VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 1932 distributor question

When I was taking off the condenser on the bottom of the distributor I thought it would be a simple deal to reinstall it. To my surprise the the small bolt holding the condenser has noting to screw into. I assumed it was a threaded hole. This is not the case. Is there a threaded clip for the bolt to thread into? I don't know how it could have fallen out and I don't see it anywhere if there is one.

What am I missing guys???

Also the insulator paper if that's what is is torn. This is the piece between the points and the side of the distributor. any suggestion on what should be used to replace it?

Thanks,

Steve

I had a wad of old paper as an insulator, then used a vinyl strip, etc but after much aggravation, I simply installed one from the Filling Station, AF-278, probably the cheapest item in their catalog at $1.00.

Chipper I think here, has an excellent idea using an old rattle can top cut to fit. you'll find it here searching around.

My condenser screws into the dist case it looks like. Never saw a clip.

The correct distributor for 1932 is a model 633J. There is a 10-32 threaded hole in the side of the distributor body for the condenser.

I used a spray can plastic cap cut to fit. Works perfect.

As for the insulator strip...I used gasket material with the adhesive backing.It stayed in place while I threaded the cable through.Used a regular hand held hole punch to make the hole.It was the perfect size hole.

So I confirmed Dog that I have the correct distributor with the numbers you've provided. I don't see where there is a threaded hole in the side of the distributor for the condenser other than the holes for the cap clips. I looked at several pictures I have and it was attached at the bottom of the distributor just left of the name plate. The hole in the bottom of the distributor is not threaded and much larger than the 10-32 bolt. Not sure what that hole does. This is why I was concerned there may have been something I missed when I removed the condenser in the first place. I also looked at several other 32 pictures and they to seem to indicated the condenser was attached at the bottom.

I guess this is just a mystery or I'm really not seeing something that should.

Thanks again guys.....

The condenser is mounted outside of the distributor at the bottom of the body just above the shank of the distributor. There is a threaded hole for the 10-32 Fillister head screw that is used to attach the condenser to the body of the distributor. To the right of that is in a large threaded hole for the grease cup.

Maybe a PO drilled out the hole so it no longer had threads and was larger than required for the # 10 screw.

Hey Guys I was able to get to it and take a closer look. Dog and Chipper I'm totally baffled because I took the condenser off several months ago when I was striping down the engine for paint. I didn't notice at the time any issue what so ever.

So this evening I took a mirror and found two large holes in the bottom of the distributor. They are defiantly drilled and I'm not talking about the sides. THey are in the bottom, one left of the tag and one right of the tag. They look to be about a 1/4 inch. I know that dang condenser was screwed in because I took it apart and I have the 5/32 bolt. I took pictures of everything when I did it. I did not remove the distributor when I painted the engine. I've doubled checked the number dog gave me and it a match as I said before. by the way the engine ran great when I started the restoration.

I guess I will have to come up with some idea to reattach the dang thing. Trouble is I can't for the live of find what may have been in there to attach the condenser in the first place. there is no where for it to go under the plates and I never turned the engine over for something to fall out.

Thanks for the suggestions just the same guys.

The two large holes in the bottom of the distributor body belong there and they have absolutely nothing to do with attaching the condenser. As mentioned previously, the condenser is attached to the side of the distributor body right above the shank of the body at the bottom of the distributor. The condenser was attached with a 10-32x3/8" Fillister screw.

As an additional reference, the threaded 10-32" hole for the condenser is on the side of the distributor body, right below the large hole that is in the bottom of the distributor body to the left of the tag, and just above the manual advance arm that goes around the distributor shank. The threaded 10-32 hole may be difficult to see with the distributor still in the engine block but it is there.