63 Distributor - 327/340

[Peter Ansted]

I have discovered that the distributor I have for this car has a number that matched the 62 327/340. It is a dual point unit. Could this be the distributor that was placed in this car at the factory? It is also full of grease, inserted through to hinged door at the base of the unit. Is this correct? Lastly, I see no vac advance on this distributor. Is it safe to assume that this distributor needs a vac advance unit? Thanks again

[Joe L.]

Re: 63 Distributor - 327/340

Peter-----

I doubt very much that your 1963 with 340 hp was originally supplied with the dual point distributor that you have. 1962 was the only year that dual point distributors were used on a 327 Corvette engine. The 62 dual points, used on 340 and 360 hp engines only, did not have vacuum advance and it did have the oiling access feature that you describe.

Notwithstanding the above, if your car is a VERY early 63, I'd say that it's POSSIBLE that the distributor could be original. What is the distributor number and date code found on the aluminum band around the shank of the distributor body?

[John H.]

Re: 63 Distributor - 327/340

Peter -

That distributor is not original to the car - the correct distributor for a '63 327/340 is #1111024, which is a single-point vacuum advance distributor with a "window" cap.

[Duke W.]

Re: 63 Distributor - 327/340

The number John listed is the OEM distributor for all '63 327s except FI. The engine will run better if you install a single point with a vacuum advance. Almost any Corvette tach drive distributor can be used. Shim up the end play to the '63 shop manual spec; be sure the breaker plate fits snug and doesn't wobble, use the 28-32 oz breaker arm tension points, and the vacuum can from the 65 FI distributor. Set up about 24 degrees centrifugal at about 3000 to 3500 and 10 to 14 initial.

Duke

[Christopher R.]

Re: 63 Distributor - 327/340

The 1962 Corvette 327/340 and 360 distributor was a tach drive, dual point, no vacuum advance distributor. GM sold it for many years after 1962 as their high performance distributor for all applications. It was very popular too. Lots of Chevy small blocks got this distributor as a hot rod upgrade.