Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B?

Posted By: Slant6pak

Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 01/31/14 10:20 PM

Hey guys,

I've been on the search for a vintage tach drive distributor for my 68 Coronet.

I'm trying to find one with a vacuum advance that can be converted with a Pertronix.

Can somebody give me some pointers on what to look for? I've seen a couple early 60's pieces, some later iron body units that are "supposed" to be Race Hemi parts for big money, and I've seen some old Mallory distributors that look like they may be tach drive but I cannot tell....

Are new drive cables still available?

Does anybody still make a vintage looking tach that is cable drive?

Thanks

Posted By: Chris2581

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 01/31/14 10:48 PM

I have never seen a tach drive distributor with a vac advance. Your best bet would be to find a Mopar unit,and Accel also made them along with Mallory.There are plenty on the net and I think one was for sale on this site.

Tach...There are plenty of Stewart Warner tachs out there,just have to look. Ebay is where you'll find this stuff,but don't pay too much,there are deals.

Posted By: 52savoy

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 01/31/14 10:49 PM

I'm assuming you need a RB distributor

You can search ebay for one of the old DC race electronics or race Hemi and convert it. At this time for whatever reason, race Hemi distributors are going for less than the old Direct Connection dizzys.

They aren't being remade from what I know so it's Ebay, the internet or swap meets. "Big money"....? Define it

I've got 2 race Hemi tach drives and have about 200 bucks in them

Vacume advance..not interested.

Chrysler made vacume advance tach drives for C-bodies

Posted By: 62maxwgn

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 02:11 AM

Quote:

I have never seen a tach drive distributor with a vac advance. Your best bet would be to find a Mopar unit,and Accel also made them along with Mallory.There are plenty on the net and I think one was for sale on this site.

Tach...There are plenty of Stewart Warner tachs out there,just have to look. Ebay is where you'll find this stuff,but don't pay too much,there are deals.

You haven't seen them all !

Posted By: Chris2581

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 03:17 AM

I have not ever seen one..in other words,they are RARE.

Posted By: 6PakBee

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 04:17 AM

Quote:

......Chrysler made vacume advance tach drives for C-bodies

It's been years but I seem to remember that my 1965 Sport Fury with the 426 wedge had a tach drive distributor. Had a screw on cap over the cable connection. Also had the two piece electric console tach. Never could figure that one out.

Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 04:18 AM

You should be able to go to a good speedometer shop to have them make you a new cable with the proper ends and length

You have a PM on this

Posted By: cudaman1969

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 06:19 AM

I have one that i had on my max wedge back in 71 (then switched to electronic) with vacuum and dual points, don't know what year exactly it is. I think i just bought one that's electronic, I'll check sat. It still has the tag, 65 hemi maybe. I'm thinking they were made between 58-65.

Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 06:47 AM

The 360 horse 413 in my old 300K had one. I would have kept it if I had another RB distributor at the time...

Posted By: Sixgun

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 06:56 AM

I have at least one good one, maybe 2.Points type and the one I am sure I have is a prestolite, I think.Back in my stash in HI, going back in may to ship the 3 cars.PM me if anything.

Posted By: loren kraker

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 08:47 AM

http://dayton.craigslist.org/pts/4271384622.html

Posted By: JohnRR

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 09:15 AM

Quote:

Quote:

I have never seen a tach drive distributor with a vac advance. Your best bet would be to find a Mopar unit,and Accel also made them along with Mallory.There are plenty on the net and I think one was for sale on this site.

Tach...There are plenty of Stewart Warner tachs out there,just have to look. Ebay is where you'll find this stuff,but don't pay too much,there are deals.

You haven't seen them all !

I have one like that also , single point prestolite. It's NOS I bought it for parts .

Posted By: 62maxwgn

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/01/14 04:48 PM

Most all Chrysler 300 letter cars from 60 to 64 with multipliable carb's had dual point Prestolite tach drive with vacuum advance.

Posted By: Jim_Lusk

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/02/14 07:20 AM

Quote:

Most all Chrysler 300 letter cars from 60 to 64 with multipliable carb's had dual point Prestolite tach drive with vacuum advance.

And some with a single carb...

Posted By: 52savoy

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/02/14 07:03 PM

and not rare at all. Chrysler made thousands of cars over the years with that Prestolite distributor.
I had a large box full of them in the early 70s.. I couldn't hardly give them away. Sold the whole box for $20 just to get rid of them.

There isn't week that goes by on Ebay where at least one is listed

Posted By: Slant6pak

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/03/14 06:27 AM

Thank you to all that have replied,

I may have located an early 60's Prestolite distributor, and thanks to a fellow Moparts member, I have located a very nice Stewart Warner tach.

I also found a place online that makes drive cables, which leads me to my next question. What kind of drive end does the Prestolite use?

Posted By: sixpack4spd

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/03/14 06:50 AM

If it doesn't work out, I have a real nice factory dual point vacuum advance tach drive distributor I'd be willing to part with.

Posted By: hemi-hunter

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/03/14 07:15 AM

I was wondering how rare my distrib was its a iron, tach cable drive, electronic unit that I pulled from a race hemi. it uses the chrome elec box. what do these sell for and can theybe converted to MSD?

Posted By: Jeremiah

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/03/14 07:25 AM

Quote:

I was wondering how rare my distrib was its a iron, tach cable drive, electronic unit that I pulled from a race hemi. it uses the chrome elec box. what do these sell for and can theybe converted to MSD?

Take a look at this thread:

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...amp;Search=true

Posted By: perfmachst

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/03/14 07:43 AM

hi,usually mopar used a round end with a tang on it. mine are that way.however, do not use speedo cable as its wound wrong way, will unwind. tach cable is wound oppisite. reason, i know, i had a spare cable made, they used speeed cable, its wound right handed, left handed with real tach cable.

Posted By: JohnRR

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/03/14 03:33 PM

Quote:

I was wondering how rare my distrib was its a iron, tach cable drive, electronic unit that I pulled from a race hemi. it uses the chrome elec box. what do these sell for and can theybe converted to MSD?

It's not all that rare, it's an over the counter Direct Connection, or whatever the performance parts division was called then, race part. You can use it to trigger an MSD as it is.

Posted By: Slant6pak

Re: Vintage Tach Drive Distibutor for R/B? - 02/04/14 03:43 AM

Well no luck on the Prestolite.... yet,

Despite the fact that they aren't that rare.... and some of you guys haven't been able to give them away.... somebody E-sniped me on the I was winning.

Such is my luck... when I want something... the price goes up.