Re: points and condenser - 1948 - 2262

Posted by DavidPackard On 2020/6/17 22:59:27

John;

I'm assuming you can't see the tag on the distributor, or the tag is gone.

The 'tell' on the distributor is the vacuum chamber. The AutoLite chamber rotates the entire distributor housing, while the Delco chamber rotates the breaker plate only. Pop the cap off and look to see if the vacuum chamber arm attaches to the breaker plate . . . if it does it's a Delco. Or pull a vacuum on the chamber and determine if the entire distributor housing rotates . . . if it does it's an AutoLite.

Also it's my understanding a car was produced with either all Delco equipment, or all AutoLite equipment. The senior members may confirm the all of one, or all of the other assumption. If that's true the AutoLite voltage regulator is mounted with screws above and below the regulator, while the Delco screws are to the left and right of the regulator cover. Easy to check, and will give you some insight on how the car was equipped 'as born'.

The only exception to the vacuum chamber 'rule' that I know of is the mid-fifties Chevy 'stovebolt' six. That was a Delco unit that the vacuum chamber rotated the entire housing.

dp