1955 Distributor

[Robert S.]

I have a Chrome cover for 1955 corvette distributor. Is there a special distributor cap for the Chrome cover (Three pieces) to go over or does anyone know where I can get detailed assembly instructions? I would like to install the chrome cover along with the braided spark plug wires.

Also I am looking for the Chrome cover for the Coil.

Thanks for your help.

[John S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

distributor cap is the 3" tall cap found on 55-61. cap is sold by most corvette vendors. cap has small raised circular bosses on top of the cap between each wire. the delco number is D-305.

[Robert S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

Thanks for your reply. My Question is how does the chrome cover fit over this cap? Is there a special way to insert the plastic cap into the chrome cover?

[John S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

line up the area where the distributor cap clamps, with the clamps on the shielding. install the distributor cap into the bottom of the shielding and then push cap until it hits the inner clamps in the shielding. now install the lower shielding piece. the distributor cap will now be contained in the shielding. place this assembly over the distributor and clamp on as you would a normal cap. (you will see that the lower shielding piece has a flat area and that is in line with the back of the vacuum advance). items to keep in mind when installing a correct distributor unit is that there is a early and later distributor housing, all 55 distributor tags will have 1110855 stamped on them, single point settup, and a big mallory condenser is installed on the outside of the distributor. early cars use the operating 085 vacuum advance and later cars use the non-operating 098 vacuum advance. the seven digit number of the vacuum advance will stamped on a top flat of the vacuum advance. distributor hold down clamp and bolt are painted engine color. all corvette distributors use a grease cup, not the tube that is used on passenger cars.

[Robert S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor


John,

Thank You

You have helped me immensely with this assembly; I now know I have the distributor for the passenger car since mine has the Tube and not the Grease Cup. I was unable the read the distributor number.

I am finding some things that are not perfect with this car and maybe more than some.

I had the distributor cover, top and bottom retainer re-chromed. The retainer does not fit in the bottom, I guess because of the chrome, so I guess I will have to remove some of the chrome to get it to fit inside the cover, but I will think about that.

Thanks for your time.

Bob

[Robert S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

With my car being 1533, I would imagine it use the non-operating 098 vacuum advance, the later model?

You have been very helpful.

Bob

[John S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

With my car being 1533, I would imagine it use the non-operating 098 vacuum advance, the later model?

You have been very helpful.

Bob

the cars after #400 appear to use the 098 vacuum advance, but you will never find one. it is a assembly line only item. closest looking vacuum advance is a 1116085 vacuum advance that was used on the earlier 55 corvettes and was used on every 1955 V8 passenger car up to at least mid january, 1955. this means there were a couple hundredthousand produced and any 847 distributor date coded up to the first week of january 1955, that is completely original, will have the 085 vacuum advance. the reason that there don't seem to be many 085 vacuum advances left is when they went bad they were replaced with service replacement #104.
you can just puddy the hole in the vacuum advance and cad paint the assembly to make it look like a 098. the non-operating 098 vacuum advance has a outline of the hole, so the puddy need not completely hide the hole. there are only about six correct date codes on the distributors used on the 55 corvettes and yours will most likely be 1110855 5D7.

[Robert S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

Thanks for the information.

In Straight Axel I found the following and don't understand all the conflicts I am see about the 55 Corvette. Is this in error or was there a change in the Distributor for this 1955?




One Carb:

YR Dist Tach Type Notes

1955 1110855 No Vacuum 8-cyl Early
1110847 No centrifugal 8-cyl after about
VE55S001356 to - 1483

[John S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

Thanks for the information.

In Straight Axel I found the following and don't understand all the conflicts I am see about the 55 Corvette. Is this in error or was there a change in the Distributor for this 1955?




One Carb:

YR Dist Tach Type Notes

1955 1110855 No Vacuum 8-cyl Early
1110847 No centrifugal 8-cyl after about
VE55S001356 to - 1483

847 is a passenger car distributor. all 847 distributors have operating vacuum advances. 855 is only found on the corvette. #1 to approximately #400 have the #1116085 operating vacuum advance. #401 to #700 have the non-operating vacuum advance. if you purchase the c.d. of #29 from troy pyles you will see it has a operating vacuum advance. david suesz's car #518, which i picked because it is close to your number, has the 098 non-operating vacuum advance. #408 also has a 098 vacuum advance on it . i chose #408 because it is a car near the transition time. #408 and #518 carry the same distributor code of 1110855 5D7. it is also strange that you mention car #1356. nolan mentions in his book that #1356 is the last car he could document with the first design carb and distributor, the distributor having code 1110855 5B3. (if you are to follow g.m. numbers it is seen that the earliest part has the lowest number. part #1116085 is the operating vacuum advance and part #1116098 is the non-operating vacuum advance. it would make sense that the operating vacuum advance appeared before the non-operating) .

[Robert S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

Thanks again for your time,
I am just trying to understand this before I go off and buy something that is not correct. I have done that before.

The reference to reference to #1356 was from straight Axel Corvette technical guide. I do have the Noland book but it does not have the detail I thought I would get. Good Book

[Robert S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,


I am taking inventory on my car. Could I impose on you to review what I have todate. I am wondering if the Carburetor is correct?

1955 gypsy Red Corvette Numbers

VIN# VE55S001533

Engine Block Casting Number 3703524

Engine Block Casting Date H25

Engine Block Stamp Pad 0370863 F55FG

Intake Manifold Casting Number 3711348

Intake Manifold Casting Date F205

Carburetor Carter WCFB 2218S

Carburetor Build Date G5

Distributor 1110847 (Incoreect)

Distributor Date 5H23

[John S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

robert, all numbers and dates are excellent with the exception of the distributor. i would not expect to see a 2218S carb as late as your car is, but i doubt if anyone could prove it was not originally on the car. as for the distributor, the 847 and 855 have the same body, so all you need to do is retag the distributor, replace the oil tube with a grease cup and locate a 1116085 vacuum advance. since the 2218s carb uses a operating vacuum advance you will just run a line to the carburator. could you recheck your engine block date and let me know if it is H25 or H255. ( in the judging manual it has been stated that some later cars use a 1110847 distributor with a non-operating 098 vacuum advance. the 098 vacuum advance has not been reproduced and in the two dozen cars i have located with a 098 vacuum advance they all had a 1110855 on the distributor and have identical date codes.)

[Robert S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

I looked at the Date Stamp again and it looks like H25 to me.

[John S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

I looked at the Date Stamp again and it looks like H25 to me.

your block is not only appearing correct, but seems to be the original block. your block has a assembly number that is approximately two weeks later than the other engines(passenger cars) that have the same date stamp. this falls in line with other corvette motors where the motor was pulled out of rotation and assembled later at a date close to the build date of the car. what your numbers show is that someone did not just add a G to a passenger block(adding a G or R is the easiest and most common way of faking a 1955 corvette block. engine pad will retain original broach marks) and make it into a corvette block.

[Robert S.]

Re: 1955 Distributor

John,

I was a little worried that you were going to tell me I had the wrong Block. I got some good news. I will take your advice on the Distributor and order a Tag and Grease Cap. I had seen discussion about the grease cap on this site.

I want to Thank you again for your advice and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Prosper New Year.

I know you will be hearing from me. Thanks for your time.