VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Distributor/ Generator backing plate reproduced

I need help to finish reproducing this distributor/generator backing plate since the one I started with had been broken and distorted from age. I was able to make up a casting pattern and recast it, however, I need to get the true dimensions to complete the machining. The person I am doing this for said it goes to a 23 touring or basically a 490. A couple years back I did what I thought was 490 backing plate but that one was round and looks like the back of the generator but this one I'm doing looks like it was bolted to the generator with two bolts. If I knew the correct steps I would post a picture of both of them. If you can help me out send me an e-mail and I can e-mail you the pictures.

My last question is, does someone already make these parts? At present I have a back log of these one off parts that I need to get done and don't need to take on jobs that someone else has already completed. This job was involving a parts trade or I wouldn't have started it. Bob

Hey Bob S,

Email the pictures to me at bigbob@rdgsons.com and I will post them in this forum for you.

Hey Bob S. Here ya go.

Hi Bob S,
I saw the photo's that BigBob posted for you,and the smaller housing is an "AUTO - LITE"
distributor housing that fits on early model Overland cars.I rebuilt a generator for someone in our local car club,and had to fabricate one the same as it.
The second housing would suit most "490" FA,FB and Model"D" V8 Chev's using the rectangular "AUTO - LITE" generators.Hope this helps you out.

Thanks, BigBob for posting my pictures. I was told the second end plate was to a Remy generator and the first a Auto-lite. Being a Fordo guy doing Chevy stuff I'm not up on part IDing. The first one is still just a raw casting which I will now machine and which I think I now have the dimensions coming to be able to complete this phase.
I don't mind reproducing these potmetal parts for the old car guys but don't want to do them if someone else is already doing it. Bob

You may want to contact Gary Wallace at (314)293-1991 He sold me a generator cover for my 1925 Chevy. It had the oil pump on the rear as well. Hope this helps.

Bob,
I've been looking for the Generator end plate for my 23 Chevy for years. They are just not out there. If you are reproducing them, even a raw casting please post here. I'll buy two from you if possible.

Now that I've fully read the post, I'll pull the one off my car next week and measure it, Will then do a dimensioned CAD Drawing to send. Maybe we can work something out!

The late 490, and Superior cars could have had the Remy electrical system or the Auto-lite system. The Remy system was the primary system used. The Remy end plates that I have are different that the one shown.

I do know that there is a VCCA member that has made castings for the Remy system, and he wrote an article about it in the G&D a number of years ago. Upon recent discussions, he did made extra castings, but needed fixtures for the distributor bore. He has not gotten around to finishing his bare castings yet.

My '23 has a newer aluminum end plate on it, but it does have a crack in the distributor clamp area. I have a spare (also cracked) that I was going to draw up, but as always I have not had time. I do have good pictures of my generator and it's end plates if anyone is interested (along with other engine parts).

Posted for cufrcp

Hi BigBob/cufrcp,
The generator endplate pictures posted for,are of an endplate off a late 1927 Oldsmobile generator,model 940-B.It's identical to the endplate I have on the generator for my 1927 Model 30-E Tourer,as well as three spare generators I have.
On this type of endplate,the through bolts go from the outside of the endplate,through the generator barrel,and screw into the drive endplate.The REMY generator has the through bolts going in from the drive endplate,and screwing into the commutator endplate,which carries the brush gear and distributor.
I've had to make patterns up,get castings done etc.,as all the generator endplates,like the one pictured are split and warped beyond use.

I'm not well versed in this topic. My friend has a 1925 Series M 1 ton Chevy. It has the distributor and oil pump on the back of the generator. Egge Machine reproduced this part at one time. I do not know what other models would be covered or if it is still available.
Mike

Well, I have gotten several Auto-lite end plate cast and machined the center for the bearing and worm gear but need some help again. The fellow that I am doing this job for sent a distributor that originally didn't go to this end plate. It has had a sleeve placed over the distributor shaft housing so it would fit this end plate. Only problem is the sleeve measures 1.050 and I think it should be 1.062. I made this first one up for this guy so his distributor will fit to the end plate but I would like to finish the rest correctly so they could be used with the original distributor. Thanks,Bob

Bob S,
The correct diameter for the distributor housing is 1.062".


:)