V6 Distributors

[Waylison]

I've posted on Piston Heads this question, but so far no one has answered, so will ask here also....

The Motorcraft distributor that is fitted to most Essex V6's is supposed to be ( to quote ) crap !
It's got a very bad advance curve that doesn't suit the engine.

So there is the Bosch unit, but they are quite expensive new and not common second hand.

Finally the Lucas unit. Supposed to be the best choice, better advance curve, much stronger unit, and has a vernier knob for manual adjustment of the advance curve.

Does anyone have any experience of these 3 units, for or against ?

[Admin]

A Lucas?
That's all news to me, having only every seen Motorcraft or Bosch either in the real world or listed in any manual/parts list for Ford, Scimitar etc. So would also like to know if any such 'standard' item exists.

Personally, after (in the first eight years) rebuilding the Motorcraft unit with the help of various scrap Granada and Capri bits, ending when finally I lost the oil pump returning from Wiscombe.
Following the rebuild (some twelve years ago), I fitted an Aldon modified Bosch unit (the other end of that shaft!) with Mobelec electronic ignition and have not thought much about the ignition since.
The unit came from Burtons who now offer their own 'cheaper' alternative to the Aldon units.

[Waylison]

Hi Paul.

The Lucas one is rare so I'm told, that's why I've just bought one that's new old stock with optical electronic gizzmos inside for a very reasonable price. Just wanted to see if anyone else had experience of them.

After fitting and getting it set up I'll report back. They were made for the Essex V6 until the late 70's.

[Waylison]

Just found this for sale on fleabay

A NEW BOXED DISTRIBUTOR CAP TO FIT FORD ZEPHYR,ZODIAC V6 MK4 1966-68 FITTED WITH LUCAS DISTRIBUTOR.(74) FORD PART NUMBER 2721E12116A.

So shows that the lucas dizzy was fitted to the Essex V6 in the 60's as well.

[Tony Hayward]

Wayne

Be careful. The only listing I have found for a Lucas distributor in the 70's, is a low compression one (31D6). My Lucas catalogue (1968-1976) doesn't even list a Lucas distributor for the 3 litre.

If you are interested, I would be willing to sell my Bosch Aldon (non vacuum) recurved dizzy (based on a new one), complete with Bosch high performance coil and Magnecor KV85 plug leads.

Tony

[Waylison]

Hi Tony.

Thanks for the warning.

I'm sure it's this dizzy:

40840A 25D6 CCW 3000 12 950 6.5 600 2 375 1962-66 Ford, Reliant Zephyr, Zodiac MK III, 2.5 & 3.0 L, Reliant Sabre Siz,

Could you e-mail me an idea of what sort of price you were thinking of for your bundle please. You'll find e-mail inside my profile page

Kind Regards,

[Tony Hayward]

Wayne

You are aware that the listing you have shown is for a straight six engine? All those engines were straight sixes, not V6-the Reliant Sabre Six never had a V6. The V6 didn't appear until 1967.

Tony

[Tony Hayward]

Wayne
Further to last post, the distributor you quote is shown as low compression, according to a database I have found: http://www.mgaroadster.co.uk/lucas.pdf, which I think you have been looking at. This is definitely a straight six engine-Mk111 Zodiac!! (3 litre didn't exist).

Tony

[GGenie69]

There's also this "Scorcher"



It's a dual points dizzy which I believe is based on a Bosch General Motors Holden top with Ford drive. No vacuum advance but double sparking on the firing stroke.



Scorcher is on the right next to a Formoco item.

Found it on ebay so I'll give it a try as it's a period piece

Richard.

[Waylison]

Hi Tony.

Much appreciate you concerns. The guy says it was on a Scimitar with the Essex V6 in it. As far as he can remember it was a 74 car. It's a 31D6. Now that is listed for Zephyr, Zodiac, Executive, Scimitar.....then further down the list Zephry, Transit, 2.5 & 3.0 LC. The serial number for Low Compression ends with a *****D where this one is *****E, listed for Scimitar.

The research continues.....

Thanks for your imput guys.

Keep double sparking Richard

[Greybags]

Just to add another possible virtual spanner to this virtual world ..

The early Scimitars up to the SE4 used the Ford Zodiac Straight 6, only changing to the V6 when Ford stopped supplying the inline engine.

Grahame