It is difficult to hook-up the manual spark advance rod after installing a Vega steering box.
I have a Texas T distributor which of course is a manual advance vintage VW distributor on a tower that bolts to the T and gears off of the cam.
As one solution to the problem of hooking up the old spark advance rod, why not convert the Texas T distributor to automatic vacuum advance? There are VW vacuum advance distributors available:
http://www.airheadparts.com/vintage-vw-parts/new-parts-past/distributor-svda-wit h-hall-ignition-043905205-zel
Would one of these work in the Texas T distributor tower?
Has anyone out there done this? It looks doable, but might involve a little machining someplace.
What about rotation, clockwise vs. counter clockwise? I have an "Airhead" Parts Store nearby, and I will talk to them today, and show them the Texas T distributor.
I dunno...
Any ideas or experience appreciated!
Thanks & Regards,
Jon
Will only work with a modern carb that has a ported vacuum connection just above the throttle valve. Vacuum advance is not designed to work properly on manifold vacuum. You will lose advance when you need it the most.
On my car I cut off the spark rod just below the dash and hooked it up to a lawn mower choke cable and running to the distributor .
Erik
Texas t parts distributors run backwards compared to normal VW rotation so even the mechanical advance is disabled.
Ok. Thanks for the info! What I think I will do is use a manual advance with a choke cable mounted on the steering column just under the steering wheel. I found a nice cable clamp from the motorcycle guys at "Motion Pro":
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/11-0041/
I will probably put one of these at the top of the steering column and one at the bottom and then run the cable through the (now empty) hole for the spark advance rod and into the engine compartment. That sounds like clean and simple solution.
Thanks & Regards,
Jon
Hey Jon - just spitballin' here but what if you use a cable to actuate your advance, except run the cable off of the regular spark advance lever? Just use cable to replace the mechanical linkage.
It would keep things more normal for driving and folks would only know if they look under the hood. Just an idea.
Hi Seth,
The reason for going to a cable is that I now have a Vega steering box installed where the control rods used to pass down to the frame. I could just cut off the advance rod higher up above the Vega box and hook the advance lever there to a cable around the Vega box and cross to the distributor. After thinking about that vs. a cable all the way up the steering column, opted for the latter choice.
My decision was influenced by the idea that it is probably better to go with a cable all the way rather than have another link in the middle. I am thinking here purely in terms of mechanical efficiency and not in terms of making it look original...
There is all sorts of cable hardware out there for doing this like the Motion Pro motorcycle clamps in the link above.
Regards,
Jon
Jon - I kinda' like Seth's idea. I'm sure your arrangement will work fine, and as you say, with less "slop", but I'm thinking that it'd be hard to get used to a cable's "push/pull" operation after being used to the Ford spark and throttle levers. Just a thought,.......harold