I found this while looking for my distributor number. I wonder what caused it? This E is a '69 driver. What would be your suggestion for a good combination of value and quality? I could mend this with epoxy, buy another Lucas distributor body and swap parts off this damaged one into it? Buy a modern non-Lucas IE distributor, or buy a remanufactured Lucas unit? Thanks again everyone.
It doesn’t look structural. After verifying that the innards are OK, you could put tape on the inside and fill the hole with epoxy. Sand to shape and paint with your favorite aluminum color paint. No one will be the wiser.
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I would suspect a casting flaw as it is hard to imagine trauma causing that. If the epoxy repair bugs you get a 2nd distributor and make that one your spare.
I always carry a spare distributor and wires with timing set so all I would have to do is drop it in in the event of a failure (possibly easier that diagnosing what went wrong… in the motel parking lot… in the dark… in the rain.
As for what to buy if you do replace… there are as many recommendations as there are choices.
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That looks like a job for JB Weld to me.
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I suspect something came loose on the inside and then the rotating advance arms caught it and busted it out the side.
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Having spent many hours in scrapyards I can think of many thing that could cause this kind of damage!
I wonder it it was part of a pile of engines at some point. Maybe it got knocked on the frame taking it in or out.
Whilst I an sure it may continue to operate, I would fit a 123 distributor anyway for a larger spark and a bit more poke!
Nah! The advance weights are a little higher, this is the damage they cause when they let go (or are incorrectly installed).
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I’m buying a new cap and rotor from Jay at DistributorDoctor.com. He confirms this damage is not unusual and happens when someone drops a nut or bolt in the distributor and leaves it. The internal mechanism hits it and punches it out the side.