downshifts when coming to a stop light. The farther forward the cable is pulled the harder the shifts, when its sits all the way back you will get a nice smooth ride that gets you in 4th gear before 30 mph, and who really wants that.
Yeah it's a copper pigs tail with a vac. hose connecting it to an odd valve of some sort. I've never seen the valve before but all it does is work as a connection fitting. The risers should work just fine. I was going to connect the vac. to both carb spacers on my 2-deuce set up. Not that I need to... but just to get people scratching their heads. Yoke all 4 together in a fancy manifold and give them some ******** about an old speed secret of balancing your vac. signal. Some people will actually believe it.
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