Last week I saw a 1949 1/2 ton similar to my own that was in near original condition. The only thing not stock appeared to be a more modern looking distributer set aside the 1957 235 six. It appeared to fit perfectly and showed no alterations. It had the six metal posts sticking out of the top of the cap rather than the older well type we are familiar with. My question is: what year and model vehicle would that distributer have come out of and would that newer style solve what appears to be a condensation problem in my present factory distributer? I live in a very humid area and I believe the moisture is simply creeping into the cap. My breather is venting well, and I always run my truck up to operating temp. Whaddaya think?
What you were looking at was a HEI distributor out of a later 250 type engine. They will bolt into a 235. Some of the very early ones had a remote mount coil and a distributor that had a conventional looking cap that was flatter and of course bigger around with male plug wire terminals. For probably about the same money and keeping the stock look a Pertronix electronic conversion for the 216/235 distributor eliminates the points and condenser and takes less time to install than replacing points. You can gap the plugs wider with this setup to give a fatter hotter spark which helps in both hot and cold start situations.
RE: HEI Into 216/235/261 It's not quite a bolt up deal as the drive tang is at a different height , I see many vendors selling this at swap meets , it's supposedly a good thing sice it throws hotter sparks . -OR- you can simply get a better quality Epoxy filled coil and a Pertronix Ignitior and install all that and set the plug gaps to .045" . I'm running all stock apart from a 12 volt conversion and I run .035" plug gaps and never have any ignition troubles at all . As far as engine venting , it is simple to add a PCV valve and then you're engine will be self cleaning.... -Nate
