distributor shaft rebuild
1967 Pedal Car Champion
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 9,130
Likes: 4,242
From: US-PNW
It's certainly possible -- machinists can do all sorts of things. However, given the skill and time involved, you'll pay far more than a repro, NOS, or good used. I'm saving my broken geared shaft just in case someone comes up with a $50 fix...
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Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,717
Likes: 551
From: Seattle Washington
I just built a Tach Drive for a 63. A friend gave me a bare housing and I built it from there. I bought the parts on e-bay but they were shipped from Chicago Corvette. The shaft is readily available. About the only thing that changes from one Engine to another is the Mechanical Advance Weights and the Football on the end of the Shaft. ( It looks like a Tom Brady Football ) Replacing the Shaft is easy, but figuring out why yours failed needs to be done. Is the thrust surface scored on the housing on the Tach Drive ? What about the Bushings ? To get the correct Shaft You pretty much need to buy one from somebody who knows what he is doing.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
I have restored distributors back to the 1920's. I would rather metal spray or hard chrome a shaft with a good gear, or splice the cam onto a repop shaft.
Unobtainium parts , such as having cross dive magneto gears custom made is stupid money.
Last resort is what that is.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Its a spare distributor. I want to fix it. I like fixing things ; ) Challenges. Learn as I go. I was reading that there are basically 2 two shafts out there in the aftermarket. They are sort of a one size fits all deal. Depends on hp, I guess and they generally work well. But, GM made several different shafts with different shaped footballs. I like the idea of having the original football (as the call it) brazed on a new shaft. I will look into that and see what I find. I was also wondering what the difference is between the HD shaft and the HP shaft. Was one designed for bearings and the other for bushings?? Did they use the same football?f
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Yes, if I had a good gear but worn shaft, I would consider metal spray or hard chrome.
I wonder, does the number stamped on the underside of the football identify the shape of the football?
I wonder, does the number stamped on the underside of the football identify the shape of the football?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,173
Likes: 3,982
From: Connecticut, USA
Can it be done- yes. Will it be done, most likely not unless you find a retired old school machinist with a shop in his house. A job shop won't do it and if they did it would cost more then finding a couple of good used ones. I have not used a new one in about 10 years and back then the cross gears and shafts were poor, many didn't mesh correctly. More so with the cross gear then the shaft gear but I ended up using a good used one. I returned many new cross gears that were not machined correctly. Bushings can be machined and sized easy enough but the geared shafts will cost.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,145
Likes: 115
Any recommendations on who might have a good replacement shaft, good used one or NOS. I wonder if it is silver nickel braze. I might be able to do it by finding a used shaft. Take it to a welding shop and ask them what they think it is. Might be a fun project to report back on. But, I suspect I would have to send it off to get recurved regardless.
Old Pro Solo Guy
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 8,076
Likes: 4,430
From: Marlton NJ