Odd Distributor Modification

[Steve Douglas]

I acquired a 022 distributor, looks to be in good shape however someone ground away the lower part of the cast iron housing. I will make a sleeve make it useable, just wondering why it was done? The photo shows the one in question as the top one, notice the area where the clamp normally goes is ground away, and about 1/4" of the body is gone too.

[Dave Erickson]

Not all cars that use Bosch distributors use the same length distributor housing shaft. Probably yours was ground to gain a longer shaft. I would not be surprised if it matches the length of shaft that a 123 distributor comes with, so you might be able to order one of their adapter rings to make it work.

[Martin Benade]

Will you turn down the entire bottom portion and fully sleeve it? Couldn’t you come up with a better body? That sounds like too much work to save the pictured one.
The 123 ring would fit loosely on that undersize ground area.

[Ron LaDow]

"I acquired a 022 distributor, looks to be in good shape however someone ground away the lower part of the cast iron housing."
Steve, you can check the 'advance' direction by holding the drive and rotating the rotor. If it is backwards from your known 022, it's a '60s Volvo part, and I've got use for the advance mechanism (no way to make it work for a 616; it is a centrifugal retard in that application).

[Steve Douglas]

Thanks all for the input, it is a good 022 distributor, today I put it on the distributor machine and the advance was about 31 degrees. I can make a sleeve or maybe I should call it a ring, about 1/4" thick, I have a nice chunk of brass stock, that can turn to fit, then I'll use JB Weld to hold in place and fill in any gap between the cast iron body and new ring. The area where the clamp goes is fine. At the current prices of good original and correct distributors we need to save all we can.
I looked to see if there was other makes that used the 022 and didn't find any, 1960's Volvo used 003 and BR20. I guess it could have been modified to fit something else, '50 Mercedes 190s used similar distributors.

[Martin Benade]

You had said the clamp area was ground down too. It that part is still intact your spacer and glue suddenly sounds more feasible.

[John Clarke]

Hi Steve. Bin It !
See Recent Post. 'What Stuff Is Junk' Strip it down, Find a Good 022 Body and Rebuild using all the Good Internal Parts. You'll enjoy it and know that You haven't got a Bodge Job. Bruce Smith should have an 022 Body.
Kind Regards Jay

[Bruce Smith]

I'd buy it for parts. $100 if everything else is good.

[Jacques Lefriant]

Hi
if it still has the original rotation it might hade been used for a 550 spyder althought a VW 009 has a better curve for the 4-CAM.
j