I look for the smallest dist. I can find because of firewall clearance. The rear dist is a pain in the****, just like the chevy stuff. I have an early Mallory unit in my 30 coupe and there is minimum clearance. 1/4 to 1/2 inch, but it does fit. If I was using a dist with a larger dist cap I would have to remount the eng. I did not originally build this car, or I would have made a bit more clearance.
Y Block distributors are not a pain in the****. They’re a nice design with the angled distributor mounting angle and there’s no need whatsoever for a larger diameter distributor running something like a big (Shudder) Chevy style HEI or something like that. The small diameter caps are perfect and 1/2 “ clearance is fine if you route the plug wires in typical Y Block fashion routing them down and under the headers using stock style brackets and rubber blocks to hold them. A small diameter distributor with a mechanical advance is perfect. I had a vintage Holley distributor setup for my 26 RPU at Bubbas and it’s great.
Blue One, my remark about the dist . being a pain in the**** was more aimed at the fact that it is in the rear. of the eng, instead of the front like most of the later Ford Engines. stock y block dist are fine, and the Mallory is great. just very hard to find a new 2 piece cap if you need one. My plug wires are routed the same as stock with the stock brackets. I agree that the large cap. dist. like the chev. hei is***** ugly
I get it, although I really like the angled rear location of the distributor on the Y Block. Sometimes that distributor sitting right up front on the SBF engines is kinda in your face and it’s hard to get a clean looking engine with the cap and plug wires right up there. I like the puzzled looks from the guys who can’t identify the Y Block.
I agree with all that you said, especially the people who cannot id a y block. the first get together I took my car to, a fellow wanted to know why I put an olds eng. in my ford. My eng is painted gold and black. I guess the gold paint and the rear dist threw him off, although he claims to be a ford guy, he should have known better
I've been running a Blue Thunder intake since they first came out. It's an beautiful casting and great performer. Looks stock, but is definitely not! They are still available for a whole lot more money than I paid! Still amazing to me the price of the original cast iron "B" manifold went from $0 to well over $100 in the last few years. Supply and demand. It is a very good option.
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