Distributor Clearance

[Jim Dewar]

I'm in the process of purchasing engine parts and concerned about distributor clearance on a 302 engine in a RF. Will the RF chassis accept any full sized ignition distributor? I have noticed some cars (engines) have clearance issues at the firewall.

 

[Neal]

Can't comment specifically on the RF chassis but the smallest diameter disty I found was the MSD 8579. You'll need to change the gear if you use a roller cam.

 

[Hershal Byrd]

Jim,
Neal is right. That is the smallest distributor that will work. I believe the Mallory Unilite is small enough too.
If you want a little more room then between the bulkhead and distributor then do what I discribe in this thread, http://www.gt40s.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/64158/an/0/page/0#64158
Doing this modification is easy and it gives about an inch more clearance.

Hersh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Chris Duncan]

If you're running EFI you can go distributorless and run an oil pump drive/cam sync sensor, like from a Ford Explorer, which is about 3" high and 1-1/2" in diameter.

 

[Bill D]

How about the Crane small cap distributor?