distributor questions

does any have an explanation why some distributors have a Prestolite Distributor tags and some have a Chrysler distributor tags? I have noticed that even in the same year some models have a prestolite tag and some have a plain Chrysler tag both with similar date codes. I m guessing Prestolite was production line and Chrysler was replacement. am I correct? there seam to be a lot of Chrysler taged distributors for sale . any one have accurate knowledge?

I think Presolite were the dual point distributors.

I knew that.the question is why do some distributors have a Prestrolite tag and other cast iron distributors of the same year and sometimes same dates have a Chrysler tag?

Oh, sorry.

These are all production line,most of what I have seen with Prestolite are 65 and earlier but there are exceptions.

well I have a 1970 340 distributor with a Prestolite tag well weathered with correct part # and isb # and have seen others wit Chrysler tag for same year. that's is confusing to me. I also saw an nos 340 prestolite distributor in original box with part# on ebay. im sure there are more example ,wander why and which one would be correct for which car.

A view from a guy with over 45 years in the wholesale auto parts business;

The difference may be where the dist was sourced from originally. Prestolite sold parts to many wholesale auto parts suppliers and even direct to normal auto parts stores, not just through auto manufacturers. I know of mom and pop auto parts stores that have been buying direct from many such manufacturers and suppliers since the late 1940's. Years ago, I was buying Chevrolet Delco distributors, but not through the GM dealer channels. I have also bought bulk quantities of NOS Accel distributors in genuine Mopar boxes through contacts in the speed shop industry. The aftermarket and dealer parts supply system have many different branches, where many of the same parts can be bought through different channels, when the only visual difference is the packaging or maybe the tag or label on the part.

The stamped tag is likely only an indicator of through which channel the distributor was purchased.

so are you saying that all the prestolite distributors after 1965 are after market? how does the ISB # and part# and date code end up related to production distributor? I can understand the part # , but the ISB and date code I would Question . What I am trying to determine is which distributor is correct for production line (what was original to the vechile). as I stated earlier there seam to ample supply of both available with similar date codes.

Imagine that Prestolite produces a run of distributors, all being built on the same day. Half of them are sent to Chrysler with Chrysler tags, the other half being tagged as Prestolite. The Prestolite parts could have been put on a shelf, awaiting a sale at a later date. Just because they were built, doesn't mean that they were all ordered or sold at that time. Often, inventory was produced on the assumption that there would be future demand for the part, maybe even years later.

As an example, in the late 70's and early 80's, I was buying NOS 1969 Z28 distributors from Chevrolet until all of their inventory of that part number was exhausted. I then found that I could order the same part number from an AC Delco supplier, and they came through as the same 1969 date stamped parts, in old Delco boxes, with the same labeling as I had previously been getting from Chevrolet. Evidently, Delco had unsold inventory in a warehouse that they had produced in expectation that Chevrolet would be ordering them at a later date. At the very end, Delco started sending through the part number I ordered with 1981 date stamps on the distributor, in much later packaging, with labels imprinted directly on the box, instead of having the old style paper label. I quit ordering them when that happened.

Your question is confusing. A Chrysler distributor is aluminum and single point. Prestolite is Cast Iron and while there were early 60s cars with single point, later performance cars are dual point and in most later applications Prestolite meant Dual Point while Chrysler were single point only.

The parts manuals call out which cars got which and certainly a single point Chrysler could have been a replacement.

For example the 1970 340 4 barr 4 speed car got a prestolite DP, while the auto got Chrysler SP. Yet all 340 6 pack cars got Prestolite DP regardless of transmission.

reply to dragon slayer. I had asked about distributor tags , however I was talking about the cast iron distributors. as seen the photo examples provided by other members you see that their distributor tags have a "CHRYSLER stamped tag" as opposed to the PRESTOLITE distributor tag I have seen on other cast iron distributors. in some cases I seen a 1970 340 cast iron distributor with a 'CHRYSLER" distributor tag and also s "PRESTOLITE" distributor tag both with the same part # and ISB# ,with same or close to date codes . that was my question . why and which one was correct. I have seen on ebay lately several T/A distributors all automatic cast iron and a sporting a date code in late 1970. haven't seen any 4spd ones as of yet and yet to see one with a properly dated code. I have been watching examples for some time now and decided to ask if anyone has accurate info.

Can you show what you think is a Chrysler tag versus a prestolite tag? The Chrysler Prestolite Distributors had a Prestolite number and the corresponding Chrysler number on the same tag as shown in the pictures.

64 Tag has Prestolite-The Electric Autolite Co,68 340 tag has Prestolite-Prestolite Limited

your photo of the 68 tag which reads Prestolite Limited is what I am referring too. Would that be correct for production line ? im taking pic now will post in a few.

That tag is original from a 68 GTS auto I bought after it was totaled in 1989,still have the original distributor.

here is pic of my distributor.

now is that a production line tag ? very similar to your 68 tag.

Just an FYI on Prestolite dual point tags:

Anytime you see the 4 numerical digits of the IBS number, then typically followed by a letter, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THE LETTER "S", that unit is a SERVICE distributor, NOT an assembly line distributor.

Bill Rolik

good to know , thanks Bill

While we are on the discussion of the Prestolite dual point dist. Which vacuum advance is correct out of these 2? I have 2 dist 3438314 early 70 with 440-6 and 4 speed. The silver one or the bronze colored one?

The bottom distributor vacuum advance is 69 and earlier
Prestolite,that style would have to be a real early production to be 70,the top one is 70 and up Prestolite and Chrysler single point,don't remember how far back that one goes.

So what wound be correct for this dual point? Do you have picture or part number? Also I believe I have heard you can restore or rebuild these?

The top one is correct,what is the part number and date on the other one ? As for rebuilding,yes.